About BISO Youth Orchestra

Led by acclaimed conductors, distinguished musicians and connected to the all-professional Boston International Symphony Orchestra, the program offers intensive sectional and full-orchestra training in a supportive, inspiring, and artistically rigorous environment.

Principal Conductor and Co-Founder Jorge Soto is himself a graduate of Venezuela's renowned El Sistema program, one of the world's most influential youth music education movements. Drawing on his extensive experience as both a performer and educator, Maestro Soto brings the principles of El Sistema to BISO Youth Orchestra - emphasizing musical excellence, teamwork, mentorship, leadership, and the transformative power of ensemble music-making. His passion for developing young musicians is at the heart of the program's educational mission.

BISO Youth Conductor Alfonso Piacentini is a conductor noted for precise technique, expressive musicality, and collaborative leadership. He maintains a versatile repertoire spanning symphonic, operatic, and contemporary works. Piacentini connects professional orchestras with youth ensembles and community participants, developing programs that are artistically rigorous yet accessible.

One of the program's unique advantages is the opportunity for advanced students to perform side-by-side with professional musicians of the Boston International Symphony Orchestra, creating a meaningful bridge between youth and professional artistry.

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Program Highlights

Led by internationally acclaimed conductors and distinguished teaching artists
Opportunity for advanced students to perform with the Boston International Symphony Orchestra (BISO)
Intensive sectional and orchestral training model
Smaller, more personalized environment than many larger institutional programs
Convenient suburban location in the Newton/Lexington area
Performance opportunities throughout the year
Connections to regional, national, and international music initiatives

Leadership and Faculty

Principal Conductor and Artistic Director: Jorge Soto
BISO Youth Conductor: Alfonso Piacentini
Founder and President: Harry Zhu
Co-Founder and Director: Olga Lisovska
Orchestra Advisor: Prof. James O’Dell
Orchestra Manager: Juju Zhu
Guest Conductors: To Be Announced (TBA)
Sectional Faculty Director: Olga Lisovska

Strings: TBA
Woodwinds: TBA
Brass: TBA
Percussion: TBA

Performance Opportunities

End-of-session Youth Orchestra Showcase Concerts
Boston International Music Festival (BIMF)
Boston Youth Talent Spectacular (BYTS)
Boston New Year Grand Musical Ball every January
WeStar Four Season Concert Series
Concert Tour in US, Canada and China

Artistic Leadership of the Highest Caliber

Jorge Arturo Soto

BISO Co-Founder, Conductor

Principal Conductor at Boston International Symphony Orchestra

In 2023, Mr. Soto became Principal Conductor of the United Nations Festival Orchestra for Hope. He is also the Principal Conductor of the New Philharmonia Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to his regular posts, Mr. Soto has collaborated with Boston Symphony Orchestra, as assistant or cover conductor for the BSO on several occasions, including for performances with Andris Nelsons, John Williams, David Robertson, Giancarlo Guerrero, Thomas Wilkins, and Stefan Asbury, among others.

Born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Mr. Soto began his musical studies in Venezuela at the Vicente Emilio Sojo State Conservatory, later studying violin at the Latin American Academy of Violin under Rhio Sanchez, Francisco Diaz and José Francisco Del Castillo. A founding member of the Simón Bolívar National Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, he has also performed with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas.

Mr. Soto graduated with a Master of Music degree in conducting from the New England Conservatory. His conducting teachers and mentors include Harold Farberman, Jorma Panula, Stephen Tucker, Jani Telaranta, and Charles Peltz. On violin, he has studied with Sophie Vilker, Janne Malmivaara, Peter Sulski, and Timothy Schwarz.

Alfonso Piacentini

BISO Youth Conductor, Assistant Conductor at Boston Philharmonic Orchestra

Alfonso Piacentini is a conductor noted for precise technique, expressive musicality, and collaborative leadership. He maintains a versatile repertoire spanning symphonic, operatic, and contemporary works. Piacentini connects professional orchestras with youth ensembles and community participants, developing programs that are artistically rigorous yet accessible.

He serves as Assistant Conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Music Director of the Lincoln‑Sudbury Civic Orchestra, and now as BISO Youth Orchestra Conductor. Operatic engagements include ensemble master and cover conducting for Mass Opera Boston’s Alcina and music directorship of West End Lyric Opera’s L’Amico Fritz. He has led contemporary repertoire projects with the ÆON Ensemble and Dell’Arte Opera Ensemble. Guest appearances include Boston

Landmarks Orchestra, the Young Artists Concert Orchestra of Puerto Rico, and Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico.

Tours with the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra have taken him to major halls in Europe, China, Japan, Greece, South Africa, and Mexico. Festivals and workshops include the Cabrillo Festival, Eastern Music Festival, the Carl Topilow Conducting Workshop, and the Los Angeles Film Conducting Intensive. A dedicated educator, he teaches conducting, harmony, orchestration, and leadership to students worldwide. He holds music degrees from Boston Conservatory and the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico in conducting and percussion performance.