Jaume Santonja

Jaume Santonja’s path to conducting has been shaped from within the orchestra itself. Formed as a percussionist before a conductor — seven seasons as principal percussionist of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra — he developed from the inside a deep understanding of orchestral sound, collective listening and the human dynamics that define symphonic music-making. Rooted in the Valencian musical tradition, he brings to the podium an instinctive command of rhythm and orchestral colour, paired with a lyrical sensibility and a genuinely collaborative way of working.

A decisive chapter came during his time as Assistant Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, working closely with Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Simon Rattle and Kazuki Yamada. This period shaped his understanding of rehearsals as creative spaces and deepened a conducting philosophy grounded in active listening rather than imposition. He was subsequently invited to work with Iván Fischer and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra as part of an intensive conducting programme.

As Associate Conductor of the Euskadiko Orkestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano, he built an international presence that extends across Europe and Asia.

From 2026, he also serves as Artistic Director of the Fundació Sonora, an initiative bringing together orchestral performance, musician training and community engagement in the Valencian region. He is also the founder of AbbatiaViva, a musical collective through which he pursues his work as composer and arranger.