Payare Featured in Preludium Magazine Ahead of Concertgebouw Orchestra Debut

Feb 17, 2026

Rafael Payare is Preludium magazine’s February 2026 cover story ahead of his debut leading the Concertgebouw Orchestra this week. The feature highlights Payare’s musical journey, beginning with his early years as a musician in Venezuela to his rise as leading conductor and music director of both San Diego Symphony and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

Says Payare of his upcoming debut in Amsterdam:

“I think it’s a fantastic honor. I know the orchestra’s history with Willem Mengelberg and Gustav Mahler. You couldn’t find many recordings in Venezuela, but when we toured with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, we were the first to run to a CD store in every city. A small group of us agreed, ‘If you buy this in Vienna, I’ll buy that in Berlin.’ And then we listened and exchanged experiences.”

Read the full piece here and listen to the Spotify playlist below.