Christian Baldini

Christian Baldini is a Professor of Music and Music Director/Conductor of the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra, holding the Barbara K. Jackson Chair in Orchestral Conducting. He also serves as Music Director of the Camellia Symphony Orchestra and the Barbara K. Jackson Rising Stars of Opera program. His career includes roles with the BBC Symphony and San Francisco Symphony, as well as operatic productions at London’s English National Opera and Buenos Aires’ Teatro Colón. Baldini’s conducting has revitalized Argentina’s orchestral scene and earned acclaim through recordings like the 2015 Mozart CD and the 2021 Centaur Records album. He holds degrees from SUNY Buffalo (Ph.D.), Penn State (M.A.), and Argentina’s Catholic University (B.A.).

Education:

• Ph.D. in Composition, State University of New York at Buffalo
• M.A. in Conducting, Pennsylvania State University
• B.A. in Conducting and Composition, Catholic University of Argentina

Research Interests: Baldini advocates for contemporary music, having premiered over 200 works. His compositions are performed globally and published by Babel Scores and Universal Edition. He focuses on blending classical and modern repertoires, with a specialization in orchestral and operatic conducting.

Recent Projects: Upcoming engagements include Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld in Buenos Aires and a 2025 return with the National Symphony Orchestra of Argentina. His 2025 album with Coviello Records features David Felder’s Jeu de Tarot 2.

Awards:

• Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award finalist (2012)
• Top prizes in Seoul (2005) and São Paulo (2006) competitions
• Five-star reviews for Mozart CD (2015) and 2021 Centaur Records album

Advising/Grants: Baldini mentors students like Daniel Godsil (Gerber Prize winner) and Aida Shirazi. The UC Davis Symphony Endowment supports his work in accessing top-tier soloists and travel opportunities.

Labs/Teams: Leads the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra and collaborates with the San Francisco Opera on the Rising Stars of Opera program.