Biography
Isaac Terceros is the founder and artistic director of the Santa Cruz Philharmonic in Bolivia and have been appointed as Director of Orchestras at Kent State University and artistic director of the Kent Blossom Music Festival. Currently, he also serves as the Interim Artistic Director of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra in Indiana and has recently completed his doctoral studies in Orchestral Conducting at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music under the mentorship of Maestros Arthur Fagen and Thomas Wilkins.
Dr. Terceros has conducted throughout the world, including several cities in South America, the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, and Romania, among other European countries. In Bolivia, he established and conducted several ensembles, including the Santa Cruz Symphonic Band and the award-winning vocal ensemble Entrecantos. As a passionate advocate of music education for all ages, communities, and backgrounds, he has also served as a faculty member and choir conductor at Universidad Evangélica Boliviana (UEB) and held various cultural leadership roles, including on the Arts Council of Santa Cruz and as Secretary of Culture of Partners of America in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. In 2017, he was awarded the Youth Peace Prize in the Arts category, and in 2019, he received the Outstanding Young Person of Bolivia award from the Junior Chamber International.
His work with the Santa Cruz Philharmonic has received praise and recognition from audiences and the press alike. Since its establishment in 2016, the Philharmonic has quickly become an artistic pillar of the city and country, building strong relationships with civic institutions, businesses, and the general public. Concerts have had a significant educational and historical impact on the city, featuring premieres from the symphonic canon such as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, pieces from the Latin American symphonic repertoire, and various popular productions such as A Gospel Celebration, A Tribute to John Williams, an Opera Gala and the musical Les Misérables. Dr. Terceros' adventurous projects have harnessed the storytelling power, rich diversity, and universal relevance of music to engage new audiences.
Dr. Terceros completed his Master's Degree in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Central Arkansas under the mentorship of Maestro Israel Getzov, where he was awarded a Graduate Assistantship and the Music Certificate Scholarship. Previously, he received his Bachelor's Degree in Orchestra and Choir Conducting at the University of Sao Paulo through the Exchange Program for Undergraduate Students (PEC-G), sponsored by the Ministry of External Relations (MRE) of Brazil, under the instruction of Maestro Aylton Escobar and other prestigious professors. Dr. Terceros received numerous awards during his academic studies, including a research grant from the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and ten Academic Excellence Awards from the Division of Educational Matters (DCE) of Brazil. Throughout his academic journey, he has been honored with various awards and grants for his research in music analysis, music technology, and choral conducting, publishing his findings in prestigious academic journals and conferences.
