Roberto Castro is an American conductor, born in Bolivia, whose path has been shaped by deep study, long apprenticeship, and a profound connection to the tradition of orchestral music. His journey has led him from the stages of the United States to the heart of Europe’s musical soul—Leipzig.

Having completed conducting masterclasses under the renowned Professor Uroš Lajovic of the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Roberto Castro built his foundation with a focus on clarity, structure, and expression. His musical studies began at Rhode Island College and Florida State University, where the contrabass served as his principal instrument. He studied contrabass under David Cobb, his main teacher and an enduring influence in his musical journey. This foundation lead him into the orchestral world.

After performing with professional orchestras throughout the U.S., Castro deepened his training in Leipzig, Germany—immersing himself in the musical heritage of the city that once belonged to Bach, Mendelssohn, and Mahler. In Leipzig, he studied conducting and score playing with Michael Köhler at the Felix Mendelssohn Hochschule für Musik, and in 2007 attended masterclasses taught by the legendary Kurt Masur.

His development continued through over a decade of closely attending Gewandhaus Orchestra rehearsals, quietly absorbing the sound, discipline, and spirit of one of the world’s greatest ensembles. These years of listening became a living education. He met and exchanged ideas with conductors such as Trevor Pinnock, Herbert Blomstedt, Andrés Orozco-Estrada and Alan Gilbert, whose insights have shaped his own artistic vision.

He later founded the Thomas Kammerorchester in Leipzig, making his debut with the Brandenburg Concertos in the historic Festsaal of the Altes Rathaus. Most recently, he founded the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra of Sarasota, a new artistic initiative in Florida, U.S.A. He has conducted orchestras in Germany, Bulgaria, Croatia, and the United States, including the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra and the State Opera Plovdiv.

Roberto Castro is also a master teacher. With decades of teaching experience and hundreds of students, he is a passionate communicator, fluent in multiple languages, and committed to artistic integrity. Whether on the podium or in the studio, he brings clarity, humility, and a deep love of the music to every rehearsal.

He continues to seek orchestras and collaborators who share the vision of music as a serious, human, and transformative force.