Carlos Kalmar has a passion for introducing audiences and orchestras to less well known repertoire. He was born in 1958 in Uruguay to Austrian parents and now lives in Vienna. He studied conducting with Karl Österreicher at the College for Music in Vienna and in June 1984 won First Prize at the Hans Swarowsky Conducting Competition in Vienna. Since his German debut in 1985 with the NDR Symphony Orchestra Hamburg Kalmar has conducted regularly in Germany; he also works with many top American orchestras, including as regular guest conductor of the symphony orchestras at Philadelphia and Chicago. He is now Music Director of the Oregon Symphony Orchesta.