Dr. Rick Barrantes Agüero, Music Director
Dr. Rick Barrantes Agüero enjoys a career as a conductor, bassoonist, and music educator. He is the Music Director of the Chester County Youth Orchestra and holds teaching positions at Temple University, Millersville University, The Music School of Delaware, University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore College, and the Philadelphia International Music Festival. He is the Principal Bassoon of the New Jersey Chamber Orchestra and has performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, San Diego Symphony Orchestra, and Delaware Symphony Orchestra. He has also conducted ensembles such as the American Modern Ensemble, Berks Sinfonietta, Mostly Modern Orchestra, Temple University Symphony Orchestra, and Penn Symphony Orchestra.
Dr. Barrantes Agüero previously served as bassoon teacher at the Interlochen Arts Camp, The Philadelphia Orchestra All-City Fellowship, Temple Music Prep, SiNEM/El Sistema (Costa Rica), School of Symphonic Music of Pérez Zeledón (Costa Rica), and ANC Youth Music Camp (Panama).
He has presented masterclasses at The Glenn Gould School (Canada), Penn State University, University of Delaware, University of the Pacific, University of Alabama, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, PYO Music Institute, Guaranda International Music Festival (Ecuador), National Conservatory of Tegucigalpa (Honduras), and Youth Symphony Orchestra of Nicaragua.
Dr. Barrantes Agüero has also appeared with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica, Philadelphia Ballet Orchestra, York Symphony Orchestra, Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, Reading Symphony Orchestra, Symphony in C, Second Ending Ensemble, APEX Ensemble, Berks Sinfonietta, Pennsylvania Philharmonic, Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey, Bay Atlantic Symphony, Toronto Concert Orchestra, and Niagara Symphony Orchestra. During the summers, he has performed as principal bassoon with the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (Switzerland), AIMS Festival Orchestra (Austria), Brevard Music Center Institute, Sewanee Summer Music Festival, and Youth Orchestra of Central America (Panama).
Dr. Barrantes Agüero is on the roster of the renowned Dolce Suono and Serafin chamber ensembles and has played as a soloist with the Wilmington Community Orchestra, Temple University Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Chamber Orchestra, Delaware Youth Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Sinfonia, GGS Chamber Orchestra, Youth Orchestra of Guatemala, Alajuela National Band (Costa Rica), and University of Costa Rica Symphonic Band. A graduate of the
National Music Institute (Costa Rica), the Royal Conservatory of Music (Canada), and Temple University, he is originally from Costa Rica and currently resides in Philadelphia.