Álvaro Cassuto is Portugal’s foremost conductor. He has led several orchestras, including the Portuguese National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Rhode Island Philharmonic, the University of California Symphony Orchestra at Irvine, the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra, and currently, the Orquestra do Algarve in Portugal, which he founded in 2002.

Born in Oporto, Portugal, Cassuto established himself as one of Portugal’s most promising young conductors in his early twenties. He graduated in conducting from the Vienna Conservatory, one year after receiving a degree in Law from the University of Lisbon. In 1968, the legendary Leopold Stokowski invited Cassuto to become assistant conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra, which led him to his debut at Avery Fischer Hall. In 1969 he won the coveted Koussevitzky Prize at Tanglewood.

Cassuto spent 18 years in the U.S., conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Oklahoma Symphony, the San Antonio Symphony, and more. While Music Director of the National Orchestra of New York, his seasons at Carnegie Hall received enthusiastic critical acclaim.

In leading the Orquestra do Algarve, he has created an ensemble of high international standards. In its first year, the orchestra recorded three CDs, and toured Europe.