On March 30, 2023, Mayor Henriette Reker and Cultural Affairs Director Stefan Charles introduced the new General Music Director of the City of Cologne and Conductor. Starting in 2025, subject to approval by the main committee, Andrés Orozco-Estrada will take on the musical leadership of the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne and the Cologne Opera. Mayor Henriette Reker emphasizes: "When Andrés Orozco-Estrada returned to the Gürzenich Orchestra in November 2022 for a project with critically acclaimed concerts, it was clear that a special musical partnership was possible here. Among the highly qualified candidates, he stood out to the selection committee because he perfectly embodied the desired profile. With Andrés Orozco-Estrada, the City of Cologne gains an exceptional, innovative musician and communicator who captivates with energy, elegance, and esprit."

Cultural Affairs Director Stefan Charles is confident: "With his musical integrity and authenticity, his broad repertoire from classical to contemporary music, and his palpable artistic passion, Andrés Orozco-Estrada will continue the development initiated by his predecessors to make the Gürzenich Orchestra one of the most outstanding orchestras in Germany and enrich it with his own new accents. At the Opera am Offenbachplatz, he will bring musical highlights to the audience, and at the helm of the Gürzenich Orchestra, he will further strengthen the international influence of Cologne as a cultural metropolis."

Andrés Orozco-Estrada says: "I am very excited to begin my work in 2025 as the General Music Director of the City of Cologne and Gürzenich-Kapellmeister in one of Europe's important cultural metropolises and to help shape its artistic future. Together with the Gürzenich Orchestra and the Cologne Opera, I want to inspire all Cologne residents with music and for music, representing and presenting the city of Cologne as a music city internationally. I am grateful to the City of Cologne for their trust, and I dedicate myself fully and passionately to this great task."

Hein Mulders, Intendant of the Cologne Opera, confirms: "I am very much looking forward to working with Andrés Orozco-Estrada again, as I got to know him in my previous role as the concert hall director as a renowned conductor for vocal music and a sensitive musician with great attention to detail. I am very excited about his interpretations of the major operatic repertoire at the Cologne Opera."

Stefan Englert, Managing Director of the Gürzenich Orchestra, is excited: "Winning Andrés Orozco-Estrada as Gürzenich Conductor from 2025 is a stroke of luck for our orchestra and the music city of Cologne. With his authentic, thoughtful, and at the same time emotional interpretations of the masterpieces of the symphonic repertoire, he inspires both the audience and the musicians. I am really looking forward to the inspiring collaboration and development of the Gürzenich Orchestra."

Paul Müller, Intendant of the Munich Philharmonic and a member of the selection committee, highlights: "Andrés Orozco-Estrada is one of the outstanding conductors of his generation, as shown by the list of brilliant orchestras he works with. He is a regular guest conductor with the Munich Philharmonic and will conduct the open-air concert at Odeonsplatz next. Andrés is a passionate musician who inspires musicians and captivates the audience. These are the best prerequisites for the future of the Gürzenich Orchestra and for its concert and opera audiences in Cologne and internationally. I congratulate him and wish all the best to all involved."

Pamela Rosenberg, former Intendant of the San Francisco Opera and the Berlin Philharmonic and a member of the selection committee, highlights: "Andrés Orozco-Estrada is one of the most interesting conductors of his generation, bringing broad experience in various musical genres and styles. He excels both in opera and symphonic repertoire with profound knowledge and his communicative abilities. During his time as General Music Director of the Hessian Radio Orchestra, he managed to enhance the international presence of the orchestra through numerous invitations and performances. In Frankfurt, he also brought classical music to wide audiences with original ideas and initiatives. With his commitment to education projects, he made classical music accessible to young audiences. He will certainly aim for similar successes in Cologne. He is deeply convinced of the essential and meaningful role that culture—and specifically music—plays in society. As both a musician and a person, he is a great asset to Cologne."

Born in Medellín, Colombia, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, 45, is one of the outstanding conductors of his generation. He has held several chief positions with renowned ensembles. From September 2014 to July 2021, he was the Chief Conductor of the hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt and Music Director of the Houston Symphony Orchestra from 2014 to 2022. He was also Chief Conductor of the Vienna Symphoniker from 2020 to 2022. He regularly conducts leading orchestras in Europe, including the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Dresden Staatskapelle, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest, and the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, as well as major American orchestras such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Philadelphia Orchestra. He has conducted successful concerts and opera performances at the Berlin and Vienna State Operas as well as at the Salzburg Festival.

It is important to Andrés Orozco-Estrada to impact society with classical music, particularly to bring it closer to children. He is continuing the rich tradition of Cologne as a music city, which has pioneered work in children's opera and music education programs with the Gürzenich Orchestra.

As Conductor and General Music Director of the City of Cologne, Andrés Orozco-Estrada joins a prestigious list of predecessors, including Günter Wand, James Conlon, Markus Stenz, and François-Xavier Roth, who shaped the city's musical life and established Cologne's reputation as a music city. He will conduct the Gürzenich Orchestra both at the Cologne Opera and in the cologne philharmonic, influencing the musical development of both institutions in Cologne. Andrés Orozco-Estrada will take on the key role in the musical life of Cologne and will lead the orchestra, founded in the 19th century, into the future.