Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Fernanda Lastra is an Argentine conductor with an international presence across American and Latin American orchestras. She brings to the podium the conviction that music holds more than any word can contain – and that a live orchestra, at its best, is where a community comes to experience that truth together. A dedicated advocate for Latin American composers, she places particular emphasis on preserving and amplifying Argentina’s rich musical heritage within contemporary orchestral life.

Recent Highlights & Upcoming Engagements

Fernanda Lastra has established herself as an active conductor with prominent American orchestras and institutions. Her recent guest conducting highlights include the Tucson Symphony Orchestra in the Masterworks Series, her debut with the Orquesta Filarmónica de la UNAM (OFUNAM) in Mexico City, and her debut with the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile. She has served as cover conductor with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Portland Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center. Upcoming engagements include the Holland Symphony, the Lima Symphony, the South Bend Symphony, and Orchestra Iowa.

Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (2022–2025)

For three seasons, Fernanda Lastra served as Assistant Conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under the close mentorship of Music Director JoAnn Falletta. She covered the orchestra’s full 40-week schedule across classical, pops, and special programs, while regularly leading the Family, Youth, and summer series. She also contributed to the BPO’s Artistic Team and served on both the Music Education Committee and the Diversity Council. In 2025, she was invited to conduct the classical subscription series,  a milestone debut featuring pianist Avery Gagliano.

Education & Recognition

Fernanda Lastra holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in orchestral conducting from the University of Iowa, a Master’s Degree from Penn State University, and a Bachelor’s Degree from La Plata University in Argentina. In 2023, she received the Premio Nacional Clásica from Argentina’s National Classical Radio. The following year she was honored with the Career Advancement Award at the Women in Classical Music Symposium, hosted by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.