Venezuelan conductor Leonardo Pineda blends exceptional orchestral training, communication skills, and refined conducting technique. Acclaimed composer Miguel Del Aguila described him as „an incredible conductor with rhythmic clarity and musical structure that is very hard to find.“

In 2022, Leonardo was awarded the Distinction Prize at the Carlos Prieto Conducting Fellowship with OAcademy, leading to an invitation as Assistant Conductor in Mexico. The OAcademy team praised him as „a deep thinker and musician-leader needed for the future.“ Following his fellowship, Leonardo joined OAcademy as an Associate Faculty member, delivering large-scale lectures and hosting Q&A sessions with prominent musicians.

His professional debut came when he stepped in for José Luis Gomez, conducting a spellbinding performance of Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night. This achievement earned him the position of Resident Conductor at the Classical Music Institute (CMI), where he expanded the orchestra’s reach and prioritized community engagement through innovative collaborations.

In 2022, Leonardo made his ballet debut, conducting The Nutcracker with Ballet San Antonio. He also served as Cover Conductor for OPERA San Antonio during the 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25 seasons, working on productions such as Pagliacci, Romeo and Juliet, Hansel and Gretel, The Pirates of Penzance, and Madame Butterfly.

Beginning in the 2024/25 season, Leonardo will take on leadership roles as Principal Conductor and Artistic Curator for Orchestra San Antonio, Interim Assistant Conductor for The Orchestra Now and the Bard Conservatory Orchestra, and Staff Conductor for the All City Youth Orchestra in NYC. His debut appearances this season include performances with Ensemble Connect at Carnegie Hall, The Orchestra San Antonio at the H-E-B Hall, The Orchestra Now at the Fisher Center, and the All City Orchestra in NYC.

Leonardo refined his craft under Harold Farberman and James Bagwell at Bard College, gaining extensive experience with the Bard Conservatory Orchestra and The Orchestra Now. He has collaborated with conductors such as Leon Botstein, Carlos Prieto, and José Luis Gomez and participated in the 2020 European International Competition in Bulgaria.

As a violinist, Leonardo has performed under the batons of Fabio Luisi, Valery Gergiev, Marin Alsop, Domingo Hindoyan, Leonard Slatkin, among others. He is a faculty member at Bard College and leads TŌNteaches, a teaching artist platform fostering educational engagement through music.