The Spanish conductor José Antonio Montaño has been honored with the Best Conductor Prize 2024 at the 8th Early Music Awards, organized by GEMA (Spanish Association of Early Music Groups).
This prestigious accolade highlights his remarkable artistic career and his work with La Madrileña, an orchestra specializing in historical instruments. Under his leadership, the ensemble has carried out significant projects to recover and promote 18th-century repertoires, both Spanish and European.
The award recognizes his contribution to the development and excellence of early music in Spain, reflecting the support and admiration of professionals in the field.
Throughout his career, José Antonio Montaño has demonstrated an exceptional balance across diverse repertoires and genres, excelling in the revival of Baroque and Classical works as well as the direction of music from other periods, including contemporary compositions. In the field of early music, his versatility has enabled him to conduct historically informed ensembles with period instruments as well as modern orchestras, effectively translating the interpretative principles of this repertoire to contemporary orchestral contexts. His work, characterized by a combination of stylistic precision, musicological expertise, and experience, delivers performances of profound depth and artistic quality, widely acclaimed by audiences and critics alike.