Venezuelan violinist Diego Diaz is a first-year Violin Fellow at the New World Symphony. He started music at the age of 9 and was immersed into “El Sistema” program founded by Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu. After a few years of hard work, he started playing with many orchestras around the country and eventually participating in international tours in Europe and Asia. He received his Bachelor of Music Degree in Violin Performance at Lisandro Alvarado Midwestern University in Venezuela, and he was part of the Latin American School of Violin in the studio of Maestro Jose Francisco del Castillo, founder of the school. Diego also won 1st prize of the Juan Bautista Plaza Competition in the Emil Friedman School in Caracas city in 2013.   

Diego Diaz graduated from his Master’s Degree in the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in 2021 where he was part of the studio of Mrs. Almita Vamos and Dr. Roland Vamos. Following this, he completed an Orchestral Studies Performance Diploma at the same institution in 2023. Therefore, he was a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and Chicago Sinfonietta’s project inclusion. Through Civic, Diego has had the opportunity of sharing stage with great musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma.  

He has also had the opportunity of playing with well-renowned conductors such as Gustavo Dudamel, Sir Simon Rattle and Diego Matheuz. Currently, besides being a regular member at the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Diego has played as a sub with great orchestras such as the Grant Park Music Festival Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, among others in the last year.