Carlos Chacón

Carlos Chacón (he/him) is a Venezuelan violinist who began his musical journey at the age of seven through El Sistema. He later continued his studies at the Simón Bolívar Music Conservatory in Caracas, where he pursued formal training in violin performance.

At 15 years old, he joined the Caracas Symphony Orchestra. In 2018, he became a member of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel, performing on international stages across Italy, Turkey, Spain, and Russia.

Carlos is currently a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and plays in the first violin section of the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also performed with ensembles such as the Des Moines Symphony, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, Elgin Symphony, and Illinois Symphony, among others.

Throughout his career, he has studied with distinguished teachers including Almita Vamos, Minghuan Xu, Camilo Acosta, Luis Miguel Gonzales, and José Francisco del Castillo. He is currently pursuing advanced studies at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

Alongside his performing career, Carlos holds a position as a resident player and fine instrument specialist at William Harris Lee & Co., a renowned violin atelier, where he is entrusted with the care and performance of distinguished instruments.

Carlos is a 2026 Grant Park Music Festival String Fellow.