Giancarlo Guerrero Conducts in Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show

The Grant Park Music Festival’s Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero – known for his contagious enthusiasm on the podium and his “interpretive creativity” (Chicago Tribune) – lent his talents to this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, headlined by Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny. Guerrero is the first classical musician to be featured in the Halftime show since Gustavo Dudamel’s appearance with YOLA in 2016. 

Guerrero is a six-time GRAMMY Award-winning conductor, who also serves as the Music Director of Sarasota Orchestra, and the Music Director Laureate of the Nashville Symphony. 

In the show, Guerrero was seen conducting a group of young string players, a platform upon which he is quite comfortable. Born in Nicaragua, Guerrero immigrated during his childhood to Costa Rica, where he joined the local youth symphony. He then came to the United States to study, earning degrees in percussion and conducting from Baylor University in Texas and Northwestern in Chicago. Given his beginnings in civic youth orchestras, Guerrero is particularly invested in sharing the transformative power of classical music with young people from diverse backgrounds.

Guerrero himself did not grow up with classical music in the house – his father loved mariachi, and his mom loved Julio Iglesias.  “Bad Bunny is a multi-talented artist who plays so many kinds of Hispanic music. It doesn’t just feel familiar, the music feels like home. It was quite an amazing experience to be a part of,” says Guerrero. “There are so many brilliant artists involved with the creation of this show and it was beyond inspiring to work with them and watch it all come together. How exciting to be a part of it all!”

“Both my daughters and wife are huge fans of Bad Bunny,” Guerrero adds. “If I wouldn’t have jumped at this opportunity, they would never have forgiven me!”