Currently serving as Associate Conductor of the Simón Bolívar Chamber Orchestra, and following his successful debut at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, at the Carnegie Hall in "Voices from Latin America Festival"; participating in “The Mahler Project”, “Beethoven Festival” and “Tchaikovsky Festival” with Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela and Gustavo Dudamel; being a Conducting Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra; partipating in the "Présences Festival" with Orchestre Philharmonique Radio France and performing in South America, Asia, Europe and Oceania; the Venezuelan-Portuguese conductor Joshua Dos Santos continues to forge a prolific and unstoppable international career.
A protégé of Maestro José Antonio Abreu, Dos Santos was trained within the renowed venezuelan musical education program "El Sistema". He made his conducting debut at the age of 16 with Pietro Mascagni's opera "Cavalleria Rusticana". Since then, he has led the most prestigious orchestras in Venezuela and has held several key positions as Music Director of the Vargas Youth Symphony Orchestra (2002-03), Carabobo State Youth Symphony Orchestra (2003-09), Associate Conductor of Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra (2015-16), Music Director of The Orchestra of the Filipino Youth (2017-21), Artistic Advisor of The Orchestra of the Filipino Youth and, Music Director of "Zarzuela Colombia" (2021-22).
Dos Santos is considered one of the most experienced and versatile venezuelan conductors of his generation. His mastery of classical, contemporary and latin american repertoires has launched him to lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic during the Concert Season for Young People held in the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Further, he has conducted the premiere in Mexico of Krzysztof Penderecki Symphony No.3 and numerous world premieres, especially in the “Latin American Music Festival” held in Caracas, Venezuela.
Joshua has collaborated as a Cover Conductor for Maestros such as Charles Dutoit, Neeme Järvi, Pablo Heras-Casado, and served as Assistant Conductor and Cover to Gustavo Dudamel preparing the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela for international tours.
Dos Santos has conducted the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, Colombia National Symphony Orchestra, Arthur Rubinstein Philarmonic Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, UNAM Philharmonic Orchestra and among others. He also produced his first CD-DVD with the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra and the Embassy of Portugal in Venezuela featuring works by Carlos Seixas, Joao Bomtempo and Aldemaro Romero.
As an advocate for social development through music education and arts, Dos Santos is continuously supporting the programs inspired by El Sistema around the world. This led him to be "Chief of Orchestras" of Ang Misyon Inc., an institution that supports and provide free music education to the less privilege and talented children in the Philippines.
Highlights of the 2018-19 includes his South American Tour conducting notable orchestras in Chile, Argentina, Venezuela and Uruguay. His debuts at the Katara Opera House in Qatar with the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth, as well with the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia at the Teatro Colón in Bogotá, Colombia. The season 2020-21 Dos Santos celebrated in Venezuela, 20 years of artistic career conducting Juan José Landaeta Symphony Orchestra and giving masterclasses around the country, then he conducted the premiere of Emilio Arrieta´s opera "Marina" in Cali, Colombia. The season 2022-23, Dos Santos made his debut in Ecuador with Loja Symphony Orchestra and Guayaquil Symphony Orchestra conducting the national premiere of Latin American works and lastly the season 2024-25 he debuts in Dominican Republic, Panamá, Algeria (XIII International Festival of Symphonic Music), Australia (North Australian Festival of Arts) and Spain (Palau de la Música Catalana).
In the field of arts management, Dos Santos served as President of the Regional Foundation of the Youth and Children's Orchestra of Carabobo (FROSIJEC). During his tenure, he drove the establishment of the Music Degree program at the University of Carabobo and consolidated, among other achievements, the participation of the Carabobo Brass Ensemble in the Epsival Festival in France and the National Tour with the Carabobo State Symphony Orchestra. He also spearheaded a landmark agreement with the venezuelan bank Bancaribe to finance musical instruments for members of El Sistema.
Joshua Dos Santos was born in Caracas and raised in Valencia, Venezuela where he started to play cello, trombon and piano. As member of the National Children and Youth Orchestra of Venezuela he performed under the batons of legends such as Giuseppe Sinopoli, Claudio Abbado and Simon Rattle. Dos Santos was named "Young Personality of the Year" by the newspaper "El Carabobeño" and awarded with the "Botón de Honor Ciudad de Naguanagua" for his distinguished civic merits.
