ARTISTIC & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mexican-American conductor and organist David Castillo Gocher is the visionary behind Ensemble con Fuoco, a professional vocal ensemble dedicated to chamber choral music that spans all periods and styles with fire and purpose. Under his leadership, the ensemble – currently in residence at St. Catharine of Siena in Cincinnati – has presented performances of Brahms’, Duruflé’s, and Fauré’s Requiems, Handel’s Dixit Dominus, MacMillan’s Cantos Sagrados, and multiple programs exploring both early and contemporary choral repertoire.
In addition to his work with Ensemble con Fuoco, David serves as Director of Liturgical Music for the Family of the Most Holy Eucharist, a pastoral family encompassing five Roman Catholic parishes on Cincinnati’s West Side. He leads all aspects of liturgical music across the family, coordinating choirs, cantors, instrumentalists, and musical planning for weekend liturgies, feast days, sacramental celebrations, and events. He also mentors young musicians and fosters a culture of beauty and reverence through music ministry.
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David Castillo Gocher
Previously, David was Music Director at First United Methodist Church of Evanston, Illinois, where he led the Festival Choir in symphonic masterworks such as Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Fauré’s Requiem, Honegger’s King David, and Beethoven’s Mass in C. In the Chicago area, he was also active as a collaborative pianist, organist, and harpsichordist, performing with professional, amateur, and university ensembles. As an organist, David has performed extensively across the United States and Mexico, and held music director and organist positions in Massachusetts and Texas. He continues to collaborate with musicians and ensembles in his home country. David holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from Northwestern University, where he studied with Dr. Robert Harris and Dr. Donald Nally. His dissertation focused on the role of Liberation Theology in the choral and organ works of James MacMillan. He also earned a Master’s in Sacred Music and Choral Conducting from Boston University and a Bachelor’s in Music Education, magna cum laude, from Texas Christian University. Deeply engaged in Cincinnati’s cultural life, David serves on the boards of the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra and Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, has served as a grant reviewer for ArtsWave, and previously sat on the advisory council of the Cincinnati Boychoir.