Giuseppe Pietraroia, conductor
Canadian conductor Giuseppe Pietraroia has earned a national reputation for his versatility, musicality, and leadership across both orchestral and operatic stages. Based in British Columbia, he is the Principal Conductor of Pacific Opera Victoria, where he has held leadership roles since 2003. He previously served as Associate Conductor with both Pacific Opera and the Victoria Symphony, and was Music Director of the Victoria Choral Society from 2005 to 2012.
With a career spanning over two decades, Pietraroia has conducted a wide range of repertoire, from main series, pops, and contemporary programs to full opera productions and education concerts. He has appeared as a guest conductor with leading Canadian ensembles including the Toronto Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Orchestre Métropolitain, and most recently, the Regina Symphony Orchestra.
A champion of collaboration and artistic growth, Pietraroia has been deeply involved in programming, auditions, and community outreach initiatives. He has also contributed to music education through teaching roles at the University of Victoria, McGill University, and Plattsburgh State University of New York.
He holds a Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from McGill University and is the recipient of the Jean-Marie Beaudet Award in Conducting from the Canada Council for the Arts and a Félix Award for Classical Album of the Year with Marie-Josée Lord and l’Orchestre Métropolitain.
Malak El Ouadghiri, violin
Malak El Ouadghiri, 16, is a violinist from Victoria, British Columbia. She studies with Müge Büyükçelen and has been a member of the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra for the past three years. An active chamber musician, she has participated in Quartet Fest West from 2023–2025, where she studied under the mentorship of members of the Lafayette Quartet.
Malak has received numerous awards and distinctions, including the Millicent Lavoy Piano Scholarship from the Victoria Conservatory of Music, third prize at the Canadian Music Competition–BC Provincial Competition, and recognition as a two-time Canadian Music Competition National Finalist. She is a three-time Royal Conservatory of Music Provincial Gold Medalist and two-time National Gold Medalist in Violin, and has earned multiple awards at the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival and the VAYA International Festival.
Currently an International Baccalaureate Grade 11 student at St. Margaret’s School, Malak hopes to pursue violin performance and advanced musical studies in the future.
