Conductors & Leaders

Ron started as one of El Sistema's violinists in his home country of Venezuela. Today, he is a household name in musical learning and travels around the world as a conductor and ambassador for El Sistema. In 2017 he was nominated for the prestigious Global Teacher Prize. Ron is the mastermind behind the Dream Orchestra project. In 2020 he was awarded Göran Lagervalls pedagogstipendium by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. In 2024 he was named one of CNN's Heroes of the Year. Ron is one of Side by Sides's artistic advisors and leads the three younger orchestras as well as the full Wind & String Orchestra.

Birgitta is a choir director and song teacher in Gothenburg and teaches at the Academy of Music and Drama as well as Hvitfeldtska music high school, She is also the project manager of SKUR – Sweden's church choir association's youth choir. In 2016 she was named Sweden's Children and Youth Choir Leader of the Year and today she is a well received guest conductor throughout the country. Birgitta helped establish El Sistema in Sweden and is one of Side by Side's artistic advisers. She leads Side by Side's two older choirs.

Emilia comes from Finland and has quickly made an international career. She has appeared with orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic in Stockholm, the Luxembourg Philharmonic and the Iceland Symphony as well as with the Helsinki Philharmonic and the Orchester Philharmonique de Radio France. Emilia premiered "Bubblor" with Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in the fall of 2023 and has led Side by Side's most advanced orchestras for several years.

Marjolein made her successful professional conducting debut with Gothenburg Wind Orchestra in 2022. She has worked with Östgötamusiken, Marinens Musikkår and Helsingborgs Symphony Orchestra, and conducted concerts with Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Next season, she will debut with Norrköping Symphony Orchestra and Gotlandsmusiken. Marjolein is a flutist in Gothenburg Symphony and grew up in the south of the Netherlands where wind music is very big. She has worked a lot with youth orchestras and participated for several years at Side by Side as a conductor and instructor for the oldest participants.

Johannes has been involved with El Sistema Sweden since it was first established and has been with Side by Side since the beginning, as a leader for cellists and section leader for large string rehearsals. In addition to his position as a School of the Arts teacher in Gothenburg, Johannes is a freelance baroque, symphony orchestra and rock band cellist. He also has extensive experience leading young musicians in string orchestras. This year Johannes makes his debut as leader of the String Orchestra at Side by Side.

Ida has worked at GöteborgsOperan since 2009. She is musical director in the Creative department and conductor for the Opera's Children and Youth Choirs, which consists of three choirs with members aged 9–25. Ida is trained in viola and choral conducting at Ljungskile Folk High School, Uppsala University and the Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg.