RUBEN VALENZUELA is the Founder and Artistic Director of Bach Collegium San Diego (BCSD). As a conductor, keyboardist, and musicologist, he has led BCSD in notable performances of music of the Renaissance, early and high Baroque, early Classical period, as well as music of the twentieth century. Valenzuela's performances have been described as ‘dramatic’ and ‘vibrant’ and ‘able to unlock the true power of Baroque music’ (SanDiegoStory.com). Under Valenzuela’s leadership, BCSD has achieved international acclaim through virtuosic performances of iconic repertoire, in addition to lesser-known works.
With BCSD he has toured to the Festival Internacional del Órgano Barroco in Mexico City and Zamora, Michoacán, and to the Festival Internacional de Música Renacentista y Barroca Misiones de Chiquito in Bolivia. In addition to his work with BCSD, Valenzuela is regularly called upon as a guest director and keyboardist. Notable guest engagements include Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity, New York City, Marsh Chapel Choir and Collegium at Boston University, Bach at Emmanuel Church, Boston, Juilliard415 at Lincoln Center, New York City, and the Washington Bach Consort. Upcoming invitations include Westminster Choir College with the Orchestra of St. Luke's, Seraphic Fire, Handel+Haydn Society, and BachFest, Leipzig.
As a musicologist Valenzuela has undertaken research at the Centro Nacional de Investigación, Documentación e Información Musical, Carlos Chavez (CENEDIM, Mexico City), and at the Archivo del Cabildo of Mexico City Cathedral. In 2016, he presented a paper titled: Mexican Religious Iconography (Angels musicians and the Basso Continuo in Mexico City Cathedral) for the inaugural Historical Performance Institute of the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University. Valenzuela's musical interests are wide ranging to include the life and music of Anglo-Canadian composer Healey Willan, which led to the creation of the year long Willan West 2018 festival. Additionally, Valenzuela maintains a lifelong interest in Jamaican popular music of the late 50s and 1960s, and in particular Mento, Ska, Rocksteady, and early Reggae.
Valenzuela holds a PhD in Musicology from Claremont Graduate University and is also the Director of Music & Organist of All Souls’ Episcopal Church, San Diego.