Musical talent runs in the Palacios family, and in the summer of 1980, Juan Cristobal was at home when the phone rang asking for his sister Mariantonia, by then an important figure in the music of Venezuela. Since she was not at home, the caller asked him if he would be interested in teaching music to children. After a few seconds of reflection, he decided to accept the offer. So it was, by pure chance, that he found his future life’s work as a music educator. His main focus at that time was on his career as orchestra conductor and composer but Palacios did much in the coming years as an educator. Once he finished his formal studies in orchestral conducting, music theory and composition, he won the position of President and Music Director of the Fundación Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil de Chacao in Caracas, Venezuela.
For the next eight years Palacios built one of the most prestigious musical programs in the capital. He integrated the resources of a group of high-level professors and designed a program for young musicians where the disciplines of soloists, members of chamber groups and orchestral practice were integrated as one. Young students were exposed to all the instrumental disciplines necessary for a comprehensive and complete training of their instrument’s development. Palacios proudly notes all the students who were part of the program decided to make music their way of life. They now work as instrumentalists and music teachers in different professional orchestras or music conservatories around the world.
For the years 2002-2004 Palacios expanded his teaching work. He worked as a professor of Theory at the Universidad Central de Venezuela and as conductor and Music Director of its Chamber Orchestra. His work as a musician in Venezuela was interrupted by the political situation that his country was going through and in 2007, he moved with his family to the USA.
In 2010, he began his relationship with the San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory where he has been a conductor, chamber music teacher, instrumental teacher, and Interim Opus Instructional Lead in its community Opus music program. His work as an educator has led Palacios to work in up and coming youth music programs in Guayaquil, Ecuador and the National Institute of Art (NIA) musical program in Saint Maarten
“ Music can change the world “
– Ludwig van Beethoven –