Nuanced interpretations, dynamic energy and a charismatic stage presence are hallmarks of Cuban conductor JESSICA ALTARRIBA. Praised for her communicative skills, impactful performances, and equally vested in both established and well-known repertoire and contemporary compositions. Altarriba was recent selected as a finalist in the Music Director Search for the Fort Wayne Philharmonic season 2027-2028, further reflecting her growing presence on the American orchestral stage. Recently appointed as an Assistant Conductor of the Richmond Symphony season 2026-2027. She served as Assistant Conductor for the Utah Symphony|Utah Opera 2024-2026 and is a Taki Alsop Fellowship Award Recipient 2024-2026. Altarriba joined the New Jersey Symphony as the First-ever Colton Conducting Fellow 2023–24 season, and is an alum of Chicago Sinfonietta’s Freeman Conducting Fellowship. She holds a Master of Music in Performance (Conducting) from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where she studied under the guidance of Marin Alsop.

Upcoming 2025-26 engagements include Guest conducting with the Fort Worth Symphony as part of the Summer Series and New England Conservatory Orchestra Institute.

Recent engagements included Virginia Symphony assistant conductor,Guest Conductor at YOLA Festival in California, collaborating with LA Phil Artistic Director, Gustavo Dudamel, Utah symphony as Conductor of the Deer Valley Music Festival Chamber Serie and Full Symphony Serie, Symphony the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, New Jersey Symphony, Peabody Symphony Orchestra, NOI Institute, the National Seminario Orchestra-Ravinia collaborating with Marin Alsop, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Peabody Symphony Orchestra. Altarriba has also guested with Spain’s Malaga Camerata, Virtuous Mediterrani Orchestra, Lüneburg Symphoniker in Germany and professional Symphony Orchestras in Cuba such as Holguín Symphony Orchestra, Camagüey Symphony Orchestra, Youth Symphony E.Salas, Philharmonic of the University of Arts, Chamber Orchestra National School of Art, Eastern Symphony Orchestra, Amadeo Roldán Orchestra, Lyceum Mozartiano Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of University of Arts, and Esteban Salas Symphony Orchestra. Of note is her performance with Havana-Martin Camerata, where she conducted incidental music for the national premiere of Phantom of the Opera. Altarrba’s festival credits include the NOI Festival and Ravinia Festival in US. 

Jessica Altarriba also served as Music Director of the University of Arts Band, and the Eastern Symphony Orchestra in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. While living in Cuba, she was member of Festival a Tempo con Caturla, JazzPlaza, Contemporary Music Festival, Mozart Habana Festival, and the Arts Festival, where she was awarded 1st prize for Young Conductors.

Born in Cuba, Altarriba received her Bachelor's degree in Conducting from the Arts University in Havana in 2018. During her time at the University of Arts she gave world premieres of contemporary pieces:’’Calabi’’ by Nathalie Hidalgo Reyes, and “The Creation’’ by Dania Suarez Piorno - in collaboration with the University 's Composition faculty. Altarriba is the recipient of an Excellence in Music Leadership Fellowship at The Peabody Institute of John Hopkins University, where she is currently pursuing her Masters in Orchestral Conducting under Maestra Marin Alsop.