Born in Madrid in 1954, José Ramón Encinar has conducted practically all Spain’s major orchestras, and orchestras abroad throughout Europe and in Central and South America. He has a strong interest in twentieth-century music, and has conducted rare and standard repertoire in Spain and abroad. He acted as composition aide to Franco Donatoni in international masterclasses held at the Accademia Chigiana from 1976 to 1982, and since 1972 has directed the Koan Group, an ensemble for the performance of twentieth-century music.

From 1982 to 1984 he was resident conductor and artistic director of the Gran Canaria Philharmonic, and since 1985 has been a Spanish Committee Member of the International Society for Contemporary Music. His many prizes include the 1982 Diario 16 Icarus (Ícaro) Prize, the Ministry of Culture First Prize for Polyphonic Composition in 1981, and the 1978 C.E.C.A. First Prize for Chamber Music Composition.

In 1998 he received the Spanish Ministry of Culture’s National Music Prize. Since 1994 he has been a Corresponding Member of the Granada Royal Academy of Fine Arts. In 1998 he became Principal Associate Conductor of the Segovia Summer Music Festival and from 1998 Principal Guest Conductor of the Proyecto Gerhard Chamber Ensemble. In the 1999/2000 season he was appointed resident conductor of the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra, and since September 2000 has been the resident conductor of the Comunidad de Madrid Orchestra and Chorus.