Interview for Radio Beethoven (Chile): A musical journey from "Mr. Vivaldi" to the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra for Radio Beethoven (Chile)

Last Monday, June 8, 2026, the director and music producer David Hernando Rico was the special guest on the prestigious podcast "The Music that Changed My Life" , hosted by the journalist and professor of the Catholic University of Santiago de Chile, Gonzalo Saavedra .

In an intimate and retrospective conversation, David reviews the milestones that have marked his career: from his earliest childhood memories in Valladolid — when as a young boy he already recognized the chords of The Four Seasons and exclaimed "That's music by Mr. Vivaldi!" — to his professional consolidation in Slovakia.

From Valladolid to Bratislava: Creating a benchmark in film music

During the interview, his training in Bratislava is discussed, where he completed his higher studies in orchestral conducting, opera conducting, and piano accompaniment, in addition to obtaining his doctorate. It was precisely in this city that David founded the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra , an ensemble that has become a cornerstone of the global entertainment industry.

With over 900 recorded projects , the orchestra has left its mark on:

• Film, video games and advertising at an international level.

• Major productions of popular music , collaborating on recordings and albums of artists such as Alejandro Sanz, Raphael, Rocío Jurado, Pastora Soler, Luis Fonsi and Rosalía (in the acclaimed song "Reniego" , from her album El mal querer ).

The soundtrack of a life

Throughout the meeting, David and Gonzalo Saavedra discuss an exquisite selection of works chosen especially for the program; pieces that reflect the perfect coexistence between the traditional concert hall and the modern recording studio:

• Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (the driving force of his childhood).

• John Williams: Star Wars (the impact of music on the big screen).

• Manuel de Falla: El amor brujo and Noches en los jardines de España .

• Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, “From the New World” .

• Vincenzo Bellini: I puritani .

A unique opportunity to get to know in depth the vision of a director who has been able to connect the classical repertoire with the new languages of popular and audiovisual culture.