UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State College of Arts and Architecture alumna and orchestral conductor Fernanda Lastra will serve as the speaker for the college’s spring 2026 undergraduate commencement ceremony, to take place at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, at Eisenhower Auditorium.
Lastra, who earned a master’s degree in orchestral conducting at Penn State in 2018, will engage in a public conversation with B. Stephen Carpenter II, Michael J. and Aimee Rusinko Kakos Dean in the College of Arts and Architecture, at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 8, in the Stuckeman Family Building Jury Space.
The event, co-hosted by the College of the Liberal Arts, is part of the “Onward and Upward: Conversations with Commencement Speakers” series launched by the College of Arts and Architecture in 2022. The public conversation will be livestreamed.
From September 2022 to August 2025, Lastra served as assistant conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under the mentorship of JoAnn Falletta. In this role, she assisted and covered the orchestra’s full concert season, while also leading performances for the Family Kids Series, Music for Youth Concerts, community engagement events and summer concerts. She also contributed to the orchestra’s artistic team by developing innovative and engaging programs for audiences of all ages.
In November 2024, Lastra was recognized with the "Career Advancement Award" at the Women in Classical Music Symposium held by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Lastra said she is deeply committed to making orchestral music engaging and meaningful for all. She develops programs that spark curiosity, foster connection and expand the concert experience — guided by her belief in the power of music to unite, heal and nurture emotional intelligence. A devoted advocate for Latin American composers, she places special focus on preserving and promoting Argentina’s rich musical heritage.
According to Carpenter, Lastra is an inspiring example for new graduates.
“We are thrilled to welcome Fernanda Lastra back to campus to serve as our commencement speaker. She has carved out a successful and varied career as a conductor, showing what is possible when you pursue what keeps you curious and creative,” said Carpenter. “She is dynamic on and off the podium, and we look forward to experiencing that energy and hearing her advice for new graduates in her commencement address.”
Throughout her career, Lastra has collaborated with distinguished and world renown conductors including JoAnn Falletta, Edward Gardner, Giancarlo Guerrero, Maximiano Valdés and Josep Caballé‑Domenech, among others. Today, she appears regularly as a guest conductor with professional and youth orchestras across the United States and abroad. In March 2026, she made her first appearance with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, followed by her Mexico debut with the Orquesta Sinfónica de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (OFUNAM) in Mexico City, and her Chile debut in June with the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile in Santiago. Her recent U.S. engagements include collaborations with the Portland Symphony Orchestra and the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, as well as work as a cover conductor with the Minnesota Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra.
Before visiting campus for commencement weekend, Lastra will return to State College to serve as guest conductor of the Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra for a free family concert at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 28, at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, State College.