Michelle Di Russo is an Argentinian-Italian conductor based in the United States. She is the Associate Conductor of the North Carolina Symphony.[1][2] She is also the co-founder of Girls Who Conduct, an initiative that promotes gender equality in conducting.[3][4][5]

Michelle Di Russo
Born
EducationArizona State University, University of Kentucky, Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina
OccupationConductor
EmployerNorth Carolina Symphony
Websitehttps://www.michelledirusso.com

Di Russo was born in Argentina[6][7] to Italian parents.[8] She earned a degree in Orchestral Conducting and Music Production of Audiovisual Media from Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina.[7][1][9] She moved to the United States in 2015,[8] where she earned a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Kentucky and a Doctoral Degree in Orchestral Conducting from Arizona State University.[10][6][9]

She is the recipient of multiple conducting fellowships: the Freeman Conducting Fellowship in Chicago Sinfonietta’s 2020-2021 Project Inclusion program;[11] the Conducting Fellowship for the 2021 Dallas Opera Hart Institute;[11][12] and the Dudamel Fellowship for the 2023-2024 season with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.[3][2]

In 2021, Di Russo joined the North Carolina Symphony as an Assistant Conductor,[1] and in 2022, she was promoted to the role of Associate Conductor of the North Carolina Symphony.[1] She also served as Interim Director of Orchestras at Cornell for the 2021-2022 season.[13][14] In 2023, Di Russo was first female conductor to conduct the Delaware Symphony Orchestra in multiple decades.[8][15][16] In 2024, Di Russo was appointed Associate Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Michelle Di Russo Named Associate Conductor". North Carolina Symphony. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  2. ^ a b "Los Angeles Philharmonic Names New Assistant Conductor and Dudamel Fellows". The Violin Channel. 2023-07-20. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  3. ^ a b Price, Betsy (2024-02-26). "4 finalists named for Delaware Symphony's music director job". Delaware Live. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  4. ^ "LA Phil Bulks Up With New Batch of Dudamel Fellows". Classical Voice San Francisco. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  5. ^ "Girls Who Conduct". girlswhoconduct.org. 2024-05-05. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  6. ^ a b Sherrod, Alan (2024-02-27). "This Sunday: KSO Takes An Italian Voyage with Mendelssohn, Rossini, and Vivaldi". Arts Knoxville. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  7. ^ a b "Michelle Di Russo". Cornell University Department of Music. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  8. ^ a b c Román, Ana Sofia (2023-11-08). "Delaware Symphony Orchestra welcomes guest conductor Michelle Di Russo to lead '¡Música Bravo!' on Sunday". CoastTV. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  9. ^ a b "Michelle Di Russo". Festival Napa Valley. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  10. ^ "Meet Michelle Di Russo". Chicago Sinfonietta. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  11. ^ a b "ASU alumna awarded two prestigious conducting fellowships | ASU News". ASU News. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  12. ^ "Dallas Opera Announces 2021 All-Female Conducting Fellows". The Violin Channel. 2020-09-22. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  13. ^ "2021 Midwest Clinic Reynolds Conducting Institute Fellow". Midwest Clinic. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  14. ^ "Cornell University Fall Concert Series". The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes. 2021-10-07. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  15. ^ "Guest conductor to lead Delaware Symphony Orchestra Nov. 12". Cape Gazette. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  16. ^ "Veterans Day, Bobbie season, comedy fest and DSO's 'Musica Bravo': Weekend Guide". Delaware News Journal. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  17. ^ Dieckmann, Jane (2024-02-09). "Two Finalists to Go: Spring Brings Performances by Final Two Cayuga Chamber Director Candidates". Ithaca Times. Retrieved 2024-06-21.