Michelle Di Russo

A graceful yet powerful force on the podium, Argentinian-Italian conductor Michelle Di Russo is known for her compelling interpretations, passionate musicality, and championing of contemporary music. Di Russo is Music Director of the Delaware Symphony and has served as Associate Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony. She is a two-time recipient of the Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award and has held several conducting fellowships at prestigious institutions, including positions as a Dudamel Fellow with LA Philharmonic, a mentee of the Taki Alsop Fellowship, and a conducting fellow of the Verbier Festival, the Chicago Sinfonietta, and the Dallas Opera Hart Institute.

Di Russo has guest conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony, Vermont Symphony, Portland Symphony, and Calgary Philharmonic, and she has worked as a cover conductor for the National Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, and New York Philharmonic. She has served as Associate Conductor with the North Carolina Symphony assisting Carlos Miguel Prieto and Interim Director of Orchestras at Cornell University. She is a conducting fellow alum of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music and was named the Joel Revzen Conducting Prizewinner at Festival Napa Valley in 2022.