Dr.
Russel C. Mikkelson serves as Director of University Bands,
Professor of Music (Conducting) and Area Head of Conducting
and Ensembles at The Ohio State University, where he conducts
the Wind Symphony, chairs the graduate conducting program,
and oversees all aspects of the university's band program.
Under his direction, the OSU Wind Symphony has performed
at the 2003 College Band Directors National Association Convention,
the 2001, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011 Ohio Music Educators
Association Conventions, and has recorded four CD’s:
Southern Harmony (Naxos 2009), Winds
of Nagual (Naxos, 2007),
Jubilare! (Mark Records, 2003) and Sounds,
Shapes and Symbols (Mark Records, 2000). In a 2010 review of the Southern
Harmony recording, Fanfare magazine proclaims "The Ohio State
musicians play their collective hearts out and conductor
Mikkelson shapes the music with a loving hand, wringing every
last drop of emotion out of the music. If this does not give
you goose-bumps, nothing will."
Director
of the OSU Contemporary Music Festival and a staunch advocate
for the creation of
new works, Mikkelson also serves
on the American Bandmasters Association Commissioning Committee
and has instituted a program of regular commissioning projects
for the OSU Bands. He has received praise from composers Leslie
Bassett, Krzysztof Penderecki, John Corigliano, Michael Colgrass,
Jennifer Higdon, Gunther Schuller, Lukas Foss, Augusta Read
Thomas, Frank Ticheli and Michael Daugherty among others, for
his musical realization of their compositions. Corigliano wrote, “Russel
Mikkelson is a conductor who really understands my music, and
that’s rare.”
Dr. Mikkelson
is Past President of the Big Ten Band Directors Association,
a member of the College Band Directors National
Association, MENC, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Beta Mu, and
is an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association.
An enthusiastic advocate of public school music education,
Dr. Mikkelson has conducted All-State Bands, Festivals, and
Honor Bands across the United States and internationally. He
was the recipient of the 2005 Ohio State University School
of Music Distinguished Scholar Award and has published articles
in The Instrumentalist and The Journal of the
Conductor’s
Guild. As a composer/arranger, he is published through C. Alan
and Daehn Publications.
Files for download:
Bio (PDF)
Photo - full size (jpg)
Photo - 4" wide (jpg)
