Russell Vinick serves as Music Director and Conductor of the Chicago Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Lake Shore Symphony Orchestra (Chicago), and Principal Conductor for Opera West! in Santa Fe, NM.
Awards
As Music Director and Conductor of the LSSO, Vinick was awarded by the Illinois Council of Orchestras the 2010 and 2015 “Conductor of the Year” Award, 2011 and 2018 “Programming of the Year” Award, and 2012 “Orchestra of the Year” Award and 2023 "Orchestra of the Year" with the Chicago Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.
Former Position
He served as Cover Conductor with the Joffrey Ballet with whom he has conducted numerous performances of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker and Prokofiev's Cinderella with the Chicago Philharmonic at the Auditorium Theater in downtown Chicago.
Vinick was the Assistant Conductor with the Knoxville (TN) Symphony and Chamber Orchestras.
Guest Conducting
Vinick has been a guest conductor in concerts with the Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra (China), Shandong Symphony Orchestra (China), Kunming Symphony Orchestra (China), Virginia Symphony, Missouri Chamber Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra, Marquette Symphony Orchestra (MI), Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra, Manchester (CT) Symphony Orchestra, University of Tennessee Symphony Orchestra, IL Honors All-State Orchestra, Northeastern Illinois University faculty members for the Henry Cowell Music Festival, and with the Petite Opera. He was the conductor for the world premiere recording of Martin Blazewicz’s Concerto Rustico for Marimba and String Orchestra that was released commercially in which Percussive Notes magazine reviewed this performance stating that, “the balance between soloist and ensemble is remarkable.”
Festivals
Vinick was one of seven people internationally selected to participate in the conducting program at the Cabrillo Contemporary Music Festival in Santa Cruz, California studying under Marin Alsop and Gustav Meier. He has served as Assistant Conductor at the Pacific Music Festival (founded by Leonard Bernstein) in Sapporo, Japan, under Neeme Jarvi, Christoph Eschenbach, and Michael Tilson Thomas. He has also been a participant in the conducting program at the Aspen Music Festival.
Education
Vinick earned a bachelor's degree in music from the University of Connecticut where he received the Lottie Green Conducting Scholarship. He earned a master's degree in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles under Daniel Lewis where he received the Conducting Departmental Award and music scholarships. Vinick has also been a student of Kirk Trevor, Cliff Colnot, and Eiji Oue.
Awards
As Music Director and Conductor of the LSSO, Vinick was awarded by the Illinois Council of Orchestras the 2010 and 2015 “Conductor of the Year” Award, 2011 and 2018 “Programming of the Year” Award, and 2012 “Orchestra of the Year” Award and 2023 "Orchestra of the Year" with the Chicago Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra.
Former Position
He served as Cover Conductor with the Joffrey Ballet with whom he has conducted numerous performances of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker and Prokofiev's Cinderella with the Chicago Philharmonic at the Auditorium Theater in downtown Chicago.
Vinick was the Assistant Conductor with the Knoxville (TN) Symphony and Chamber Orchestras.
Guest Conducting
Vinick has been a guest conductor in concerts with the Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra (China), Shandong Symphony Orchestra (China), Kunming Symphony Orchestra (China), Virginia Symphony, Missouri Chamber Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra, Marquette Symphony Orchestra (MI), Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra, Manchester (CT) Symphony Orchestra, University of Tennessee Symphony Orchestra, IL Honors All-State Orchestra, Northeastern Illinois University faculty members for the Henry Cowell Music Festival, and with the Petite Opera. He was the conductor for the world premiere recording of Martin Blazewicz’s Concerto Rustico for Marimba and String Orchestra that was released commercially in which Percussive Notes magazine reviewed this performance stating that, “the balance between soloist and ensemble is remarkable.”
Festivals
Vinick was one of seven people internationally selected to participate in the conducting program at the Cabrillo Contemporary Music Festival in Santa Cruz, California studying under Marin Alsop and Gustav Meier. He has served as Assistant Conductor at the Pacific Music Festival (founded by Leonard Bernstein) in Sapporo, Japan, under Neeme Jarvi, Christoph Eschenbach, and Michael Tilson Thomas. He has also been a participant in the conducting program at the Aspen Music Festival.
Education
Vinick earned a bachelor's degree in music from the University of Connecticut where he received the Lottie Green Conducting Scholarship. He earned a master's degree in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles under Daniel Lewis where he received the Conducting Departmental Award and music scholarships. Vinick has also been a student of Kirk Trevor, Cliff Colnot, and Eiji Oue.