A Very Merry Holiday Pops!
Russel C. Mikkelson (Music Director)was appointed in 1998 as the sixth director of University Bands at The Ohio State University, where he serves as professor of music (conducting) and area head of Conducting and Ensembles, conducts the Wind Symphony, leads the graduate wind conducting program and oversees all aspects of the university's band program. Under his direction, the Ohio State Wind Symphony has performed twice at the College Band Directors National Association Convention, the American Bandmasters Association Convention, the CBDNA North Central Conference, at the Ohio Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference seven times, and has recorded six CDs (see Recordings): Network (Naxos), Rest (Naxos), Southern Harmony (Naxos), Winds of Nagual (Naxos), Jubilare! (Mark Records) and Sounds, Shapes and Symbols (Mark Records). In a 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."
A relentless advocate for the creation of new works, Mikkelson chairs the Big Ten Conference’s Commissioning Project, serves on the American Bandmasters Association Commissioning Committee, the New Works Committee for the College Band Directors National Association, and has instituted a program of regular commissioning projects for the Ohio State Bands. He has received praise from esteemed composers Leslie Bassett, Krzysztof Penderecki, John Corigliano, Michael Colgrass, Joseph Schwantner, Aaron Jay Kernis, Jennifer Higdon, Gunther Schuller, Lukas Foss, Augusta Read Thomas, Frank Ticheli, John Mackey, Steven Bryant 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 North Central Division of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) and of the Big Ten Band Directors Association; is a member of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE), NAfME, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Beta Mu; and is a duly 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. The 2021–2022 academic year sees him conducting the All-State Bands of New York and Colorado. Additionally, he serves as music director and conductor of the professional Newark-Granville Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Heisey Wind Ensemble, a highly skilled community band.
He is the recipient of both The Ohio State University School of Music Distinguished Teaching Award and the Distinguished Scholar Award, in addition to serving on the editorial board of the Journal of Band Research. He 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. Previous posts include the State University of New York at Fredonia, Stevens Point Area Senior High School (WI) and Kickapoo High School (WI). He was recently honored with the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire's President's Alumni Award, recognizing outstanding professional and personal achievement.
Susan Larson (Executive Director) is the founder and Artistic Director of the Newark-Granville Youth Symphony. She is the former Director of Orchestras for the Newark City Schools, in Newark, Ohio. The Newark High School Sinfonia was awarded first runner up for the National Orchestra Cup at Lincoln Center in 2009. This honor earned her orchestra a front-page story in the New York Times and an invitation to the White House. The Newark-Granville Youth Symphony was chosen to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.), in 2011, and for the Ohio Music Educators Association Convention in 2009 and 2015. Susan previously taught 15 years as Director of Orchestras for the Bexley City School District. During her tenure at Bexley, her orchestras won national and international recognition. The Bexley Elementary Honors Orchestra and Middle School Orchestras were chosen to perform for the Ohio Music Educators Association Convention in 1994 and 1998.
Susan is currently a violin, viola, and chamber music instructor for the Denison University Suzuki Program. Susan is an active conductor and clinician for school ensembles, regional orchestras, and honors orchestras throughout the Midwest. She has conducted the Women in Music Symphony Orchestra and String Sinfonia of Columbus and has also served as conductor and music director for Otterbein College productions.
As a professional violinist, Susan has performed with the Akron Symphony Orchestra, Canton Symphony Orchestra, Ohio Light Opera, Westerville Civic Symphony, the Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra, the Blossom Music Festival and the Si Yo Chamber Music Society. She has also performed on stage with such artists as Barry Manilow, Barry White, the Electric Light Orchestra, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Moody Blues, and Gene Bertoncini. She is currently a violinist with the Newark-Granville Symphony Orchestra.
Susan earned her BS in music education and violin performance at Kent State University, with violin studies under Ma Si-Hon and Stephanie Sant’ Ambrosio. Her graduate work has been at The Ohio State University and the University of Wisconsin, with conducting studies under Marvin Rabin and Norman Leyden.
Susan received the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Music Educator of the Year Award for 2020. She is a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow and was awarded the Newark Rotary Service Above Self Award, in 2014.
She is married to Peter, a professional pianist and owner of Klarity Medical Products. They have two daughters, Eliza, a professional modern dancer who resides in Portland, Oregon, and Amelia, who recently graduated from the University of the Arts, in Philadelphia, with her bachelor’s degree in modern dance and ballet.