Reno Philharmonic Appoints Laura Jackson

09 April 2009

The Reno Gazette-Journal just announced that Laura Jackson has been appointed the new music director and conductor of the Reno Philharmonic. She is the fourth conductor to hold a position with the ensemble and first woman.

Jackson’s conducting career has taken her across the country and around the world; the RGJ reports performances with the Philippines Philharmonic Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Boca Raton Symphony. She just finished three years with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra where she served as assistant conductor.

What makes this story more interesting is that the Reno Philharmonic chose to make the audition process for their new conductor more interesting by centering it on an American Idol-esque elimination process. (The other conductors auditioning for the position were Jeffrey Grogan, Rebecca Miller, Christopher Confessore, and Sarah Hatsuko Hicks.)