Music Director
Christopher Wilkins became Music Director of the Akron Symphony in the fall of 2006. Since then the orchestra’s programming has reflected his strong interest in community oriented projects. During his tenure he has made it a priority to develop partnerships with artists and organizations based in Northeast Ohio, bring the orchestra to outlying cities and towns, and develop educational programming for all ages. Collaborators have included the Akron Art Museum, the Summit County Historical Society, Hale Farm and Village, the Akron-Summit County Public Library, Pointe West Performances, and the Magical Theatre Company.
In addition to the Akron Symphony, Mr. Wilkins serves as Music Director of the Orlando Philharmonic. As a guest conductor, he has appeared with many of the leading orchestras of the United States, including those of Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco. He has also appeared regularly with orchestras in Latin America, New Zealand, and Spain.
He has served as Music Director of the San Antonio Symphony and the Colorado Springs Symphony, and is currently Artistic Advisor to the Opera Theatre of the Rockies in Colorado Springs. During his tenure in San Antonio, the orchestra received six programming awards from ASCAP, including the first-ever Morton Gould Award for Creative Programming. Mr. Wilkins also served as resident conductor of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, helping in the formation of that orchestra in its inaugural season, and subsequently leading it on tours throughout the Americas.
Mr. Wilkins was winner of the Seaver/NEA Award in 1992. He served as the associate conductor of the Utah Symphony, assisting his former teacher Joseph Silverstein; assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, as assistant to Music Director Christoph von Dohnányi; conducting assistant with the Oregon Symphony under Music Director James DePreist; and was a conducting fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center.
Born in Boston in 1957, Mr. Wilkins earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College. As an oboist, he performed with many ensembles in the Boston area, including the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, and the Boston Philharmonic under Benjamin Zander. He received his master of music degree from Yale University, where he studied with Otto-Werner Mueller.
