Andrews Sill

As Music Director, Andrews Sill directs program planning, trains PianoArtists-in-Residence for their presentations, serves as master of ceremonies and conductor of the orchestra and soloists for the competition finals, provides contestants with guidance on collaborative performances, presents workshops on performing concertos, oversees the development of the competition repertory, and participates in the selection of the competition jury.

Acclaimed as a "gifted young conductor" with a "commanding presence," Mr. Sill begins his sixth season

as Music Director of Milwaukee Ballet, and was appointed Conductor of New York City Ballet in the spring of 2009.

Mr. Sill has appeared as guest conductor with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, with the symphonies of Houston, San Antonio, New Mexico, Colorado Springs, Modesto, Delaware, Long Beach, Charleston, and Anchorage, as well as the Spoleto USA Festival Orchestra. He has led the Philharmonic Orchestras of Erie, Naples, Reno, and Tulsa, the Orquestra Sinfónica da Sao Paulo and the Orquestra Sinfónica da Bahia. Sill has also served as cover conductor for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, assisting Christoph Eschenbach, Lorin Maazel, and Krystof Penderecki.

He continues to distinguish himself in opera, oratorio and ballet performances, as well as symphonic appearances. He has led performances for Charleston Ballet Theater, Metropolitan Ballet of Detroit, Miami City Ballet, and Boston Ballet. In the spring of 2006, he was invited to conduct for the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi. He has appeared with the Orlando Opera Company, and has served as assistant conductor for the Florentine Opera.He has frequently conducted for the annual School of American Ballet Workshop performances at the Juilliard School.

Before joining New York City Ballet, Andrews Sill enjoyed highly successful tenures as Music Director of

the Lubbock Symphony and the Sheboygan Symphony. His dynamic yet accessible style, both on and off the podium, helped those orchestras reach new levels of artistic achievement as well as increased visibility and support in their communities. Associate Conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra from 1997

to 2001, Sill joined the MSO as Assistant Conductor in 1995. He previously held the post of Associate Conductor with the Virginia Symphony and the Florida Symphony Orchestra. He began his career as Assistant Conductor of Boston Ballet from 1988-1990.

Active as a concert pianist, Andrews Sill is one of few artists who perform concerti leading the orchestra from the keyboard. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported after a recent performance of the Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 that "Sill played and led a performance that had the cohesive, communicative quality of well-played chamber music. . . .The effect was a bold, invigorating performance that caught the wit and edge of the piece." In addition to giving solo recitals, Mr. Sill has been a member of the Whitney Trio and the Manhattan Contemporary Ensemble. He is proud to serve as Music Director of PianoArts in Wisconsin, an organization which identifies and nurtures young artists and helps them develop new audiences.

Born in New York City, Andrews Sill received his bachelor's degree with honors from Yale University where he studied both piano and conducting from the age of fifteen. He continued his education under scholarship and fellowship awards from the Manhattan School of Music, earning his doctorate in 1987. He is an alumnus of the Aspen Music School, the Ravel Academie, and the National Conductors Preview of the League of American Orchestras.