Michael Hall
Maestro Hall is the newly appointed Music Director of the Prince George Symphony Orchestra in British Columbia, Canada. He is also Music Director of the Kennett Symphony in Pennsylvania, a post he has held since 2014. Notable achievements with the Kennett Symphony include consecutive sold out performances, the orchestra’s first free concert, and the first ever commission to celebrate their 75th anniversary. Devoted to forging strong connections between the orchestra and audiences, Hall has created a progressive new concert format designed to enhance and animate the concert experience using non traditional elements, such as narration, visuals, and food and drinks, making the concert experience relaxed and welcoming, perfect for first time concert goers.
Highly acclaimed for his intensity and spontaneity, Hall has appeared with many of today’s leading ensembles, including the Houston Symphony, the Toronto Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony, the Louisiana Philharmonic, the Pacific Symphony, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Symphoria, the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Costa Rica, the Winnipeg Symphony, the Toledo Symphony, the Windsor Symphony, the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, the Great Falls Symphony, the Bozeman Symphony, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, Groundswell New Music Ensemble, and the Havant Symphony in the UK, as well as a return to the Tucson Symphony, with whom he has a special relationship and has been a frequent guest conductor in multiple concert series over the past nine seasons. Hall also works regularly with the Space Coast Symphony in Florida, where he is the newly appointed Principal Guest Conductor.
Formerly Music Director of the Southwest Florida Symphony from 2007 to 2012, Hall’s drive for artistic excellence, innovative thematic programming, and collaborations with celebrated guest artists resulted in unprecedented artistic growth, audience praise, and enthusiastic reviews. Some of the Southwest Florida Symphony’s highlights during Maestro Hall’s tenure include two world premieres commissioned and performed for the orchestra’s 50th anniversary season and pioneering the Orchestra’s first “Discovery” concert– a multimedia educational concert experience designed as an entry point to bring new audiences to symphonic music. Hall also planned, developed and executed the groundbreaking “Glow in the Dark” concert experience. Targeting younger audiences, the program offered real-time program notes accessible on their mobile devices during the performance. This program received national attention in Symphony magazine.
Before being appointed Music Director of the Southwest Florida Symphony, Michael Hall held the position of Associate Conductor with the Pacific Symphony in California, where he developed innovative Family Concerts based on his own original scripts. Hall’s success in California led to his initial three year position being extended to an unprecedented six year tenure. During Michael’s appointment as Resident Conductor with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, he worked with the orchestra in every concert series, most notably in their acclaimed New Music Festival. Upon completion of his tenure, Hall was awarded the “Keys to the City” by Mayor Glen Murray for his outstanding contributions to the arts.
A passionate advocate for music education, both in the concert hall and in the classroom, Maestro Hall has conducted many noteworthy college and youth orchestras including the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Winnipeg Symphony Youth Orchestra, and the Orchestra of the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University. Hall has also acted as Visiting Guest Artist, Conductor in Residence at Ithaca College’s School of Music, as well as Ball State University’s School of Music in Indiana.
Hall holds a Master’s degree in conducting from the University of Michigan, having studied with renowned conducting pedagogue Gustav Meier, and a DipRAM from the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he worked with Sir Colin Davis. While studying in England, Hall also held the position of Assistant conductor of the Havant Symphony Orchestra in the UK.
Recognized for his talent among his peers, Maestro Hall was a finalist in the International Conducting Competition in Besançon France and was awarded Third Prize in the Cadaques Orchestra International Conducting Competition in Spain.
Curriculum Vitae
2017 – Present: Music Director; Prince George Symphony Orchestra, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
- Regional orchestra serving one of the fastest growing areas in Canada
2016 – Present: Principal Guest Conductor; Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, Cocoa, FL
- Professional per-service orchestra on Florida’s East Coast
2014 – Present: Music Director, Kennett Symphony Orchestra, Kennett Square PA
- Professional per-service orchestra in Southeastern PA
- First ever commission for 75th anniversary
- Increased concert offerings and increased ticket sales in second season of tenure.
2012 – 2013: Visiting Guest Artist, Ball State University School of Music, Muncie IN
- Conducted the Ball State Symphony Orchestra
- Mentored post-graduate conducting students
2007 – 2012: Music Director, Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, Ft Myers FL
- Special mention in the LAO Symphony magazine for groundbreaking ‘Glow in the Dark’ concert
- Commissioned two new works for orchestra’s 50th anniversary
- Pioneered ‘Discovery’ concert: a multi-media educational concert event
2002 – 2008: Assistant Conductor/Associate Conductor, Pacific Symphony Orchestra, CA
- Created and conducted nationally recognized Family Concerts, as well as conducting in each of the orchestra’s major series
- Initial three year position extended to an unprecedented six year tenure with promotion to Associate Conductor
1999 – 2002: Resident Conductor, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Winnipeg MB.
- Regularly programmed, planned, and conducted for each of the orchestra’s major series including Classics, Pops, Family and Education
- Recorded for CBC radio
- Awarded Honorary Citizenship by the Mayor
1998 – 1999: Associate Conductor, Havant Symphony Orchestra, Hampshire UK
Tucson Symphony Orchestra— annual reengagements since 2006
Houston Symphony Orchestra
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Civic Orchestra of Chicago
Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphoria
Toledo Symphony Orchestra
Windsor Symphony Orchestra
Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic
Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Costa Rica
Pennsylvania Philharmonic
Okanagan Symphony Orchestra
Bozeman Symphony Orchestra
Manitoba Chamber Orchestra
Groundswell New Music Ensemble
Muncie Symphony Orchestra
Third Prize – Cadaques Orchestra International Conducting Competition. (Spain)
Finalist – International Conducting Competition (Besancon France)
Featured in BRAVO TV’s Whole Notes hosted by Jon Kimura Parker conducting the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra:
George Frideric Handel “Much More to Handel”
Johannes Brahms “Keeper of the Classical Flame”
1996-1999: Postgraduate Advanced Course in Conducting, Royal Academy of Music London, England
- Regular instructors included Sir Colin Davis, Mark Wigglesworth, George Hurst and Colin Metters
- Held one of three places, for which over 300 conductors from around the world auditioned
1994-1996: Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting, University of Michigan
- One of two conductors, out of more than 200 international applicants, chosen to study with Gustav Meier in his final year at the University of Michigan
1988-1992: Bachelor of Music in Piano and Theory, University of Toronto

Kennett Symphony of Chester County
- Music Director

Space Coast Symphony Orchestra
- Principal Guest Conductor

Prince George Symphony Orchestra
- Music Director