Meet Our Artists
Michael Russell, violin
Michael Russell has been a part of the Big Island classical
music scene since the summer of 2003. From 1996 to 2003, Mr. Russell was an Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. His duties there included teaching violin and viola, coordinating the chamber music program, and conducting the University Symphony Orchestra. He was also a member of the Kennard Trio, the University’s Resident Piano Trio.
Mr. Russell has presented solo recitals, concertos, chamber music and symphony orchestra programs to critical acclaim throughout the Midwest, Pacific Northwest and Southwest United States as well as in Northern Mexico and Peru, South America.
Andor Toth, Dr. John Ferrell and Dr. Robert Billups, were his principle violin and viola teachers. He has played in the master classes of Ani Kavafian, Benny Kim, Ikwan Bae, Daniel Majeske, and Bernard Goldschmidt. Mr. Russell studied conducting with Andor Toth and Dr. Leonard Pearlman and has performed in orchestras under the batons of Edo de Waart, Leonard Slatkin,
Yuri Temerkanov, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Heichiero Ohyama,
Joseph Silverstein, Fabio Mechetti, Raymond Harvey, Andor Toth, and Leonard Pearlman. His chamber music coaches and collaborators include Lynn Harrell, Peter Salaff, Andor Toth,
Dr. John Ferrell, Peter Marsh, Dr. Jeffrey Showell, and
Dr. Gordon Epperson.
Mr. Russell is currently teaching strings at Kamehameha Schools Hawaii and maintains a private studio of violin and viola students.
