Michael Lewanski is a native of Savannah, Georgia.  He made his conducting debut at 13 with the Savannah Symphony Orchestra and at 16 was the youngest student ever accepted into the conducting class of the legendary Ilya Musin at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia. 

 

He attended Yale University, where his studies included conducting with Lawrence Leighton Smith and piano with Sara Laimon.  He was music director of the Yale Bach Society Orchestra and conductor of the Yale College Opera Company.
 

His post-Yale education featured most prominently extensive and in-depth conducting study with Cliff Colnot, focusing on the rehearsal and preparation of various kinds of ensembles.

   

On faculty at the DePaul University School of Music, Michael is currently the conductor of the DePaul Chamber Orchestra and works frequently with the DePaul Symphony Orchestra.  He is Cliff Colnot's assistant conductor at the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.  Heavily involved in new music, Michael is conductor of ensemble dal niente and has conducted the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) and the Anaphora ensemble.  He has conducted over 30 world premieres and numerous second performances.  He is also music director of the Skokie Concert Choir.  He has collaborated with stage director Paul Koch on a number of non-traditional stagings of Baroque opera.