Currently serving his thirteenth season as Music Director of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Andrew Sewell continues to garner rave reviews and plaudits for his adventuresome programming, vitality and energy. For ten seasons, he also served as Music Director with the Wichita Symphony concluding in 2010.
Maestro Sewell is in demand as a guest conductor, having led the Toronto, Detroit, Milwaukee, Columbus, Syracuse, and Monterey Symphony Orchestras, as well as the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, Christchurch Symphony, National Symphony of Mexico, Kyushu Symphony (Japan), and City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong.
A native of New Zealand, Maestro Sewell received his music training on the violin, piano and cornet, and began conducting at age 16. Six years later, he made his professional opera debut with the Mercury Opera and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. He was then awarded the Australian Guarantee Corporation’s Young Achiever’s Award allowing him to further his studies abroad. Sewell holds a Master of Music degree in Conducting from the University of Michigan. His previous appointments include Music Director and Conductor of the Wichita Symphony (Kansas), Mansfield Symphony (Ohio), Resident Conductor of the Toledo Symphony and Assistant Conductor of the Memphis Symphony.
Upcoming engagements this season include the Detroit Symphony and Portland-Columbia Symphony. In the previous three seasons, he has guest conducted the Illinois Symphony, Eugene Symphony, Green Bay Symphony, Salem Chamber Orchestra, OK Mozart Festival and Peninsula Music Festival. In June 2012 he made his opera debut with Hong Kong City Opera, and in November will guest conduct the UW Madison opera production of Medea by Cherubini. He and his wife, Mary, have three children, and reside in Madison.
