Justin Bischof

Chair

New York City resident Justin Bischof is one of the most eclectic artists of his generation.  He is an internationally acclaimed orchestral & opera conductor as well as concert organist, pianist and improviser. He has performed in some of the world’s great venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Tonhalle of Zurich, Eli Broad Theatre of Los Angeles, St. Paul’s Cathedral London, Notre Dame Paris, Cologne Cathedral, to name a few. He has collaborated with some of the world’s most prominent artists including Joshua Bell, Bright Sheng, Tan Dun and Roberta Peters. As an orchestral conductor, he was worked with numerous ensembles including the Royal Symphony of Oma, National Arts Center Orchestra, The Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Vancouver Symphony, n, the State Philharmonic Kavkazskiye of Russia, the WAAPA orchestra in Perth Australia, and the National Orchestra of Haiti.

He is the Founder & Artistic Director of MOO The Modus Opera Orchestra of New York City which has presented an Annual Children’s Benefit to help at risk children that has raised over US$1,000,000. www.moonyc.org.

He made his Australian Opera Conducting Debut in Perth at the WAAPA leading a critically acclaimed production of the Australian Premiere of Robert Ward’s Pulitzer Prize winning The Crucible.  This nationally celebrated artistic event was a highlight of the Australian classical music season.  Other important opera premieres include the Hawaiian premiere of Menotti’s The Medium and The Telephone, working with members of The Honolulu Symphony and Hawaii Opera Theatre.  As Artistic Director of Modus Opera, he has led several full productions including Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro Don Giovanni.  With international mezzo-soprano Ariana Chris, Maestro Bischof has conducted and led from the piano several benefit concerts entitled Opera Trash at Carnegie Hall and Le Poisson Rouge receiving rave reviews.  He lead a production of Britten’s Rape of Lucretia in 2019 at the newly renovated historic Flea Theatre.

He is one of the profession’s most respected organists and has concertized extensively.  He won the First Prize at the 2000 AGO International Organ Improvisation Competition and is a leading proponent of the craft with his all improvisation performances have been met with critical acclaim throughout the world.  Bischof has performed and recorded with numerous orchestras including the Zurich Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony and the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt. He will be performing the Middle East premiere of Samuel Barber’s Toccata Festiva for Orchestra and Organ in February 2019 at the Royal Opera House in Muscat Oman with the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt.  www.justinbischof.com