Dr. John Russell is the Director of Choral and Vocal Studies at Palomar College, and the Music Director of the San Diego Master Chorale. In addition, he serves on the summer conducting faculty at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey and maintains an active professional career as a tenor soloist recently performing with the San Diego Symphony, La Jolla Symphony and Los Angeles Master Chorale.
Prior to his work in California, Dr. Russell was the principal choral conductor at the LaGuardia School of Music & Art and Performing Arts (the Fame School) in New York City. At LaGuardia he was the assistant chairperson of the Music Department, conductor of the symphonic chorus and voice instructor for the school’s advanced vocalists. While in New York he conducted in over twenty performances with the world-renowned Orchestra of St. Luke’s, served as a clinician for the New York Philharmonic’s Education Department, and was a guest conductor with New York City National Chorale.
Dr. Russell is a native of Kalamazoo, Michigan and is a graduate of Western Michigan University and Columbia University. He received his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Music from the University of Southern California. His primary conducting mentors are Craig Arnold, Joe Miller and Jo-Michael Scheibe and he has studied voice with William Appel, Curt Peterson, Jeanne Gof -Fynn and Gary Glaze.
Dr. John Russell
jrussell@palomar.edu