Kyle Dickson
Violin
American conductor Kyle Dickson has built a reputation as a dynamic musical force on and off the podium. He is Assistant Conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Memphis Youth Symphony. From 2021-2023, Kyle was a Salonen Fellow with the San Francisco Symphony under the guidance of Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, as well Assistant Conductor and Freeman Conducting Fellow with the Chicago Sinfonietta led by Maestra Mei-Ann Chen.
Kyle is a recipient of the 2021 Grant Park Music Festival Advocate for Arts Award, Concert Artists Guild's Richard S.Weinart Award, and the 2023 Weissberg Prize for his work connecting communities to classical music and is regarded for his charismatic, engaging performances.
Recent guest conducting appearances include the Minnesota Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Oakland Symphony, Portland Symphony (ME), Pasadena Symphony, Wichita Symphony, and the Louisville Orchestra. Highlights from 24/25 season include debuts with the Louisiana Philharmonic, Calgary Philharmonic, Kalamazoo Symphony and the premiere of Quinn Mason’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God” with Ballet Memphis. In 25/26, his debuts include the Indianapolis Symphony, Montgomery Symphony, and Long Bay Symphony Orchestra in addition to conducting subscription, pops, education and community concerts with Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
As Cover Conductor, Kyle has worked with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Lyric Opera, San Diego Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and the American Composers Orchestra as well as serving as Assistant Conductor for concerts with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Orchestre de Paris, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
A passionate educator recognized widely for his commitment to youth and dedication to diversity in the arts, Kyle was awarded the 2024 ‘Spirit of Detroit’ for the launch of his school series “MUSIC REPRESENTS”. Kyle has been guest conductor with the Chicago Youth in Music Festival, UW-Madison Summer Music Clinic, CSO Young Artists Competition and served as Assistant Conductor for Carnegie Hall’s 2022 National Youth Orchestra (NYO/NYO2). He has led and worked closely with the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, Colburn Academy Virtuosi, Chicago Youth Symphony, Equity Arc Pathways Orchestra, and the Claremont Young Musicians Orchestra among other youth ensembles across the country.
As violinist and chamber musician, Kyle has served as Visiting Artist-in-Residence at Indiana University-South Bend, the United World College of South East Asia in Singapore, and served on the Violin & Chamber Music faculty at the New Music School (Chicago). Kyle studied Conducting with Esa-Pekka Salonen at the Colburn School and Victor Yampolsky at Northwestern University.
Kyle was a Grant Park Music Festival String Fellow in 2014.