Michael Wheatley, Music Director

Michael Wheatley has served as Music Director and Conductor of Skagit Symphony since 2019 and leads Philharmonia Northwest, a Seattle-based chamber orchestra. A conductor, educator, and violinist, he approaches orchestral music with curiosity, imagination, and a belief that great performances are ultimately about communication and connection.

During his tenure with Skagit Symphony, Wheatley has championed beloved masterpieces alongside music that invites audiences to make unexpected discoveries. His programs explore the stories and ideas behind the music, from the great symphonic repertoire to contemporary works, film music, and imaginative thematic programs. He is passionate about creating concerts that feel welcoming, engaging, and meaningful for everyone—from longtime classical-music lovers to those discovering orchestral music for the first time.

Wheatley has conducted orchestras on three continents, including performances in Poland, Russia, and Ukraine, and has appeared with ensembles including the Rochester Philharmonic and Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra. He previously served as Music Director of the Seven Hills Symphony in Cincinnati and Associate Conductor of the American Youth Philharmonic and Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra.

A dedicated music educator, Wheatley is a frequent clinician and adjudicator and has led student orchestras at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, the Pierre Monteux School, and the Eastman School of Music. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Orchestral Conducting from Eastman and is an alumnus of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors, and Peter the Great Music Academy in Russia. He makes his home near Seattle, where he enjoys composing, reading, cooking, cycling, hiking, and kayaking.