Michael Patterson
Michael Patterson, a Puerto Rican conductor and pianist, is known for his energetic leadership, positive rehearsal culture, and his commitment to making classical music feel welcoming and meaningful to everyone in the room. His conducting journey began at age eighteen when he founded the PianoForte Symphony Orchestra, resulting in five successful concert seasons in Southern California.
Patterson now serves as Music Director of the Seven Hills Symphony, where he leads the orchestra into its 52nd season with an emphasis on storytelling, accessibility, and artistic joy. He also serves as Associate Music Director of Queen City Opera, a Cincinnati-based opera company bringing high-level opera featuring emerging artists and collaborations with local community organizations. This year (2026), Patterson has accepted the Music Director position for the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, gearing up to direct its 57th season.
Patterson serves on the music staff for Cincinnati Opera and Cincinnati Ballet, both as pianist and assistant conductor, preparing works such as Verdi’s RIGOLETTO, Tchaikovsky’s THE NUTCRACKER and SWAN LAKE, Strauss’s SALOME, and new works such as Kevin Day’s LALOVAVI, a Cincinnati Opera commission to be premiered in July 2026. As a collaborative pianist, Patterson performs with tri-state music organizations, including the Columbus-Indiana Philharmonic, the Cincinnati Boychoir, and Peanut Butter & Jams, a Cincinnati music initiative that engages children through skits and events showcasing classical music. As a guest conductor, Patterson has conducted a wide array of ensembles both locally and internationally, including the Filarmonica de Stat Târgu Mures, Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic, The Orchestra Now, Apollo Orchestra, and the Hopkins Symphony Orchestra, earning praise for his “dramatic subtlety and musical finesse” (The Millbrook Independent).
Patterson continues his doctoral studies in orchestral conducting at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) under the mentorship of renowned conductor and pedagogue Mark Gibson. It was at CCM where he led the CCM opera production of Mozart’s LA FINTA GIARDINIERA, one of Mozart’s earliest operas. He holds a conducting degree from the Bard College Conservatory of Music, having studied with Harold Farberman, Leon Botstein, and Joan Tower as a composition student. Outside of Bard, he has worked closely with conductors such as Gary Thor Wedow, Henri Venanzi, John Fiore, Alyssa Wang and Levi Hammer.
He currently lives in Cincinnati, OH, with his wife Vivian and their two cats, Luna and Suki—and he is thrilled to create unforgettable musical experiences with the musicians and community of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra.