An eloquent and articulate artist on and off the podium renowned for her dynamic leadership, energetic performances, and progressive vision, American conductor Laura Jackson is praised for her innovation, passion, and commitment to the continued growth of the symphonic repertoire and expanding music’s impact within communities.

Having served as the fourth Music Director and Conductor of the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra (Reno Phil) since 2009, her contract has been unanimously renewed through the end of 2028-2029 season, ensuring that diverse, compelling repertoire, and creative community programming will continue up through the organization’s 60th anniversary.

A 21st century conductor at home with repertoire from every era, Jackson is recognized for her championing of new music, her creativity with commissions, and her commitment to mentoring and encouraging the next generation of musicians, composers and women conductors. A popular guest conductor, she has led distinguished ensembles across the United States, Canada, France, Poland, Czech Republic, Algeria, and China, and her relationships with orchestras continue to expand.

Her guest engagements in the US include the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony and Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia’s Breaking Barriers Festival (in a performance of Michael Daugherty’s Time Machine for three conductors and orchestra with Jeri Lynne Johnson and Marin Alsop). Other American ensembles include the Buffalo, Detroit, Alabama, San Antonio, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Phoenix, North Carolina, Hawaii, New World, Sacramento, Toledo, Charlottesville, Hartford, Orlando, Evansville, Berkely, Cape Cod, Richmond, and Flint symphony orchestras, the Eugene and South Carolina philharmonics and Mimesis Ensemble (New York), and Musiqa (Houston), to name a few. International guest engagements include France’s Orchestre symphonique de Bretagne-Rennes, Canada’s Ontario Philharmonic, Toronto, Windsor, and Winnipeg symphony orchestras, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Czech Republic’s Prague Summer Nights Festival. Jackson is the first American to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra of Algeria by invitation of the U.S. State Department.

A champion of living composers, Laura Jackson created and launched the Reno Philharmonic’s Composer in Residence initiative, and has commissioned and presented seven world premieres with the orchestra to date: With the Reno Phil, Jackson has led over 50 Reno Phil premieres and multiple Western premieres.

Committed to mentoring the up-and-coming musicians of tomorrow, Laura Jackson is in her third season as an official mentor to emerging women conductors across the globe in the Taki Alsop Foundation’s Fellowship program. With the Reno Phil, she also partners with the Davidson Institute in Reno, Nevada, to feature their instrumental fellows in concert.

Prior to joining the Reno Philharmonic, Maestra Jackson served as the first female Assistant Conductor / League of American Orchestras Conducting Fellow of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Additional fellowships include Tanglewood Music Center’s Seiji Ozawa Conducting Fellowship and an Aspen Music Festival Conducting Fellowship. She was one of six conductors selected for the 2009 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview. Jackson holds a DMA and Masters in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. As an undergraduate, she studied violin and conducting at Indiana University.