Michael Wittenburg is a conductor and pianist based in New York City, described as a “real virtuoso” by the late pianist Ruth Laredo. He made his European conducting debut at the Romanian National Theater of Opera and Ballet, leading performances of Puccini’s Turandot, and has since conducted in Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Hungary, and Spain, including appearances in Barcelona, Salzburg, and Vienna. In the United States, he has worked with opera companies in Nashville, Orlando, and Sarasota as an assistant conductor and vocal coach.

Wittenburg currently serves as Director of the Morris Choral Society, where he leads performances and develops programming for the ensemble, and has also been on the faculty of The Elizabeth Faidley Studio for nearly two decades, teaching and mentoring developing musicians.

As a collaborative pianist, he has performed in recital with Metropolitan Opera soprano Stella Zambalis, violinist Livia Sohn, and Orpheus Ensemble oboist Gerard Reuter, and has also appeared in performances and masterclasses with artists including the Chooi Brothers, Carolyn Widmann, Pekka Kuusisto, Stefan Jackiw, Lisa Batiashvili, Midori, and Sarah Chang.

His opera work includes 66 performances of Andrew Duncan’s The Ugly Duckling, and recent engagements include a live performance in New York City that was broadcast on Kosovo television in celebration of the country’s Independence anniversary. He studied conducting with Michael Jinbo at the Pierre Monteux School and with David Effron at the Eastman School of Music.