DECATUR, Ill. – Millikin University is pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew Sheppard as the new Music Director and Conductor of the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra (MDSO).
A Chicago-based conductor and educator, Sheppard brings a distinguished record of artistic leadership, student mentorship and orchestral innovation to the MDSO. He currently serves as Artistic Director of the award-winning Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Hyde Park Youth Symphony, Music Director of the Danville Symphony Orchestra, and Music Director of the University of Chicago Chamber Orchestra and the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company of Chicago.
Sheppard has guest-conducted orchestras throughout North and South America, including the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional del Paraguay, Chicago Philharmonic, Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra, Blue Lake International Youth Symphony, and the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra. During the 2022-23 academic year, he served as a visiting faculty member at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, as Guest Resident Conductor of the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, and taught conducting.
“The School of Music is thrilled to welcome Matthew Sheppard to our faculty as the new Music Director and Conductor of the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra,” said David Cook, Millikin University Associate Professor of Clarinet, Chair of Instrumental Performance Studies, and Principal Clarinet of the MDSO. “His reputation as an educator and orchestral conductor throughout the Midwest is exemplary, where he demonstrates a steadfast commitment to musical excellence and student mentorship as an ambassador for the arts.”
Cook chaired the search committee for the new MDSO conductor and said Sheppard’s previous work with the orchestra made a strong impression on students, faculty and audience members.
“In feedback from Millikin University students, faculty, and audience members, three prominent themes emerged from Mr. Sheppard’s time with the orchestra: excellence, energy, and enthusiasm,” Cook said. “We know these will become hallmarks of this new era of the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra. We previously had the distinct pleasure of working with Mr. Sheppard as a guest conductor, and we now welcome him as a faculty member and resource for our students and community.”
As Artistic Director of the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra, Sheppard leads a team of educators serving nearly 400 students and families each year. Under his leadership, EYSO was named 2021 Youth Orchestra of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras, and Sheppard was named ICO Conductor of the Year in 2022.
In addition to his conducting work, Sheppard is widely regarded as an educator who helps students develop a deeper understanding of music and performance. His teaching in conducting, musicianship and active listening has been recognized at Northwestern University, the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois, and he is frequently sought after as a clinician and coach for young musicians throughout the Midwest. He also serves as a past President of the Illinois Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance Committee.
The Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra has a long history of connecting Millikin and the broader Decatur community. The orchestra was created in the early 1920s through the convergence of an established community orchestra and the Millikin University Orchestra. Its community reach expanded in 1975 with the formation of the Symphony Guild of Decatur, a nonprofit support organization representing the wider community.
Today, the MDSO provides cultural and educational opportunities throughout Central Illinois, including symphony concerts, support for the Decatur Youth Orchestra, youth scholarships, in-school programs, competitions for University soloists, clinics, workshops, master classes and partnerships with music programs at area schools.
Sheppard’s appointment marks the beginning of a new chapter for the MDSO as it continues to build on its tradition of artistic achievement, community engagement, and collaboration.
