Artistic director

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 Michael Reason has been widely praised for his imaginative programming and dynamic presentations. His versatility as a conductor, arranger and communicator has garnered critical acclaim both at home and abroad.

Originally from England, where he studied conducting with Maurice Miles at the Royal Academy of Music, piano with Georgina Zellan Smith and earned a B. Mus. Ed. from Kingston University, Michael has had a highly successful career as an enterprising and entrepreneurial conductor. 

After a decade of working in professional music theatre in England Michael was appointed Music Director of the Prince George Symphony Orchestra, B.C. in the early 1990’s which was followed by a 3-year tenure as Artistic Director of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra. In 1997 he was appointed Principal Pops Conductor with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and in March 2001 he was appointed the orchestra’s Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, a position he held until June 2006.

He was invited to form the Lake Chapala Orchestra in 2018 and remains it’s artistic director to the present day.

Michael has developed the LCO from a fledgling group of 13 musicians to a full symphony orchestra capable of performing works from the standard orchestral repertoire. Michael has been a frequent guest conductor abroad including international appearances with the North Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra, the Taipei Symphony Orchestra, the Bellas Artes Chamber Orchestra, and the Monterrey Symphony Orchestra.

In Canada his appearances include those with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra ,the Kingston Symphony Orchestra, the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, the Regina Symphony Orchestra, the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, the Windsor Symphony Orchestra and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra,

He is a skilled orchestral arranger with many of his arrangements being performed in concerts throughout Canada. 

Michael has worked with some of the finest Canadian and International artists spanning the spectrum of musical genres including pianists Wayne Marshall, Valerie Tryon, Angela Cheng, Eva Maria Zuk, violinist Vaclav Hudecek and cellist Shauna Rolston 

He currently lives in Ajijic, Mexico and divides his time between running the Lake Chapala Orchestra, guest conducting and teaching piano. 

We are eternally grateful for the tremendous efforts of the executive committee, which is dedicated to bringing the best of our local musicians to our community.

Michael Reason

Susanne Bullock

Jason Green

Kay Kelso

Maureen Welch

Tanya Beede

Gary Pidcock