Award winning American conductor, pianist, and educator Jackson McKinnon maintains an active domestic and international career as conductor, chorus master, pianist, and educator. Equally at home on the podium with repertoire both old and new, Jackson has discovered and premiered works from as early as the 16th Century to premiering and workshopping the new works of today. He is the recipient of Taiwan’s Grammy equivalent, the 2025 Golden Melody Award, where he conducted for the recording of the “Best Art Music Album”, Blossom, by composer Apple Change. He has also worked with such composers as Pauline Oliveros, Lori Laitman, Natalie Joachim, Ricky Ian Gordon, Philip Glass, Tobias Picker, Kyle Gann, and many others. 

An avid opera conductor, Jackson currently is Music Director of Undergraduate Opera Theatre at Manhattan School of Music mainstage productions. With Manhattan School, Jackson has won multiple First Place awards with the National Opera Association’s Opera Production Competetition where he served as Music Director (a rewritten production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Princess Ida) and Chorus Master (The Cunning Little Vixen & Rusalka). He was Music Director for City Lyric Opera in NYC for multiple seasons, spearheading the company through productions such as The Medium and the NYC premiere of Lori Laitman’s Uncovered. He has served as Music Director for Opera Maine’s Studio Artist Program, leading productions of Laura Kaminsky’s “As One”, Philip Glass’ “The Fall of the House of Usher”, Gareth Williams’ “Rocking Horse Winner”, and a rewritten orchestration of Ricky Ian Gordon’s “Rappahannock County”. Jackson has also been Assistant and Cover Conductor for the American Symphony Orchestra,  Portland Symphony Orchestra, Opera Maine, Manhattan School of Music, Grafenegg Academy Orchestra, among others. 

As chorus master, Jackson has prepared choruses in both operatic and symphonic repertoire on the international stage. He has prepared the Vienna State Opera Chorus (Krenek’s “Der Diktator”, Hindemith’s “Sancta Susanna” and “Mörder, Hoffunung der Frauen”), the Linz Landestheater Choruses (Strauss’ “Die Tageszeiten”, Szymanowski’s “Stabat Mater”), members of the Bard Festival Chorale (Vaughan Williams’ “Dona Nobis Pacem”), and Manhattan School of Music’s Graduate Opera Theatre Productions (Tobias Picker’s “Emmeline”, Gounod’s“Roméo et Juliette”, Puccini’s “La Rondine”, Dvořak’s “Rusalka”, Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’Amore”, Janaček’s “The Cunning Little Vixen”, Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” & “La Clemenza di Tito”, Donizetti’s "L’lisir d’amore”, and Ibert’s “Angélique”).

Jackson’s passion for chamber music has led to performances across the United States as well as music festivals in Italy, Austria, Germany, and Czechia. Performances include Brahms’ Piano Trio No. 1a in B Major, Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 3 in E minor, Dvořak’s “Dumky” Trio, Brahms’ Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor and No. 2 in F Major, Mozart Violin Sonata No. 21 in E minor K. 304, and Copland’s Vitebsk Trio, to name a few. This passion has expanded into concerti where he appeared as soloist with The Orchestra Now in Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 as well as conducting Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C Major, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, among others. 

Most at home in front of an orchestra, Jackson has worked with such ensembles as the International Contemporary Ensemble, the American Symphony Orchestra, the Portland Symphony Orchestra, Face the Music, members of Palaver Strings, the Grafenegg Academy Orchestra, among others.

Originally from small town Arkansas, Jackson currently lives in Washington Heights in New York City. He maintains a private piano and conducting studio when he isn’t exploring new recipes, cocktail bars, books, or keeping an active athletic life.