For Maestro Dmitrii Russu, there is simply no other way of existence. As he becomes acquainted with a certain genre or type of orchestra, he immediately feels the need to progress and advance in another style of music. Maestro Dmitrii Russu is not able to sit still, considering stagnation a regression which goes against his very existence.
“The world forces people to divide, and music seems to be the only remedy to cure this! It is a remedy for the human soul.” This is Maestro Dmitrii Russu’s manifesto, and one he has lived by from the time he began studying and performing music.

Maestro Dmitrii Russu was born on November 9th, 1981, to a family of musicians in Chisinau, Moldova. His father and mother were both widely acknowledged, renowned composers. They recognized his musical talents early on; even at the tender age of 4, Maestro Dmitrii Russu was able to recreate complex melodies by voice and piano without any formal education. Years later, he joined the Chisinau Musical Orchestral Studio for Children.

In 1988, Maestro Dmitrii Russu’s parents decided to move to Saint Petersburg (formerly Leningrad), USSR, so he could have the best chance at a musical career and education. Shortly after, at age 6, Maestro Dmitrii Russu was accepted as one of only twenty-five students—selected from hundreds who auditioned from all over the Soviet Union—to the prestigious Glinka Choral College in Saint Petersburg. Even at that young age, Maestro Dmitrii Russu toured internationally with the Glinka College Boys Choir, contributed to recordings, and was under the direction of world-renowned conductors. During his teenage years, he intensely studied piano, oboe, and musicology.

After completing the Glinka Choral College in 1999, Maestro Dmitrii Russu continued his education at the Saint Petersburg State Conservatory named after N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. There, he majored in Choral Conducting (graduated with honors; MA degree obtained in 2005) and Orchestral Conducting (graduated with honors; MA degree obtained in 2012).

Early in his education, Maestro Dmitrii Russu decided not to be confined musically by a country, culture, or genre. This mindset led him on a musical journey all over the world, beginning with the Barents International Chamber Choir in Sweden, where he sang from 2003-2005. The challenge of musically adapting to a foreign culture inspired him to pursue other international work. It also prompted Maestro Dmitrii Russu to bring foreign contemporary and classical works to Russia, and Russia's composer works to the world. He has been a guest conductor for over a dozen various orchestras and has performed with a long list of internationally known soloists.

Before joining Shen Yun Performing Arts in New York, Maestro Dmitrii Russu was Assistant Conductor of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor of the Ulyanovsk Symphony Orchestra, and a guest conductor of orchestras throughout the Russian Federation and beyond. He has conducted orchestras in countries like South Korea and the US and has toured globally. His debut in the United States with the Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra in 2019 included appearances at celebrated venues like Carnegie Hall in New York, Boston Symphony Hall, Chicago Symphony Hall, the Music Center at Strathmore (Washington, D.C.), and Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.

Maestro Dmitrii Russu is also a music historian. In 2021, he published his book, "Russian Horn Music in Its Past and Present" (Saint Petersburg: Lan: The Planet of Music, 2021), which analyzes the phenomenon of Russian horn music and brass period instruments. This musical direction was born in the middle of the 18th century, existed for about a decade, and was revived at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries in both Russia and Germany. The book dives into the history of horn music, as well as the specifics of conducting a horn orchestra.

Maestro Dmitrii Russu is the First Prize winner of the 2013 Ilya Musin National Conducting Competition of Russia. He pushes the boundaries of the classical world and brings his own take on repertoire to any ensemble. For a full list of awards and other information, please refer to his resume.