Cullan Lucas

A versatile conductor, Cullan Lucas regularly immerses himself in music from a variety of genres, from chamber music to video game scores. Dr. Lucas holds a variety of professional and academic appointments, including leading the orchestral program at Winona State University, teaching at Western Technical College, and leading the Driftless Urban Orchestra (DUO) as Artistic Director.

Prior to moving to La Crosse in 2018, he earned degrees in conducting from Arizona State University and the University of South Carolina primarily studying with Jeffery Meyer, Tito Muñoz, and Donald Portnoy.

Dr. Lucas is an advocate of new music and emerging composers, regularly incorporating diverse programming, new commissions, and collaborative efforts with his ensembles alongside traditional repertoire.

He’s been actively involved in commissioning and premiering new works throughout his career such as Theresa Martin’s “Almost Alice” and Nell Cohen’s “The Sphinx and the Milky Way.” His current, artistic focus is to bring more of this authentic, meaningful music to the Driftless Region.

In addition to his passion for new voices and diversity in programming, he also actively researches and participates in musician wellness initiatives including adapting sports psychology and mindfulness amidst new developments in cognitive science in music performance. He adapts this research into masterclasses for young musicians, addressing common issues like performance anxiety and memory in musicians.