The conducting profession in the 21st Century demands versatility and Benjamin Nilles is a conductor that takes that to heart. Whether on the concert stage, in the recording studio, or in the opera pit, he brings every musical work he conducts to life with energy and passion. Called a “sensitive, charismatic conductor with an exceptional mind, a keen ear, and effortless technical abilities” (Edward Knight, composer), he is known for bringing a unique excitement and vigor to the podium. Nilles cultivates performances that inspire both audiences and musicians alike.

Appointed in 2016, he is currently the Artistic Director & Conductor of the Mesabi Symphony Orchestra in Minnesota. As the artistic leader of the Mesabi Symphony Orchestra, Nilles has been committed to ensuring the orchestra maintains an active outreach to the communities in which it performs, expanding the reach of the orchestra in the region, and forging a wealth of collaborations every season. Drawing on his training and experience in education, the MSO’s Young Artist Competition is a signature initiative that finds talented young musicians soloing with the orchestra. Collaborations with soloists – local, regional, and national – and other regional performing organizations have been mainstays of the MSO’s orchestra seasons during Nilles’ tenure.

Recent major events include leading performances of Johannes Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, collaborating with the Range of Voices Chorus in Spring 2024, and conducting the world premiere of renowned composer and conductor René Clausen’s Mesabi: The Sleeping Giant for orchestra and choir in Spring 2023. Nilles led over 125 musicians in front of a 950-person full-house audience for the farewell of Goodman Auditorium at Virginia Public High School (Virginia, MN).

Previously, Benjamin served on the faculty at Oklahoma City University and was Music Director & Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra. Appointed in 2010, he became one of the youngest conductors to lead a major university orchestra at age 28. He had previously held Assistant Conductor and Associate Conductor posts with the same orchestra.

While Music Director, Nilles displayed a virtuosic versatility: conducting multimedia spectacles for full orchestra; conducting and recording dozens of new orchestral works, including the 40-minute, five-movement Windows to the West, written by Edward Knight, in commemoration of the golden anniversary of the National Western Heritage Museum and Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City; conducting an award-winning (National Opera Association's Opera Production Competition) fully-staged production of Leoncavallo's Pagliacci; recording the 80-minute soundtrack of the historic 1920 movie Daughter of Dawn, selected in 2013 for the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress; and recording a title track for singer Bryan White's album Dustbowl Dreams.

While Artistic Director of the Mesabi Symphony Orchestra, Nilles was asked to serve on faculty as Interim Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra at the University of Minnesota-Duluth for the 2017-2018 academic year and Spring 2020 semester. While leading the Symphony Orchestra, he conducted a fully-staged production of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro.

Nilles earned his Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Performance (Horn) from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and his Master of Music in Conducting from Oklahoma City University. He has studied conducting with Bruce Houglum, Mark Parker and Mark Belcik, and has worked with conductors Diane Wittry, Dennis Keene, Sergiu Comissiona, and Bernard Rubenstein.