Dr. Chuck Cushinery
Philharmonic Director and Artistic Director
Dr. Chuck Cushinery made his living playing violin in the Midwest until 1997, when he became the orchestra director at Clark High School in Las Vegas, NV. The program had 39 young musicians then and now, the enrollment is over 300. Chuck founded the Clark guitar, piano and electronic music programs. In addition to his duties at Clark High School, he is orchestra director for the Nevada School of the Arts Chamber Orchestra. Chuck has served as president of Nevada Chapter of the American String Teachers Association twice, president of Nevada Music Educators Association, chairperson of local and state honors groups, has been on the staff of the National High School Honors Orchestra and is a member of numerous string education committees.
He is a three time top ten finalist for the Grammy Music Educator of the year award. In 2015, the Clark Chamber Orchestra won the Grand National Orchestra Championship at the American String Teachers Association Conference in Salt Lake City. The Clark Orchestra Symphonic Strings performed at the prestigious Midwest Clinic in December of 2016 and the Clark Chamber Orchestra appeared at the conference in 2019. In 2017, Chuck became an Education Clinician for the Conn-Selmer Corporation and began presenting clinics and conducting honors ensembles around the country. Dr. Cushinery has a passion for making music and sharing that passion with musicians of all ages is his life mission.