Eric McAllister

Eric McAllister received his bachelor’s degree in music education and violin performance, and a master’s degree in viola performance, and is pursuing a DMA in Conducting under the direction of Professor Taras Krysa at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has conducted orchestras in schools since 1999, most recently at the Las Vegas Academy of the Performing Arts since 2006. He has performed with the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater as a violinist each season since 1995, and with the Las Vegas Philharmonic since moving to Nevada in 2001. He has performed as a violinist with the Nevada Ballet Theater from 2001 to 2023, when he switched from the first violin section to conductor. Conducting many ballet performances such as George Balanchine’s adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” and “Serenade for Strings”, Nicolo Fonte’s adaptation of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” (with “The Las Vegas MasterSingers” also on stage), and Jerome Robbins adaptation of the comedic ballet “The Concert” which is set to the music of Frédéric Chopin. 

McAllister has conducted orchestras and/or performed violin or viola in venues such as the Auditorio de Zaragoza and Barcelona in Spain, Musikverein in Austria, Carnegie Hall, and Avery Fisher Hall in New York City (now David Geffen Hall in Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts). He has also conducted in great venues in Chicago, Indianapolis, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hawaii, and Las Vegas’s own world-class Concert Hall in Las Vegas – the Smith Center for the Performing Arts!

Las Vegas offers many great opportunities to perform with classical artists and celebrity entertainers. McAllister has performed in Las Vegas with performers such as: Andre Bocelli, Josh Groben, Harry Connick Jr., Itzhak Perlman, Placido Domingo, Benjamin Zander, Johnny Mathis, Smokey Robinson, Donna Summer, Rascal Flatts, Linda Eder, Alan Parcens Project, Dennis DeYoung/Styxx, Air Supply, The Scintas, Danny Gans, Frank Sinatra Jr., Mary J. Blige, Richard Marx, Dave Stewart/Eurythmics, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Martina McBride, Emmylou Harris, Carole King, Mavis Staples, Pat Monahan, Jennifer Hudson, and the legendary rapper “Nas” performing many sold out shows featuring his iconic album “Illmatic”.

McAllister loves to gig here in town with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, and in other states/countries. He also loves spending time with his wife, Juliann, and his extended family.