Dina Gilbert
Music Director & Conductor
French-Canadian conductor Dina Gilbert is passionate about connecting with audiences of all ages and broadening their appreciation of orchestral music through innovative collaborations. This commitment, along with her extensive knowledge of repertoire, has shaped her career and the orchestras she has led. Regularly invited to conduct in Canada and overseas, she attracts critical acclaim for her energy, presence on the podium, and expressive music-making.
From 2013 to 2016, Dina served as assistant conductor of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal under Maestro Kent Nagano, also assisting notable guest conductors including Zubin Mehta and Sir Roger Norrington. She is currently Music Director & Conductor of the Walla Walla Symphony, Principal Conductor of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, and Associate Conductor of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.
Dina has conducted leading Canadian orchestras such as the Toronto Symphony, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the Orchestre métropolitain, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, as well as orchestras in the United States, Colombia, Spain, France, and Sinfonia Varsovia for a series of concerts in Japan.
Her curiosity for non-classical musical genres and commitment to making classical music more accessible to everyone have sparked collaborations with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the Orchestre national de Lyon in several Hip-Hop Symphonic programs featuring renowned artists I AM, MC Solaar, Youssoupha and Bigflo & Oli. She has also led symphonic fusions with renowned metal group Voïvod, conducted the world premiere of the film The Red Violin with orchestra and soloist Lara St John, and has conducted the North American premiere of film The Artist in concert.
As the founder and artistic director of the Ensemble Arkea, a Montreal-based chamber orchestra, Dina has premiered more than thirty works from emerging Canadian composers. She is equally committed to music education, reaching thousands of children through her interactive Conducting 101 workshops.
Highlights of the 2025–2026 season include subscription concerts with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal; debuts with the Berkeley Symphony, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, and the Opéra National de Bordeaux; and performances with the Orchestre national d’Île-de-France in the greater Paris region, culminating in a concert at the Philharmonie de Paris.
Dina earned her doctorate from the Université de Montréal and polished her skills in masterclasses with Kenneth Kiesler, Pinchas Zukerman, Neeme Järvi, and the musicians from the Kritische Orchester in Berlin. Awarded the Opus Prize of "Découverte de l'année" in 2017, she has also received support from the Canada Arts Council, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and the Père-Lindsay Foundation.