He has also conducted such companies as San Francisco Ballet, Houston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Les Grands Ballet Canadiens de Montr_al, and Columbus's BalletMet, as well as the Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, and Jos_ Lim‹n dance companies. He has also conducted frequent concert and opera performances nationally and abroad.
In November last year the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre released Briskin from his contract following the company's decision to replace live music with recordings. Briskin had been principal conductor for three seasons.
Briskin was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and raised in Newton, Massachusetts. He holds a bachelor of music degree in orchestral conducting from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a master of arts degree from Queens College, City University of New York.
Briskin replaces Ormsby Wilkins, music director and principal conductor since 1990, who is joining American Ballet Theatre this summer.