State Conference Selected Choirs
Allegro Choral Academy
Entering its 20th season, Allegro Performing Arts is a non-profit organization based in Apple Valley, MN. Focused on creating artistic opportunities to prepare the next generation of singers, actors and audiences, Allegro offers a variety of programming including choirs, summer camps, youth musical theatre productions and Prologue Players, a pre-professional musical theatre company for performers ages 19-26. The Choral Academy is Allegro’s program for children during the school year. Students in grades 2-9 meet one evening each week in one of three choirs: Vivace, Prima Voce and Bel Canto. Allegro helps its youngest singers nurture their love of singing by instilling vocal fundamentals, a sense of teamwork and an introduction to music literacy. As students move into older choirs, skills such as expressivity and part-singing take on a larger role. One of Allegro’s most popular concerts is “Allegro’s Got Talent,” an event that combines choral performances with smaller ensemble and solo features.
Allegro was founded by Greg and Kari Douma in 2006, both of whom direct vocal music at Eastview High School in ISD196. Currently, Greg serves as Allegro’s artistic director and Kari leads Bel Canto (grades 6-9) as well as vocal direction for Allegro’s musical theatre productions. At Eastview, Kari directs 3 curricular and 2 co-curricular choirs, teaches voice lessons and is the vocal director for the school’s annual musical theatre production. Similarly, Greg directs 3 curricular and 2 co-curricular choirs, teaches voice lessons and co-directs BRAVO!, a fully staged music revue. Greg and Kari met in choir at Luther College. After teaching in Iowa, Greg received his master’s from the University of Iowa and Kari earned her master’s through St. Mary’s University. Allegro’s Prima Voce choir (grades 4-6) is directed by Bridget Beale. Bridget teaches vocal music at Shakopee High School where she directs choirs, vocals for the school musicals and an advanced SATB chamber choir. Also a graduate of Luther College, Bridget is currently pursuing a master’s degree from Kent State. April Rios joined the Allegro staff in 2008 and teaches Vivace (grades 2-3). April is the music specialist at Diamond Path Elementary in ISD196. After graduating from Bemidji State, April earned a master’s from the University of St. Thomas with a double certificate in Orff-Schulwerk and Kodaly.
The Apollo Club
During the 1870s and 1880s, several Twin Cities businessmen with a common love for music formed and participated in various choral groups such as the Mendelssohn, Philharmonic, and Minneapolis Choral Societies. As these various groups came and went, there became a growing demand for a higher quality male chorus in the Twin Cities. In 1887, an early version of The Apollo Club was formed which witnessed similar challenges to the other choral groups at the time and disbanded and reformed multiple times over the next several years. In 1895, The Apollo Club of Minneapolis in its present form was founded. Since that time, it has become an icon of male choral singing in the Twin Cities, bringing together generations of voices who inspire audiences locally, nationally, and internationally. The Apollo Club has given numerous distinguished performances, including the 1953 Inaugural Ball of President Eisenhower, the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair, second place at the Eisteddfod International Choral Competition in Wales, Inauguration of MN Governor Tim Pawlenty, a 2014 appearance at Carnegie Hall, and most recently the Minnesota Music Educators Association 2025 Midwinter Convention. In 2017, was inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. The Apollo Club elevates the consciousness of performance music by creating an authentic stage for amateurs and professionals alike. As “artisans of music,” the organization is dedicated to building craft, culture, and camaraderie in the community.
Dr. Christopher G. McGinley is a dynamic conductor and music educator based in the upper Midwest where he serves as Artistic Director of the Apollo Club of Minneapolis. He worked for six years as Associate Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire before accepting a position with the UW-Eau Claire Foundation raising funs to support university activities. His choirs are noted for their vibrant and nuanced interpretations of works from diverse eras and genres. A strong advocate for community music, McGinley has served intergenerational choirs in Philadelphia, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Oregon. He holds degrees in conducting and music education from the University of Minnesota, the University of Oregon, and the University of Delaware and pursued further studies in conducting at the Frost School of Music. His conducting mentors include Kathy Saltzman Romey, Matthew Mehaffey, Karen Kennedy, Sharon Paul, and Paul D. Head.
Bella Lumina
Bella Lumina choir was founded in 2018 in Minneapolis’ western suburbs with a small group of singers led by Michelle Gehrz. Currently in its eighth season, the adult treble choir has expanded to nearly 60 members, ranging in age from 19 to 80.
The choir’s mission is to “spread light, hope, and joy through the power of song, presenting repertoire of high artistic quality that delivers a powerful message through illuminating texts and inspirational arrangements, showcasing the extraordinary beauty of treble voices.”
Bella Lumina was part of a massed choir that performed Andrea Ramsey’s Suffrage Cantata at Carnegie Hall in 2022 and then performed it in March 2025 to a sold-out audience in St. Louis Park. They are thrilled to share this powerful, historical work with the ACDA-MN audience at this year’s conference.
Michelle Gehrz is the conductor of Cantabile, and also leads Angelica’s Prelude Choir Class and Prep Choir Class. Michelle is a passionate and joyful choral conductor, music educator, accompanist, church musician, and organist in the Twin Cities. She holds degrees in music education, sacred music, and organ performance from St. Olaf College, University of Notre Dame, and University of St. Thomas (ABT) and has her Orff Certification from UST.
Michelle is the Artistic Director of Bella Lumina – an adult treble choir based in Hopkins, and also directs the Music Association of Minnetonka Senior Chorale (55+). She is a collaborative pianist for ACDA-MN Honor Choirs, MMEA All-State Choirs, Minnetonka High School, and Mound Westonka High School.
She has served as the R&R Chair for Children’s/Youth Choirs for ACDA-MN. Michelle was the conductor of the ACDA-MN 4-5-6 Girls State Honor Choir in May 2023. Her school music teaching career has spanned all grade levels K-12 and has included teaching at Mounds Park Academy (St. Paul), St. Croix Preparatory Academy (Stillwater), and in the Wayzata School District. Her choirs have sung at both MMEA and ACDA-MN conferences.
She has served as Organist/Choir Director at many churches including the Cathedral of St. Paul, Lake of the Isles Lutheran, Mount Calvary Lutheran (Excelsior), Hennepin Avenue UMC, and St. Anthony Park UCC.
Michelle was named the Choral Director of the Year by ACDA-MN in 2024.
Michelle’s greatest calling and wish for her time on this earth is simply to be a bringer together of singers. “I hope to be a catalyst for others to spread light, to find hope, and to feel immense joy through song!”
The Bemidji Choir
The Bemidji Choir, founded by Carl O. Thompson in 1937, is the premier choral ensemble at Bemidji State University under the direction of Dr. Isaac Lovdahl. The choir is open to students and community members by audition, and tours regionally every year. The Bemidji Choir also travels internationally and has represented the United States at choral festivals in France, Austria, Belgium, Israel, Switzerland, and Spain throughout its distinguished history.
Isaac Lovdahl is an award-winning composer, conductor, educator, and bass-baritone vocalist who serves as the Director of Choral Activities at Bemidji State University and Artistic Director of the Bemidji Chorale. Prior to his appointment at BSU, Isaac served as a music educator and director of choirs at the University of North Dakota, Cretin-Derham Hall High School, and Sartell High School. His compositions have been described as “a revelation” and “remarkable” (The American Prize), and are increasingly gaining traction throughout the choral music world. Over the past 5 years, Isaac has received award recognition, commissions, and premieres from: Cantus, the Yale Glee Club, The Singers – Minnesota Choral Artists, the Young New Yorkers’ Chorus, the Cambridge Chamber Singers, the Bellevue Chamber Chorus, The American Prize, the Youth Chorale of Central Minnesota, the Festival of New American Music, the North Dakota State University choirs, the Ithaca College Choral Composition Festival, Minneapolis SongSLAM, and the North Dakota Music Teachers Association in conjunction with the Music Teachers National Association. To learn more, please visit isaaclovdahl.com.
Borealis (Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus)
Borealis is a dynamic tenor-bass chamber ensemble from Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus, dedicated to creating powerful musical experiences that inspire and uplift. With a passion for artistry and a commitment to inclusivity, Borealis performs a diverse repertoire that spans historic, contemporary, and cultural genres of choral music. This 20-voice ensemble sings Bach to Bologna. Through heartfelt (and sometimes comical) performances, community engagement, and a mission to promote equality and belonging, Borealis uses the power of music to connect, heal, and celebrate the voices of all. Borealis is led by Dr. Gerald Gurss.
A native Kansan, Dr. Gerald Gurss received his bachelor’s degree in voice at Emporia State University. He received his master’s degree in voice with a choral cognate from Miami University, where he studied with Ethan Sperry. Gurss received his DMA in choral conducting from the University of South Carolina, where he studied with Dr. Larry Wyatt and Dr. Alicia Walker. His research focus is the inclusion and pedagogy of transgender singers in the choral rehearsal. This research has granted him speaking engagements at Wingate University, University of South Carolina, and the MacPhail Center for the Arts.
Until his arrival in the Twin Cities, Gerald was the artistic director for the One Voice Chorus (Charlotte’s LGBTQ+ chorus) and the chamber ensemble, Sotto Voce. In 2015, he collaborated in the founding of Midlands Men’s Chorus: The Gay Men’s Chorus of Columbia, SC and served as its artistic director until 2018. Gerald moved to St. Paul in 2018 with his husband, Ervin, and his dog, Blue. Since then, he has served as the artistic director for the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus as well as White Bear Lake United Methodist Church. Most recently.
Gerald has been a finalist for the American Prize in Choral Composition numerous times and has been commissioned to write choral works for the following organizations: One Voice Charlotte, The Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte, Providence United Methodist Church (Charlotte, NC), The New Jersey Gay Men’s Chorus, The Gay Men’s Chorus of San Diego, The Women’s Chorus of San Diego, The Richmond Men’s Chorus (VA), Turtle Creek Chorale (TX), Sine Nomine (Denver, CO), Portland State University choirs, and the University of South Carolina Women’s Chorus. Dr. Gurss is published in the “Pride and No Prejudice” series with earthsongs Choral Music, and is most recently published with ECS Schirmer.
Borealis Chamber Artists
Borealis Chamber Artists is a professional ensemble based in Duluth, Minnesota, dedicated to connecting local professional musicians with opportunities to present diverse repertoire at the highest artistic level. Through performances that inspire and challenge, the ensemble cultivates a deep appreciation for the arts across the greater Twin Ports community.
Borealis is committed to both historical performance practice and the presentation of innovative modern compositions. Recentrepertoire spans from Baroque masterworks like J.S. Bach’s Lobe den Herren and Vivaldi’s Dixit Dominus to contemporary works such as Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles and David Lang’s Little Match Girl Passion. Other featured works include Handel’s Messiah, Duruflé’s Requiem, and J.C. Bach’s Magnificat in C Major.
Our live recording of Path of Miracles is now available on all major streaming platforms. We are also preparing the first-ever recording of Matins for the Blessed Virgin Mary by Mexican Baroque composer Antonio de Salazar. More information is available at borealischamberartists.com.
Richard Carrick serves as Director of Choral Activities at The College of St. Scholastica where he conducts the Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, and Bella Voce. He also teaches courses in conducting, vocal pedagogy, and choral methods. He is the Chorus Master for the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra and Director of Music at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Duluth, Minnesota.
Carrick is Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Borealis Chamber Artists, a professional ensemble dedicated to innovative, inclusive, and collaborative performances. As Managing Editor of Star of the North, the publication of the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota, he contributes to shaping statewide choral dialogue and supporting the professional growth of Minnesota’s choral community.
He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington, studying with Geoffrey Boers and Giselle Wyers. Outside of music, Richard enjoys exploring the trails of northern Minnesota, playing golf, and spending time with his wife and children.
Farmington High School Concert Choir
Farmington High School Concert Choir is a mixed auditioned ensemble of 11th and 12th graders. Students in this ensemble strive to enhance their choral skills through technique, musicianship and empathy. Concert Choir members choose to lead in our school in many areas and are encouraged to be well-rounded, hard working members of our community. While in this ensemble, students have been asked to perform at numerous institutions and clinics and joyously engage with new experiences whenever they can. Recently, Concert Choir has performed at Concordia College for the High School Choral Festival in October 2024 and were featured at Luther College’s Dorian Festival in January 2025. Students routinely perform in solo/ensemble contest and have had great acceptance in MMEA’s All-State Choirs. Many students in the choir partake in our choir tour (open to all 10th-12th grade students) and most recently traveled to New York City in March of 2025.
Megan Dimich is in her 20th year as a music educator, having spent her entire career at Farmington High School. She holds a degree in Music Education from Concordia College, in Moorhead, MN. Mrs. Dimich primarily conducts Chanté, Concert Choir, and the select chamber ensemble, New Dimension. In addition to these choirs, she also co-teaches our Hamilton class, as well as instructs other classes including Music Theory I, Musical Theater and Rock Band. Mrs. Dimich is also the Vocal Music Director for our Spring Musical and assistant director for FHS Choirs musical theater and variety show, CABARET.
Outside of the FHS Choral Department, Mrs. Dimich can be found spending time with her husband, Matt, and two daughters, Emma (14) and Harper (12). Mrs. Dimich is also an active participant in our state music organizations of ACDA and MMEA. She has spent time serving as an MMEA All-State Women’s Choir section coach in 2017, choral assistant to MMEA All-State choirs in 2018, and MMEA All-State Women’s Choir section coach in 2024.
Golden voices
Golden Voices is a joyful, one-day choral festival created especially for older adults (55+). It’s a chance to sing, connect, and celebrate music together in a welcoming and inclusive space. Whether you’re a seasoned singer or just love to lift your voice, you’ll explore choral music that builds your skills, introduces new techniques, and spans a variety of musical styles.
Natalia Romero Arbeláez – Originally from Colombia, Natalia is a passionate performer, educator, and community builder. She brings energy and a deep love of accessible, inclusive music-making to every group she leads. Natalia is a faculty member at The Blake School and conducts Heritage Choir, a bilingual community choir with Border CrosSing.
Great River ChoralE
Great River Chorale is an auditioned adult community choir based in St. Cloud, Minnesota that was founded in 2001. Choir members live in communities across Central Minnesota and range in age from 22 to 76. Great River Chorale presents an annual concert series in Central Minnesota and is the principal choral partner of the Saint Cloud Symphony Orchestra with which it performs choral-orchestral masterworks. The choir frequently collaborates with local and regional guest artists and has commissioned new music from composers including René Clausen, David Dickau, Timothy Takach, Laura Caviani, and others. Minnesota Public Radio selected Great River Chorale for its “Taste of the Holidays” CD featuring the state’s best regional ensembles in 2019, 2017, 2015 and 2013. Great River Chorale was the only Minnesota choir outside of the Twin Cities selected to perform virtually in Chorus America’s 2021 National Conference, and was one of 10 choirs to headline Minnesota’s Northern Voice Festival in 2015. In the fall of 2024 Great River Chorale started the GRC Treble Choir for adult treble voice singers. Great River Chorale is directed and managed by Mary Kay Geston, and Barbara Brooks is the choir’s collaborative pianist. Visit greatriverchorale.org for more information.
Dr. Mary Kay Geston has been the artistic director of Great River Chorale since 2010. Previously she was Associate Professor of Music at University of Northwestern St. Paul, Visiting Professor of Choral Studies at University of Colorado Boulder, and Director of Choral Activities at Northern State University. She has also taught at University of Wisconsin River Falls, University of Minnesota (Twin Cities and Morris), Concordia University St. Paul, and St. Olaf College. Mary Kay was a church musician for 21 years and was the founding director of the Fargo-Moorhead Choral Artists and the Minneapolis Vocal Consort. She has prepared choirs for the Minnesota Orchestra and St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra, and choirs under her direction have performed at state and regional ACDA conferences. Dr. Geston has directed honor and festival choirs across the United States and in Taiwan and South Korea. An accomplished soprano, she sang professionally in the Robert Shaw Festival Singers, at Carnegie Hall with conductor Charles Dutoit, and as a soloist with orchestras in Minnesota, Colorado, North Dakota and South Dakota. Geston has held numerous state and regional elected and appointed positions in the American Choral Directors Association including president of ACDA-MN and president of ACDA Midwestern Region. She received ACDA-MN’s 2012 Choral Director of the Year Award. She holds a DMA degree in choral music from University of Colorado Boulder, an MM degree in choral conducting from University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and a BA degree in vocal performance from North Dakota State University.
Minnetonka High School Concert Choir
Concert Choir is an auditioned SATB choir from Minnetonka High School in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Founded in the early 1950s, the choir has had just four head conductors: Raymond Minkler, Joan Larsen, Paula Holmberg, and Aaron Kohrs. The choir is made up of 10th, 11th, and 12th grade singers, where a little less than half of the choir are 12th graders.
Concert Choir tours domestically every year, and internationally every three to four years, having been most recently to New York City, Vienna and Salzburg, Austria, Orlando, Honolulu, and Los Angeles. In recent years, Concert Choir has enjoyed performing in collaboration with Cantus, members of Voces8, Concordia College Chapel Choir, Viterbo University Chamber Singers, and University of Sioux Falls Concert Choir. This is Concert Choir’s first performance on a state or regional conference in over ten years.
This performance would not have been possible without the strong support of the Minnetonka School District. Special thanks go to Superintendent David Law, Principal Jeff Erickson, our wonderful assistant principals and front office workers at MHS, and all teachers, families, and friends that play a part in the education of these singers.
Aaron Kohrs is in his 8th year teaching at Minnetonka High School, and 10th year overall in the Minnetonka School District. Kohrs directs four curricular choirs that meet daily for 50 minutes, and three extra-curricular choirs that meet for up to two hours weekly. Since starting at MHS, he has seen his teaching philosophy shift to making sure the choral community is always at the forefront.
Growing up in Northbrook, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, Kohrs’s first choral experience was singing in his church’s children’s choir in 2nd grade. His dad was the church organist and adult choir director, so little did he know at the time what a profound musical and life-long impact this would have on him. He sang and played in his high school choirs and orchestras, and cannot thank his music directors enough for their mentorship.
Kohrs received his B.M. in Choral Music Education from St. Olaf College. Other musical fulfillments include musical directing the MHS musicals, piano accompanying honor choirs, and singing when he can. When not making music, he enjoys birding, fantasy football, and traveling with his family. Aaron lives in Chanhassen with his wife, Kari, and 1-year-old daughter, Hallie. He would like to thank MN-ACDA for this opportunity; he would not be the music educator he is today without the support of this fantastic organization.
Owatonna Huskies Choir
Owatonna High School Huskies Choir is a non-auditioned SATB ensemble composed of 9th grade students at Owatonna High School. With an average enrollment of 120 students, approximately one-third of the freshman class, the ensemble reflects a strong commitment to musical participation and growth. Meeting daily for 40 minutes, Huskies Choir focuses on building vocal technique, developing musical literacy, and fostering a lifelong appreciation for music. Throughout the year, the ensemble performs a variety of concerts that expose students to a wide array of musical genres.
Owatonna Concert Choir
Owatonna High School Concert Choir is the flagship vocal ensemble at OHS. Composed of students in grades 10-12, singers are selected through a competitive audition process based on vocal ability, musical skill, and dedication. Widely recognized throughout southeastern Minnesota, the OHS Concert Choir is known for its excellence in choral performance. Each year, the ensemble travels around the state to perform at sporting events, concert venues, churches, and notable locations such as the Minnesota State Capitol. The choir is frequently invited to collaborate with collegiate ensembles, including recent performances with The Concordia Choir and The Gustavus Choir. The OHS Concert Choir is proud to make its first appearance at an ACDA conference since the 1980s.
Paula Asmus is in her fourth year serving as the director of choirs at Owatonna High School in Owatonna, Minnesota. Prior to her appointment at OHS she served as the choir and theater director at Grantsburg High School in Grantsburg, Wisconsin for two years. At OHS, Asmus conducts four curricular choirs and the extra-curricular Carolers ensemble. She also serves as the vocal director and choreographer for the annual musical. Over the past three years, under her leadership, the school established its first-ever advanced, auditioned treble choir, and the number of students participating in choir at OHS has increased from 188 to over 360.
Asmus graduated from Concordia College with her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education in 2020, where she sang under the direction of Dr. René Clausen and Dr. Michael Culloton. Asmus also holds a Masters of Music in Music Education from Ohio University. As an active member of ACDA-MN, Asmus frequently volunteers to help with the 9/10 State Honor Choirs and State Conference, as well as MMEA, where she has served as the All-State SATB Soprano Section Coach for the last two years. Asmus is excited to bring her 9th graders and Concert Choir to the ACDA State Conference to highlight choral music in our state and the Owatonna community.
Shakopee Middle School West
Saber Singers is an auditioned extracurricular choir for students in grades 6–8 at Shakopee West Middle School. Rehearsing twice a week before school, the ensemble performs at curricular choir concerts throughout the year as well as their own “Night on Broadway” performance each spring. They also participate in two annual day tours where they perform at local elementary schools, residential care facilities, shopping centers, and Valleyfair. These tours are made possible thanks to the incredible support of dedicated parent chaperones.Saber Singers is made up of passionate, hardworking students who embrace musical challenges and inspire those around them. The ensemble proudly upholds the Shakopee West Middle School Choir Program Mission Statement: “Through melody, harmony, musical knowledge, and diverse repertoire, the West Middle School Choir Program strives to build an inclusive community that fosters strong young voices to create hope for a better world.”
Kathryn Gubrud is the choir director and general music teacher at Shakopee West Middle School, a place she says has “felt like home” ever since she arrived in the fall of 2023. She is grateful for her inspiring colleagues, supportive arts-focused administrators, and, in her words, “the best students a teacher could ask for.”
She is passionate about working with middle schoolers and is committed to creating meaningful and inclusive performance opportunities for all students. She believes in empowering young singers to discover their voices and holds firmly to the belief thatevery student can succeed in choir.
Kathryn earned her Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Music Education from Concordia College in 2023. During her time at Concordia, she sang in The Concordia Choir under the direction of Dr. Michael Culloton. During her senior year, she served as the president of the choir and was the recipient of the Paul J. Christiansen Award for Outstanding Senior.
Kathryn is deeply thankful for the ongoing support of her family, friends, and partner—accompanist Jack Johnston—as she continues her journey in choral music education. She feels incredibly fortunate to spend each day doing what she loves: making music and making a difference in the lives of young people.
Urban Initiatives
High School Choral Festival featuring VocalEssence Singers of this Age (VESOTA) – G. Phillip Shoultz, conductor (with) urban coalition of high school choirs and singers with TBA, guest clinician.
VocalEssence Singers Of This Age is a choral arts apprenticeship for Twin Cities high school students. Under the visionary leadership of VocalEssence Associate Conductor, G. Phillip Shoultz, III, this ensemble learns from and creates with master artists from multiple artistic disciplines and reflects the diversity of our community in its membership. Through this ensemble, we are awakening artistic expression and creativity in young people, harnessing the community building capacity of group singing, and encouraging a wider circle of participation in our art form. While focusing its attention on students in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul Public school systems, the program currently includes students from 17 public and private schools from six districts.
Known for fostering community and inspiring action among people of all ages and abilities, G. Phillip Shoultz, III, enjoys a multifaceted career as an artist, educator, consultant, and speaker. Phillip serves as Associate Conductor and Director of Learning and Engagement of VocalEssence. He is Director of Music, Worship, and the Arts at Good Samaritan UMC and spends a portion of his summers as an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate Music Education program at the University of St. Thomas. His teaching experiences include time at the University of Minnesota, Georgia State University, and the University of Georgia and his service as a public school educator garnered multiple Teacher of the Year honors. The winner of the 2015 ACDA Graduate Conducting Competition and an International Conductors’ Exchange Program Participant, Phillip believes in the transformative power of shared singing experiences. He lives in St. Louis Park with his wife Michelle, and their two children, Malachi (six) and Lydia Grace (two).
Winona State university
The Winona State University Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. Colleen Chester, is one of three choral ensembles on campus, giving several performances each year. This auditioned mixed ensemble is made up of both music and non-music majors hailing from departments all across campus. Last year, the ensemble commissioned and premiered Now (Yosemite Valley) by award-winning composer Jeffrey Derus. The ensemble has upcoming collaborations with Cantus (October 2025) and a performance of Marianna von Martines’ Dixit Dominus with the Winona Symphony Orchestra (April 2026). Winona State choral ensembles strive to make music at the highest caliber, offer transformative musical experiences, and seek to uphold the university’s mission through song: enhancing the intellectual, social, and cultural vitality of the people and communities we serve.
Dr. Colleen Chester serves as Assistant Professor and Director of Choral Activities at Winona State University, where she received the 2024 and 2025 Outstanding Professor Award. At WSU, Dr. Chester directs all three choral ensembles in addition to teaching courses in music education (conducting, secondary choral methods, vocal pedagogy) and Women in Music. Prior to collegiate teaching, she was the Director of Vocal Music at San Luis Obispo High School and Laguna Middle School in San Luis Obispo, California. Her passion for music-making at all levels has led to her work with numerous church, community, and non-profit organizations including Choral Arts Initiative, San Luis Obispo Master Chorale, Canzona Women’s Chorus, Pacific Chorale, Oregon Bach Festival, and her most recent appointment as the Director of the Rochester Symphony Chorale (MN). Chester is actively involved in the community as a clinician, presenter, and conductor, and maintains a professional singing agenda both as a mezzo soprano soloist and proud ensemble member of mirabai. She holds degrees from California State University, Fullerton (BA Music Education), University of Georgia (MM Conducting), and Michigan State University (DMA Conducting).