Conductors and Staff
Georg Stangelberger joined the Phoenix Boys Choir as Artistic Director in 1999. He graduated from the Musikhochschule in Vienna, and spent more than 13 years with the Vienna Boys Choir, where he served as principal choir conductor and associate artistic director. He led the Phoenix Boys Choir to its Carnegie Hall debut in 2003 and is considered largely responsible for the choir's current success.
Herbert Washington conducts the cadet choice. A native of Phoenix and an alumnus of the Phoenix Boys Choir, Washington graduated in 2004 with a B.A in Music and Fine Arts from St. Olaf College in Minnesota. While there he sang in the St. Olaf Choir, conducted by Dr. Anton Armstrong. Washington, an avid composer and arranger; directed “Voices of Praise,” the St. Olaf Gospel Choir; led the choir to record its first CD. During that time the choir grew in membership from 20 to 80 singers, and became an official choir of the College. Washington served as assistant director of the choir under the professional leadership of Keith McCutchen.
Greg Amerind, who joined the choir at the beginning of the 2007-2008 concert season, conducts the Town Choir. He majored in music and theatre arts at UCLA, California State University, Northridge, and Arizona State University.
Jason Snodgrass is the Phoenix Boys Choir's Operations Manager.
Harvey K. Smith is the Artistic Director Emeritus. A native Arizonan, Dr. Smith received his education at Occidental College, Master of Music at the University of Southern California, Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Arizona, and Honorary Doctor of Letters at Grand Canyon University. Beginning in 1960, Dr. Smith’s vision and commitment to quality musicianship have guided the Phoenix Boys Choir from a single, 30-voice choir to a current membership of over 170 boys in five choirs. His pursuit of excellence has brought the Phoenix Boys Choir critical acclaim from audiences and journalists around the globe as well as a Grammy, awarded in 2001. Listeners in Europe, the Far East, Mexico, Canada, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and across the United States have enjoyed the choir’s splendid performances of varied repertoire. The choir has participated in numerous collaborative projects ranging from advertising soundtracks to solo performances with major musical institutions.
Dr. Smith and his wife, Dorothy Lincoln-Smith, continue working as clinicians, are avid scuba divers, and co-authors of the video teaching series Singing and Growing.
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Famous quotes containing the words conductors and/or staff:
“I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can’t say—I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger.”
—Harriet Tubman (1821–1913)
“Each one threw down his staff, and they became snakes; but Aaron’s staff swallowed up theirs.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Exodus 7:12.