CHORAL DIRECTOR OF THE OSM
ANDREW MEGILL, OSM choir conductor
Andrew Megill becomes choir conductor for the OSM in the 2011-2012 season. He was guest choir conductor for the OSM's performance of Handel's Messiah in December 2010 (available on a DVD released by Radio-Canada). This season he leads the choir in performances of Bach's St. John Passion (November 9, 10 and 11), Holst's Planets (December 6, 7), Mozart's Requiem (February 22, 23 and 25), Boulez's Le Soleil des eaux (February 22, 23 and 25), and Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé (May 28).Andrew Megill is recognized as one of the leading choral conductors of his generation, known for his passionate artistry and unusually wide-ranging repertoire, extending from early music to newly-composed works.
Dr. Megill has prepared choruses for many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the American Composers’ Orchestra, American Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Dresden Philharmonic, National Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, and the New York Philharmonic, as well as the Mark Morris Dance Company, for conductors such as Leon Botstein, Pierre Boulez, Charles Dutoit, Joseph Flummerfelt, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Alan Gilbert, Jane Glover, Neeme Järvi, Ton Koopman, Zdenek Mácal, Kurt Masur, Masaaki Suzuki, Bruno Weil and Kent Nagano.
Dr. Megill is on the faculty of Westminster Choir College of Rider University, where he conducts Westminster Kantorei and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in conducting, choral literature, and performance practice. He also serves as Associate Conductor/Director of Choirs for the Carmel Bach Festival and as Music Director of The Masterwork Chorus, one of the New York area’s finest volunteer choirs.
Dr. Megill is particularly admired for his performances of Baroque repertoire. He is Artistic Director of Fuma Sacra, recognized as “one of America’s leading ensembles specializing in Renaissance and Baroque vocal music” whose performances “leave the audience gasping in amazement” (Classical New Jersey). Mr. Megill has led Bach festivals at Westminster Choir College and in Dublin, Ireland and has guest-conducted Bach works for Emmanuel Church in Boston. He has collaborated with many leading Baroque specialists, including Ton Koopman, Masaaki Suzuki, John Holloway, Nancy Wilson and Julianne Baird and ensembles such as the Rebel Baroque Orchestra, Trinity (Wall Street) Baroque Orchestra, Sinfonia New York, Piffaro, Brandywine Baroque, and Tempesta di Mare.
Previous appointments include Interim Choirmaster at Trinity Church (Wall Street) and Chorusmaster for the Spoleto Festival USA, where his work was praised for producing “the finest opera chorus in the world” (Charleston Post and Courier). Mr. Megill has conducted and taught at the Juilliard Opera Center, the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music.
Dr. Megill’s work has been broadcast by PRI and the BBC and can be heard on a number of recordings, including Jon Magnussen's Psalm on Albany Records, Haydn's Masses for Naxos, and a forthcoming disc of works by Caleb Burhans. He has also collaborated with folk singer Judy Collins and film director Ridley Scott.
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