Board chair describes candidates as "'driving force' in music world

Turtle Creek Chorale board chair Peter Anderson (left) calls all of the applicants who applied to be artistic director “amazing.” The new artistic director, who will be named by April 1, will replace Tim Seelig (right), who is retiring after 20 years’ service.

The Turtle Creek Chorale's artistic director search committee has named three finalists for the position, according to a statement issued by the choral group this week.

The finalists are Dr. James K. Bass of Western Michigan University; Jonathan Palant of Michigan State University, and Dr. Randi Von Ellefson, of Oklahoma City University.

The group's board of directors plans to name a new artistic director by April 1. The new director will replace artistic director Tim Seelig, who is retiring after 20 years with the Chorale.

Peter M. Anderson, chairman of the board of directors, called the caliber of all the applicants, particularly the finalists, "amazing."

"I am absolutely thrilled beyond belief at the quality," Anderson said in a telephone interview prior to a meeting with the general membership to announce the finalists' names. "These final three are a driving force in the music community nationally. I'm so excited to tell the guys who the three are."

Anderson said he expects everyone to be impressed by the selection.

"As much as we love Tim, the work of all three finalists in the particular communities they have served has been wonderful," Anderson said. "I expect the LGBT community and the arts community to be thrilled."

Bass is now director of choral activities at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. He has conducted choral ensembles at University of Central Florida, the University of Miami, the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and the Orlando Gay Men's Chorus.

He now conducts the Chorale and Collegiate Singers at Western Michigan University. He is the past conductor of the Tampa Bay Youth Orchestra and has performed as a bass soloist at Carnegie Hall. Bass sings regularly with the professional chorus Seraphic Fire. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from the University of Miami and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting and a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Palant is now adjunct assistant professor of choral music at Madonna University in Livonia, Mich., and past conductor of the Madonna Chorale. He is also a graduate assistant at Michigan State University in East Lansing, where he conducts the Collegiate Choir and is assistant conductor of the Michigan State Men's Glee Club.

Palant previously conducted the Roxborough Community Men's Chorus and the Spruce Street Singers in Philadelphia, taught choral music at the University School in Cleveland, was the assistant director of the Cleveland Choral Arts Society and was a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus. He will receive a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University in May. He received his Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Temple University in Philadelphia and his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Michigan.

Von Ellefson is now the director of choral activities at Oklahoma City University and artistic director of Canterbury Choral Society. He has taught choral music since 1977 at the university level on the faculties of Bethany Lutheran College, Whitworth College and the University of Chicago. He is the past artistic director of the Elgin Choral Union and the Spokane Symphony Chorale.

Von Ellefson was the founding and resident conductor of the Spokane Opera Company. He is associate conductor-in-residence for Mid-America Productions in New York City and has led choirs in national and international tours in Europe, Asia, Australia and Russia and conducted the Rockefeller Choir at the national convention of the American Chorale's Director's Association. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Music from Arizona State University, a Master of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education and Church Music from Texas Lutheran University.

The three finalists will visit Dallas in the coming weeks to conduct rehearsals with the Turtle Creek Chorale. The candidates will meet with the group's board of directors and artistic staff during their visits.

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This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition February 23, 2007