Dwight Bigler, Artistic Director

Originally from Blackfoot, Idaho, Dwight Bigler is looking forward to joining the Blacksburg community as both the Music Director of the Blacksburg Master Chorale and the Director of Choral Activities at Virginia Tech. He recently completed a year as interim Director of Choral Activities at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, where he lead the choir on an international tour to Vienna and Prague. In 2006 he completed a DMA in choral conducting at the University of Texas at Austin, after which he taught and performed at UT-Austin as a pianist in the collaborative arts area. He received his MM in choral conducting and BM degree in piano performance from Brigham Young University, where he studied with Paul Pollei, Mack Wilberg, and Ronald Staheli.

Dr. Bigler’s choral experience includes work as assistant conductor and pianist of the Dale Warland Singers, artistic director of the Austin Singers, and director of the UT-Austin Men’s Chorus and BYU Women’s Chorus. In addition, he was music director for the UT Butler Opera Center in spring 2008, chorus master for three years, and has conducted productions with the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Austin.

Dwight is also a much esteemed collaborative pianist, having performed with the Dale Warland Singers, a University of Texas master class lead by Reneè Fleming, Scuola Italia in Urbania, Italy, and the Bel Canto Scholarship competition. In frequent demand as a recital pianist, he has collaborated in numerous vocal and instrumental recitals. He is also a solo artist, having won several concerto competitions in the 1990s.

As a composer, Dr. Bigler has published choral works with Oxford University Press and Hinshaw Music. He recently completed a Barlow commission to compose a work for the choirs and orchestra of Brigham Young University. His award-winning doctoral treatise was a new composition entitled Glimpses, a five-movement, 25-minute work for choir and chamber orchestra.

Patrice Yearwood, Community Children's Choir Conductor

Patrice Yearwood has 25 years experience teaching and working with children of all ages. She taught in public schools in the Richmond and Roanoke areas for 14 years, concentrating on elementary and choral music education, then incorporating these skills into teaching at a center for gifted education. Her choral students have been invited to perform at many special events/arenas, most notably, Mill Mountain Theatre, Roanoke Schools Annual Convocation, Hotel Roanoke, and Hollins College. Mrs. Yearwood was presented the State PTA Teachers’ Award of Excellence in 1994.

Currently, Mrs. Yearwood has a music studio where she teaches Musikgarten classes in early childhood music and movement, piano and voice. The studio has expanded to include a satellite teaching area in Blacksburg and will open another in the Dublin area in Fall 2006. Mrs. Yearwood received the Musikgarten Exemplary Teachers’ Award at the National Musikgarten Festival in 2004 and 2005.

At church she is actively involved with children’s and youth music programs. The Cantus Dominum Choir, which specializes in the Evensong tradition, has presented concerts in Washington, DC, Maine, the historic Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, VA , Richmond, VA and throughout the Diocese of Southwest, VA, most notably as the choir for the Annual Council in 2001 held at the Hotel Roanoke.

Patrice Yearwood has a B.A. in Music Education and an M.A. in Liberal Arts, has teacher certifications in Music K-12, Middle Grades 4-8 and Gifted Education, all levels of Musikgarten teacher training and is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, Early Childhood Music and Movement Association and the American Choral Directors’ Association.

Joetta Petersen, Accompanist

Joetta Petersen is a graduate of James Madison University, where she studied with Dr. Marion Perkins. While at JMU, she performed Maurice Ravel’s Sonatine for Piano and Norman Dello Joio’s Suite for Piano among other works. Ms. Petersen has lived in Blacksburg for 8 years and this is her fifth year as accompanist for the Blacksburg Master Chorale. During this time she has been a featured artist with the Chorale in Rossini’s Petite Messe solennelle, Handel’s Messiah, and Durufle’s Requiem. Currently, Ms. Petersen maintains a private piano studio of 35 students and is the organist at Blacksburg Baptist Church.

Board of Directors

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