Cantabile
Cantabile is a newly formed choir made up of the first-year women students, conducted by Michael Smith. The choir performs on campus and locally throughout the year, especially during Chapel services.
Conductor
Michael Smith, who has a background of 40 years in conducting choral music, recently became the conductor of The Concordia College Chapel Choir, Männerchor and Cantabile. He works closely with Dr. René Clausen in developing the choral music program at Concordia.
Smith began his career in music in 1966 at Aitkin (Minn.) High School, and since 1984 he has been director of vocal music at Brainerd (Minn.) High School. He also taught music and conducted at Willmar High School and Brainerd Community College.
Smith is a 1966 graduate of St. Olaf College and completed his master’s degree at the University of Northern Colorado, and all but his dissertation for his doctorate in music education at the University of Minnesota, where he also served as director of the UofM Male Chorus. Smith received the National Federation of State High School Associations Outstanding Music Educator Award in 2005. In 1990, he was named Minnesota Music Educator of the Year, and in 1999 the Minnesota American Choral Directors Association Choral Director of the Year. Smith has also served as Minnesota ACDA president.
He was the first Minnesota high school director to conduct the Minnesota All-State Men’s Chorus and the first high school director to conduct the Minnesota ACDA Dialogue Conductor’s Chorus.
Ensembles
