 Kathy
Saltzman Romey
Artistic
Director
In May 1995, Conductor Kathy Saltzman Romey was named
the Minnesota Chorale's fifth artistic director, after serving as
associate artistic director of the Minnesota Chorale from 1990 to
1994 and as acting director during the 1994-95 season. She has prepared
the Chorale for performances with both the Minnesota Orchestra and
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra under the baton of such conductors
as Edo de Waart, Eduardo Mata, Roger Norrington, Christopher Hogwood,
Hugh Wolff, John Harbison, Helmuth Rilling, Bobby McFerrin, Eiji
Oue, and Robert Shaw. She also developed and coordinates Bridges,
the Chorale's nationally-recognized performance outreach program.
Romey graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music
from the University of Oregon. She continued her studies in Frankfurt,
Germany under internationally-known Bach scholar and conductor Helmuth
Rilling, receiving an artistic degree in choral conducting from
the Frankfurt State Conservatory of Music in 1984. During her five
years in Germany, she assisted Dr. Rilling at the Memorial Church
in Stuttgart, was a member of Rilling's professional choir, the
Gaechinger Kantorei, and worked on the staff of the International
Bach Academy. Romey has been a staff member of the Oregon Bach
Festival since 1984, currently serving as preparation conductor
of the 54-voice professional chorus for festival performances and
recordings. In 1998, she prepared the Bach Festival Chorus for the
premiere performance of Krzysztof Penderecki's Credo. She
later served as choir master for the International Bach Academy
Chorus in Krakow, Poland, where she prepared Penderecki's Credo
for its European premiere. In the fall of 1999, she again joined
the staff of the International Bach Academy to prepare the Brahms
German Requiem for a European tour. In June 2000, she traveled
to Puerto Rico to assist Dr. Rilling in the preparation of Bach's
Mass in B minor at the Casals Festival.
Romey joined the conducting faculty at the University
of Minnesota in the fall of 1992, where she directs the Concert Choir,
Men's Chorus, and Women's Chorus. From 1985-1992, she was director of
choral activities at Macalester College, conducting the Macalester
Concert Choir and the Macalester Festival Chorale. She is active
regionally and nationally as a guest conductor and clinician at music
conferences and festivals.
 Barbara Brooks
Accompanist & Artistic Advisor
Barbara Brooks is an active vocal coach and music director
in the Twin Cities area. She has worked with various opera companies
including Canadian Opera, Minnesota Opera, New Orleans Opera, Opera
Banff, Berkshire Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Kentucky Opera,
as well as the University of Minnesota Opera and University of North
Texas Opera programs. She has served as a vocal coach for the Minnesota
Opera's Resident Artist program and currently is on the music staff
of the Wesley Balk Institute. She has also collaborated as music
director in the highly imaginative productions of Mozart's operas
at Theatre de la Jeune Lune in Minneapolis. She holds a master's
degree in piano performance from the University of Michigan in Ann
Arbor.
Patrice Arasim
Founding Director, Minneapolis Youth Chorus
Patrice Arasim taught at Field School in South Minneapolis for
24 of her 31 years with the Minneapolis Public Schools. She created
a virtual conservatory of music at Field School, where she also
founded the Field Madrigal Singers, a children’s choir which performs
at civic events, fundraisers, and professional conferences. Pat
earned a B.F.A. from Michigan State University and gained certification
in Kodály and Orff music pedagogy from the University of Saint Thomas.
She has previously served on many arts boards, including the Minnesota
Humanities Commission and the Minneapolis Arts Commission. Pat is
the director of the Basilica Children’s Choir and the Cherub Choir,
and is a section leader for the Cathedral Choir as well as a member
of the Chamber Singers.
Larry Fuchsberg
Director of Grants and Communications
Larry Fuchsberg has worked part-time for the Chorale since 2001.
Previously an academic and a diplomat, he freelances as a writer and editor in the Twin Cities,
and contributes regularly to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He is married to former Chorale composer-in-residence
Janika Vandervelde; they live in St. Paul with two highly musical cats.
Barbara Lundervold
Chorus Personnel Manager
Barbara Lundervold has served as chorus personnel manager for 19 of the 29 years that she has been a member of the Minnesota Chorale.
She is also the director of music at Hazel Park UCC in St. Paul, and is a real estate agent in Woodbury where she raised her three children and lives with her dog and cat.
She has sung with the Oratorio Society of Minnesota, the Louisville Bach Society, the Woodbury Chorale, the Mississippi Valley Chorale, the Edina Chorale,
and groups at Mankato State University where she earned a degree in music education. When she's not busy singing and selling, she enjoys traveling and
cheering on the Vikings and Twins.
Melissa Morey
Director of Operations
Melissa Morey joined the staff of the Minnesota Chorale in July
of 2005 after receiving her master’s degree in horn performance
from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she studied with
Douglas Hill. A free-lance horn player and singer, she also holds
a vocal music education degree from St. Olaf College, where she
was a member of the St. Olaf Choir, St. Olaf Band, and St. Olaf
Orchestra. Melissa joins the Chorale with many years of arts administration
and performance experience. She has performed in many instrumental
and vocal groups throughout the Twin Cities, most notably with the
Minnesota Orchestra and the Dale Warland Singers.
Bob Peskin
Executive Director
Bob has held positions in commercial and public radio, the independent record industry, and nonprofit administration.
Formerly the national director of chapters at the American Composers Forum, he served as director of music ministries at Unity Church-Unitarian for five years.
The founding director of the Middlebury (Vt.) Community Chorus, he has led choral ensembles for more than 25 years.
He has also served as music director for community, college, and professional theatrical productions.
As a singer and arranger, he has created several a cappella groups, and was the bass section leader of the Dale Warland Singers for seven years.
His production and editing credits include recordings with the Dale Warland Singers, folksinger Jean Redpath, and pianist Keith Jarrett.
Bob earned his B.A. cum laude in music composition from Princeton, and pursued graduate studies in choral conducting at the University of Minnesota.
Walter Tambor
Assistant Conductor and Accompanist, Minneapolis
Youth Chorus
Mr. Tambor currently serves as Director of Contemporary
and World Music at the Basilica of Saint Mary. Before coming to
Minneapolis in 2004, Walter was a faculty member/accompanist at
the nationally recognized Chicago Children's Choir Academy, an interracial
and multicultural choral music education organization promoting
musical excellence for children grades 4-8; and DePaul University
Community Music Division, where he provided private piano instruction
to mostly African-American and Hispanic foster children ages 8-12,
mentoring children and promoting increased confidence and self-worth
through weekly lessons and periodic performance opportunities. A
highly sought after accompanist, vocal coach, and musical director,
Walter was also Assistant Organist/Choral Director at Saint Clement
Church in Chicago. Mr. Tambor is a graduate of the University of
Notre Dame and DePaul University.
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