Tag: Pro Arte Chorale

NOTE: Photo credit is Will Cook

April 26,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Pro Arte Chorale is very pleased to welcome Bryan Zaros as its new Music Director, effective July 1. The search for a new music director was launched late last year, following the announcement that the Chorale’s music director of six years, Steven Fox, was stepping down having accepted the position of Music Director for The Cathedral Choral Society in Washington DC. After a four-month selection process with several outstanding
candidates that included auditions with members of the Chorale, Bryan Zaros was offered the position which he enthusiastically accepted.

“For over 50 years, the Pro Arte Chorale has been a leading musical presence in the New York metropolitan area,” said Bryan. “With a distinguished history performing the great masterworks, this community of committed
musicians has continued to thrive and inspire audiences under a legacy of great conductors. It is my great joy and privilege to join Pro Arte as their next Music Director and continue the great performance legacy of this
ensemble. I look forward to leading them to a renewed era of artistry, impassioned music making and community engagement.”

“I am delighted that Pro Arte will be in such good hands with Bryan as their new musical leader,” said Steven Fox. “Having had the chance to meet Bryan a little over a year ago in New York, I think that he is just the right person for this special role. I am so happy for both the Chorale and for Bryan.” Bryan is a young conductor recognized for his “strong musical imagination” and “deep sense of musicality and communication.” A native New Yorker, he received a Bachelor of Music in Sacred Music from Westminster Choir College and a Master of Music in Conducting from the University of Michigan. He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting at the Manhattan School of Music.

Bryan began his professional musical training as a member of the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus and as a boy chorister at The Church of the Transfiguration NYC. At the age of sixteen he was appointed the
Assistant Choirmaster at Transfiguration while also serving as the Assistant Choirmaster at St. Bartholomew’s Park Avenue. Recent conducting engagements have included invitations with choirs and orchestras in
England, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Sweden, Argentina, Greece, Slovenia, Ireland and Romania. Most notably he has conducted concerts at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center and at American Choral Director’s Association
Conferences.

He is a recipient of several conducting awards including an American Prize award in Conducting. Most recently, Bryan served as the Director of Choral Activities at Avon Old Farms School, as the Conductor of the Archdiocesan Choir and Orchestra at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford, and as a conductor of choirs at the University of Hartford.

Bryan is the Associate Choirmaster at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine and made his conducting debut with the Cathedral’s Choirs at Westminster Abbey, London.

“I am extremely proud of the work Bryan Zaros has done as Associate Choirmaster at the Cathedral of St John the Divine, and also through his doctoral studies at the Manhattan School of Music,” said Kent Tritle, Director of Cathedral Music at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

“He embodies that rare combination of musicality, excellent people skills and a commitment to doing the hard work it takes to truly be a fine conductor. It gives me great joy to see him take on the music director position with the Pro Arte Chorale, and I look forward to witnessing his work with this cherished and esteemed ensemble!”.

The Pro Arte Chorale wishes Steven Fox continued success in his endeavors, and we are grateful for the years of musical excellence he brought to our singers and audience. We look forward to building on this success and level of excellence under Bryan’s new leadership and talent.