Graduate Students
If you are interested in attaining a graduate degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Minnesota, you may find information on our programs at the following links. (M.M., D.M.A. (PDFs)). You can also e-mail Profs. Kathy Romey or Matthew Mehaffey for more information. Below are biographies of our current graduate students.
D.M.A. Students
Conductor Andrew Crow is a graduate of Temple University, where he earned the degree Master of Music in Choral Conducting in studies with Alan Harler. As an undergraduate at The Ohio State University, he toured widely with the renowned Men's Glee Club under the direction of James Gallagher and performed with Robert Shaw. Mr. Crow is also an experienced singer, orchestral conductor, piano technician, and dedicated church musician, currently Director of the Trinity Choir at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Bloomington and Choral Coach for Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. He entered doctoral studies at the University of Minnesota in 2006 following a faculty appointment at Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey. In the summer of 2007, Mr. Crow was associate director of the U of M's first Summer Choir. This academic year, he will continue to lead the University Men's Chorus – a favorite instrument – and complete his doctorate with a thesis and performance of Anton Bruckner's Mass in E minor. Andrew resides in South Minneapolis with his wife and children.
Matthew Culloton serves as Artistic Director and Conductor of The Singers – Minnesota Choral Artists, a professional forty-voice choir based in the Twin Cities. Prior to that appointment, Matthew was a member of The Dale Warland Singers, having served as Music Adviser to Dale Warland, Assistant Conductor, Bass Section Leader, and Music Librarian. From 2000-2006, Matthew was Director of Choral Activities at Hopkins High School, overseeing a choral program of six performing ensembles. His Hopkins Concert Choir performed at the 2002 and 2004 MN ACDA Fall Conventions. The Concert Choir has held masterclasses with The King's Singers, Alice Parker, and numerous visiting composers. In November, 2004, Matthew was presented with the 2004 MN ACDA outstanding Young Choral Conductor of the Year Award. In the fall of 2003, he was the recipient of the VocalEssence/ACDA of Minnesota Creative Programming Award for his work at Hopkins High School. As a composer, Matthew has been commissioned by the Dale Warland Singers, Choral Arts Ensemble of Rochester (MN), Ames Chamber Artists, Chanson, the MN All-State Choirs (2005 Men's Choir), and numerous high school and collegiate choirs. His works are published by Hinshaw Music, Mark Foster Music (Shawnee), Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Kjos Music, and Odhecaton.com. He is co-editor of the “Matthew and Michael Choral Series” with Santa Barbara Publishing Company. Matthew is a member of ACDA, Chorus America, MMEA, MENC, and the American Composers Forum.
W. Bryce Hayes maintains an active career as a conductor, teacher, church musician, pianist, accompanist and singer. He received a Bachelor of Music degree in music education summa cum laude from Westminster Choir College and a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Temple University where he studied with Alan Harler. Mr. Hayes is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from The University of Minnesota where he studies with Kathy Romey and Matthew Mehaffey. Bryce Hayes currently serves as the Choral Director at Woodbury United Methodist Church and the accompanist for One Voice Chorale. Formerly, Mr. Hayes served as the Director of the Cantores ensemble from The Princeton Girlchoir and the Director of Upper School Choral Music at Princeton Day School in Princeton, New Jersey. As a singer Bryce has been a part of professional organizations, including the Princeton Singers, and most recently the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Choir under Dale Warland. Bryce was recently honored by receiving the Elaine Brown Leadership Award for commitment to improving the community through the choral art.
A conductor whose interests lie in contemporary music, Stanley Rothrock,
II has conducted both instrumental and choral ensembles in cities
throughout the United States and Europe. Most recently, as part of the
European American Music Alliance, he completed an intensive study of
conducting and counterpoint at L’Ecole Normal de Musique in Paris,
France. Having studied with Dr. Thomas Lancaster at the University of
Minnesota in his master’s degree, Mr. Rothrock is now under the tutelage
of Professor Kathy Romey and Dr. Matthew Mehaffey as he approaches the
completion of his doctoral degree. In addition to his academic studies,
Mr. Rothrock claims artistic directorship of RenegadeEnsemble, a mixed
contemporary music ensemble devoted to performing the music of living
composers. This ensemble was created by Mr. Rothrock in 2004, and
continues to grow and thrive in the Twin Cities. Through this ensemble,
Stan has collaborated with prominent contemporary composers, such as
Pauline Oliveros, Linda Buckley, Doug Geers, Terry Riley, and many others.
M.M. Students
Jeffrey Stern is currently a second year Masters student and teaching assistant of the University Chamber Singers. A native New Yorker, Jeff graduated summa cum laude from The George Washington University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Political Science. As a member of the GW Chamber Choir and University Singers, he performed in venues throughout the Washington, DC area including the Kennedy Center, the Renwick Gallery, and the National Building Museum, along with concert tours to Romania, Bulgaria, Argentina, and Uruguay. In years since, Jeff has performed in New York as a bass section leader for Holy Name of Jesus Church, with MidAmerica Productions at Carnegie Hall, and as a member of the Manhattan Choral Ensemble. Jeff returns to Minneapolis following a summer on Cape Cod, Massachussetts, where he worked as Associate Conductor for the College Light Opera Company, preparing nine shows including West Side Story, and works by Gilbert & Sullivan, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Stephen Sondheim, among others. An active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Jeff also performs as a guest singer and conductor with various choirs throughout the Twin Cities.
Richard Yates is currently completing his masters in composition and choral conducting at the University, studying composition with James Dillon and conducting with Kathy Romey and Matthew Mehaffey. B.M. The Boston Conservatory ‘06, studied composition with Larry Bell and Dalit Warshaw, piano with Janice Weber, conducting with Bill Cutter, and musicology with Jan Swafford. He has participated in the International Keyboard Institute and Festival in NYC from ‘03-4, the Music ’05 composition program at Cincinnati Conservatory, and the European American Musical Alliance in Paris.
This year Richard started teaching undergraduate music theory courses at the University and is continuing to work with the St. Paul Vocal Forum as section leader and accompanist. He was the ‘05-06 recipient of the Gardner Read Scholarship given in memory of the late Boston composer. Richard has explored instrumentations ranging from solo to orchestral settings, with broad stylistic influences ranging from Gregorian chant to jazz.