Conductor: Stephen M. Black

Stephen M. Black is an accomplished organist and choral conductor, and holds graduate degrees in organ and choral conducting from the Yale University School Music. His principal organ teachers were Thomas Murray and Martin Jean. He studied conducting with Marguerite Brooks at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. While at Yale he was the conductor of the Yale University Choir at Battell Chapel. He was awarded the Charles Ives Prize in 1997, given by the dean of the school of music to the most outstanding organ performer in 1996-1997. He was also the recipient of the Richard French Prize, which recognizes outstanding talent in the field of choral conducting. He received his undergraduate education at the University of Louisville, where he studied organ with Melvin Dickinson.

Honors, Awards & Recitals

Mr. Black has received several honors and awards in both organ performance and choral conducting. In 1997 he won first prize in the John R. Rodland organ competition in New Jersey, one of the largest organ scholarship competitions in the country. In 1999 he was one of six finalists at the American Guild of Organists Young Artist Competition at the national organist convention in Denver. He has performed recitals at Washington National Cathedral, St. Patrick's Cathedral and St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue in New York City, All Saints Cathedral in Albany, NY, Longwood Gardens in Westchester County, PA, and St. Mary's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland.

Choral Conducting

Mr. Black is equally active as a conductor. From 1999 to 2003 he was the Artistic Director of the Greater New Haven Community Chorus in CT. He has been the assistant conductor of the New Amsterdam Singers in New York City since the fall of 2002. He has conducted for organizations such as the National Association of Composers USA and the Association of Connecticut Choruses Summersing. From 2001 to 2003 he was the chair of the music department at the Buckley School in Manhattan, and directed the glee club program for the middle and upper school. He was awarded a conducting fellowship to the Dennis Keene Choral Festival in the summer of 2002.

Current Position

Mr. Black is currently the Director of Music at St. Joseph's Church Yorkville on the upper east side of Manhattan, and serves as principal organist and director of the church's choral ensembles.