CHORUS DIRECTOR
Joshua Habermann
Joshua Habermann was named director of the Dallas Symphony Chorus in December 2010 and began his tenure in August 2011. Habermann comes to the Chorus from the University of Miami Frost School of Music, where he was associate professor and program director of choral studies and conducted the Frost Chorale and other choral ensembles. Habermann also led the Miami Master Chorale (Miami, FL) through the 2010-2011 academic year.
A native of California, Habermann is a graduate of Georgetown University and the University of Texas at Austin, where he completed doctoral studies in conducting with Craig Hella Johnson. He has also studied under Helmuth Rilling (conducting), Scott Foglesong (piano) and David Jones (voice).
From 1996-2006 Habermann was assistant conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, and in 2006-2007 served as interim director. In that capacity he prepared the chorus for performances with conductors Michael Tilson Thomas and Charles Dutoit in concerts of Mozart, and Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust. Recordings as a singer with the SFSC include Christmas by the Bay (Decca Records), and Mahler Symphony No. 2 (London Records), also a Grammy nominee for Best Choral/Orchestral Recording.
Habermann has appeared in numerous conferences and festivals, including international engagements in Havana, Cuba (2002 Festival Internacional de Coros), Germany, Czech Republic, China and France. As a singer (tenor) he performs with the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus (Eugene, Oregon), where he can be heard on the Grammy Award-winning recording of Krzystof Penderecki's Credo. Other projects include two recordings with Austin-based Conspirare: Through the Green Fuse, and Requiem, a Grammy nominee for best choral recording in 2006. Habermann also maintains an interest in the Hawaiian choral tradition, and sings periodically with Kawaiolaonapukanileo, an ensemble dedicated to performing and preserving this unique repertoire.
Habermann's other interests include Latin American and Nordic music. His dissertation on the a cappella works of Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara was a Julius Herford Prize finalist for music research in 1997.
Habermann lives in Dallas with his wife Joanna Habermann (a children's choir director) and daughter Kira. In addition to his duties as director of the Dallas Symphony Chorus, Habermann will continue as music director of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale (Santa Fe, NM), where he made his debut in 2009 and is under contract through 2012.
Joshua Habermann
A native of California, Habermann is a graduate of Georgetown University and the University of Texas at Austin, where he completed doctoral studies in conducting with Craig Hella Johnson. He has also studied under Helmuth Rilling (conducting), Scott Foglesong (piano) and David Jones (voice).
From 1996-2006 Habermann was assistant conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, and in 2006-2007 served as interim director. In that capacity he prepared the chorus for performances with conductors Michael Tilson Thomas and Charles Dutoit in concerts of Mozart, and Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust. Recordings as a singer with the SFSC include Christmas by the Bay (Decca Records), and Mahler Symphony No. 2 (London Records), also a Grammy nominee for Best Choral/Orchestral Recording.
Habermann has appeared in numerous conferences and festivals, including international engagements in Havana, Cuba (2002 Festival Internacional de Coros), Germany, Czech Republic, China and France. As a singer (tenor) he performs with the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus (Eugene, Oregon), where he can be heard on the Grammy Award-winning recording of Krzystof Penderecki's Credo. Other projects include two recordings with Austin-based Conspirare: Through the Green Fuse, and Requiem, a Grammy nominee for best choral recording in 2006. Habermann also maintains an interest in the Hawaiian choral tradition, and sings periodically with Kawaiolaonapukanileo, an ensemble dedicated to performing and preserving this unique repertoire.
Habermann's other interests include Latin American and Nordic music. His dissertation on the a cappella works of Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara was a Julius Herford Prize finalist for music research in 1997.
Habermann lives in Dallas with his wife Joanna Habermann (a children's choir director) and daughter Kira. In addition to his duties as director of the Dallas Symphony Chorus, Habermann will continue as music director of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale (Santa Fe, NM), where he made his debut in 2009 and is under contract through 2012.
ASSISTANT CHORUS DIRECTOR
J.D. Burnett
J.D. Burnett enjoys a varied career as a conductor, singer, and educator. He is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Kinnara Ensemble, a chamber choir of professional singers in New Jersey. With Kinnara, he performs several concert repertoires a year in the greater NY and Philadelphia areas. In addition to his duties with the Dallas Symphony Chorus, which began with the 2011 season, he is a Teaching Fellow at the University of North Texas, where he is a doctoral student in choral conducting and teaches undergraduate conducting.
Formerly, he served on the music staff of the New Jersey Youth Chorus, was Associate Conductor of the Masterwork Chorus of New Jersey, and was Acting Director of Choral Activities at Montclair State University.
Prior to these appointments, he served as Interim Director of Choral Activities at San Jose State University, was Artistic Director of the New Jersey Chamber Singers, was Music Director of the Houston Masterworks Chorus, founded Men’s Consort Houston, and was a member of the choral music faculty at Kingwood High School in suburban Houston.
Burnett did undergraduate study at Stanford University and Oklahoma State University. He holds a Masters Degree in Choral Conducting from Westminster Choir College, where he sang in the Westminster Symphonic Choir and Westminster Kantorei, and served as Assistant Conductor of the renowned Westminster Choir.
As a professional choral singer, Burnett has performed seasons, concerts, and recordings with the Stillwater Chamber Singers, Cantare Houston, The Santa Fe Desert Chorale, The Robert Shaw Festival Singers, Fuma Sacra, the Choir of Trinity Church Wall Street, the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, and Conspirare.
J.D. Burnett
Formerly, he served on the music staff of the New Jersey Youth Chorus, was Associate Conductor of the Masterwork Chorus of New Jersey, and was Acting Director of Choral Activities at Montclair State University.
Prior to these appointments, he served as Interim Director of Choral Activities at San Jose State University, was Artistic Director of the New Jersey Chamber Singers, was Music Director of the Houston Masterworks Chorus, founded Men’s Consort Houston, and was a member of the choral music faculty at Kingwood High School in suburban Houston.
Burnett did undergraduate study at Stanford University and Oklahoma State University. He holds a Masters Degree in Choral Conducting from Westminster Choir College, where he sang in the Westminster Symphonic Choir and Westminster Kantorei, and served as Assistant Conductor of the renowned Westminster Choir.
As a professional choral singer, Burnett has performed seasons, concerts, and recordings with the Stillwater Chamber Singers, Cantare Houston, The Santa Fe Desert Chorale, The Robert Shaw Festival Singers, Fuma Sacra, the Choir of Trinity Church Wall Street, the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, and Conspirare.
CHORUS ACCOMPANIST
Jerry Stephens
Jerry Stephens has been the principal rehearsal accompanist for the Dallas Symphony Chorus since its founding in 1977. He and his wife, Paula, are also well known in the Dallas area as a performing piano duo, who have delighted, amused and amazed audiences of all ages with their improvisational skills as well as playing a wide variety of genres, from classical to folk to Broadway and pop tunes.
Jerry Stephens
ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR
Donna Krauss
CHORUS LIBRARIAN
Melanie Gilmore
Donna Krauss
CHORUS LIBRARIAN
Melanie Gilmore
Former Director ad interim - Terry Price - 2009-2010
Mr. Price has led choirs at the International Church Music Festival in Coventry, England; at the International Church Music Festival in Rome; the Cambridge Summer Music Festival in Cambridge, England; and the Christmas Eve Celebrations in Bethlehem, Israel. He has worked with many of the leading choral conductors, including Sir David Willcocks, John Rutter, Bob Chilcott, Tim Brown, Paul Leddington Wright and Andrew Carter.
A native of Stephenville, Texas, Mr. Price holds the Master of Sacred Music Degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Tarleton State University. Before starting his position at Preston Hollow Presbyterian in 1998, Terry served as Director of Music at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Lovers Lane United Methodist Church in Dallas, and Plymouth Park United Methodist Church in Irving. He was given the Choral Excellence award by the Texas Choral Directors association in 2006.
Mr. Price’s service to the Chorus as Director ad interim concluded with the concerts in Vail, CO with the DSO on July 8, 2010.
Former Director - David R. Davidson - 1994-2009
While he will be greatly missed, David’s musical heritage and dedication to artistic excellence will live on in the lives and performances of the thousands of musicians he touched not just in Dallas, but all over the world.
A memorial service was held on September 10, 2009 in the Sanctuary of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas. Music was provided by members of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Chorus joining the HPUMC Chancel Choir conducted by DSO Music Director Jaap van Zweden and Ann Howard Jones of Boston University.
Dallas classical radio station WRR 101.1 dedicated the No. 1 recording on their 2009 Classical Countdown to Mr. Davidson - the Beethoven Symphony No. 9 (recorded by the Chorus in 2004).
From DSO Music Director Emeritus Andrew Litton:
“One of my first acts as Music Director of the Dallas Symphony turned out to be one of my best -- hiring David Davidson as Chorus Master. He transformed a good group of singers into a world class chorus -- one that brought glory to Dallas from the stages of Europe to Carnegie Hall. The collaborations I am proudest of during my Dallas years were the ones that involved the Chorus and David. His calm, spirituality and focus were like a tonic to me, and I have never felt more support from any colleague. David's genius at achieving choral colors was unsurpassed and one of the great moments of my life was when I brought him to Bergen, Norway just this past November to prepare the Bergen Chorus for the Verdi Requiem I was conducting. By ten minutes into the first rehearsal, he had magically transformed that chorus from provincial to glorious! I had never heard such beauty before, and as tears streamed down my face, I felt such pride. Pride that I could share the talent of my friend David with 150 strangers, and that they were instantly touched by his greatness. I cannot imagine the scope of what David's loss will mean to Dallas, because I am much too consumed with what it means to me. I have lost a close friend. We used to joke about being "brothers from another mother", because even though we outwardly seemed like opposites, we were the only ones who knew how similar we were. We made each other better, and there are too few people in life that can do that for each other.”
From Maestro Claus Peter Flor:
“About a colleague, for a master, to a friend! A conductor who wished to be working with David Davidson had to fulfill three unspoken conditions: absolute knowledge of choir music and anything that was necessary to achieve a faithful interpretation; knowledge of the beauty of the human voice, and how difficult it is to constantly renew that beauty; utmost confidence in his, David's, work in preparing the choir from the first rehearsal up to the actual concerts. If David felt he could entrust/lend "his choir" to a conductor, this "guest conductor" invariably met with success. David never offered, and certainly never imposed, his assistance to a conductor right away – he always waited for that conductor to show his willingness to appreciate David's great experience and profound humanity. For those who were able to win his friendship it was a wonderful gift. I was lucky to be among those to earn his friendship. It is a gift I will carry with me for the rest of my days ... and so Johannes Brahms' "German Requiem" once again impresses upon us its great and eternal significance: Great grief has befallen us in these days – and for many of us it is a very personal and private grief – but even with tears in our eyes we should, with great happiness, whisper to each other: it was a privilege to have known and accompanied him on his earthly journey, with his singing and his music making. Rise all, and bow with deepest gratitude.”
David R. Davidson was appointed the Interim Director of the Dallas Symphony Chorus in January, 1993 before being appointed the fifth Director of the Dallas Symphony Chorus on December 1, 1994. (The Dallas Morning News recently stated that the Dallas Symphony Chorus in recent years has become one of the hallmark musical organizations of Dallas.) David R. Davidson became Director of Music and Arts at Highland Park United Methodist Church on November 1, 2003. He was an adjunct instructor of choral conducting and handbells at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. Mr. Davidson served as Director of Music at Highland Park Presbyterian Church from 1985 – 2003. He was the visiting instructor of “Survey of Choral Literature” and “Choral Masterworks” at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University. Mr. Davidson was chosen to be a Masterclass Conductor at the eighth International Choral Conductor’s Seminar in Brugge, Belgium, where he studied with Laszlo Heltay. He also studied with Robert Shaw, Dr. Lara Hoggard, and Sir David Willcocks in addition to graduate work in choral conducting at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.
Davidson prepared the Dallas Symphony Chorus for performances with Pinchas Zukerman, Eduardo Mata, Andrew Litton, Kazimierez Kord, Robert Shaw, Richard Hickox, Claus Peter Flor, John Nelson, Zubin Mehta, Gunther Herbig, Eve Queller and Kate Tamarkin. The Dallas Symphony Chorus released their first Christmas recording A Feast of Carols in December of 1994. Andrew Litton, then Music Director of the Dallas Symphony, and David Davidson collaborated to record a Christmas CD of the Dallas Symphony and Chorus for Delos International A Dallas Christmas Gala as well as a 2004 live recording of the Beethoven Symphony No. 9 conducted by Claus Peter Flor. Mr. Davidson prepared The Dallas Symphony Chorus to perform with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in July 1996 with Zubin Mehta conducting six performances of the Mahler Symphony No. 8. Mr. Davidson also prepared the DSC for four performances with the Opera Orchestra of New York. The New York Times praised the chorus in all four performances as well as their performance of Belshazzar’s Feast performed with the Dallas Symphony in Carnegie Hall. Davidson prepared the chorus for performances and recording the Mahler Symphony No. 8 under the direction of Andrew Litton in May of 2000. Preparation for other recordings include Porgy and Bess on Dorian, and the Moscow Cantata and 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky on the Delos label.
Davidson conducted the chorus and orchestras during the DSC’s 2003 European tour which included the Stefansdom in Vienna, Smetena Hall in Prague, Ottobeuren Abbey, and the Liszt Conservatoire in Budapest. These performances were before packed audiences and received great acclaim from reviewers in each of those cities. The Dallas Symphony Chorus conducted by David R. Davidson performed with acclaim as a headliner ensemble for the 2001 National American Choral Directors Association Convention in San Antonio. The DSC also performed for the Texas Choral Directors Association. Mr. Davidson conducted the Highland Park Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir in performances for the American Choral Directors National Convention in Louisville, the Texas Choral Directors Association Convention, the 1994 American Guild of Organists National Convention, and as the featured choir for the 1990 International Church Music Festival in Coventry, England.
Mr. Davidson made his conducting debut with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in December 1996, stepping in at the last minute to conduct the final four Christmas Celebration Concerts when the conductor became ill. He conducted with acclaim the 1997-2008 Dallas Symphony Christmas Celebration concerts that included a live TV telecast as well as making his debut on the 1999 DSO Classical Subscription Series conducting four performance of Messiah. When stepping in for Andrew Litton to conduct the Faure Requiem in May 2005, Scott Cantrell’s headline began with "….Davidson expertly steps in." Davidson made his Carnegie Hall debut in June 1998 conducting the Texas Festival Chorus and the Inter School Orchestra in a performance of the Mozart Requiem.
A nationally recognized church music and choral clinician throughout the United States, Mr. Davidson chaired the Worship and Choral Music R & S Committee for ACDA as well as served as Vice-President of Church and Community Choirs for the Texas Choral Directors Association.
Former Director - Ron Shirey - 1983-1992
Fort Worth Star Telegram Story
TCU Music Department Tribute
Vocal Coach - Grant Williams
As vocal soloist he performed with the New York City Ballet, the Martha Graham Company, The Robert Shaw Chorale, the stage bands of Horace Heidt and Wayne King in theater, radio and television. His symphony orchestra engagements included the Cleveland, Detroit, Chautauqua, Little Orchestra Society of New York, Symphony of the Air (formerly NBC Symphony), Dallas, Norfolk, Des Moines, Philadelphia and Oklahoma City. He was the regular soloist at the Riverside Church of New York, recitalist at Wigmore Hall, London, England, and regular member of the Men's Glee Club of Radio City Music Hall. His recordings as soloist include the RCA Victor, MGM and Lyrichord.
Mr. Williams was founder and first president of the Dearborn Symphony Orchestra and founder and conductor of the Grant Williams Chorale which became the nucleus of the Detroit Symphony Chorus. He was Professor Emeritus of the College of Music, University of North Texas. The Juilliard School awarded him Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in voice as a scholarship student over seven years, and his dramatic study was under Uta Hagen of New York.
