The West Texas Symphony has announced the appointment of Juan Hernández as the new director of the Chamber Chorale. Hernández served as the Interim Chorale Director last season.
“Dr. Hernández holds the qualifications and experience we needed for the high-performance level expected of our Chorale program.” Executive Director Ethan Wills said in a news release.
The West Texas Symphony is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and one of the largest performing arts organizations in West Texas. “The Chorale is the principal choral ensemble in West Texas and was instrumental in the founding of WTS in 1962” explains Wills. The group presents masterworks of the choral repertoire, ranging from Handel’s Messiah and the Brahms’ Requiem, to Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concert and music from the Broadway stage. Membership is open to all singers high school age and older. An audition is required.
In addition to his role at the West Texas Symphony, Hernández serves as Director of Choral Activities and Director of Vocal Studies at Odessa College where he conducts the A Cappella Choir and Vocal Ensemble and teaches courses in Music Appreciation, Voice, and Diction. Additionally, he is the Music Director at Westminster Presbyterian Church of Odessa.
Prior to his current role, Hernández served as director of Choral Activities at the University of New Mexico, where he taught graduate and undergraduate courses related to choral music. He was also the Music Director at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church of Albuquerque, and director of the Madrigal Singers of Albuquerque.
Hernández’s passion for Latin American music has motivated him to arrange and self-publish a broad range of popular and folk pieces for choral ensembles, expanding the exposure of distinct styles of repertoire to diverse audiences, and contributing to the cultural enrichment of those who have yet to encounter this genre in the choral setting.
Hernández holds a doctor of music and a master of music degree in choral conducting from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, as well as a bachelor of music in choral conducting from Los Andes University (Colombia.) He has studied under esteemed conductors such as Robert Porco, William Jon Gray, Dominick DiOrio, Walter Huff, Richard Tang Yuk, Betsy Burleigh, Carmen-Helena Téllez, Manuel Cubides Greiffeinstein, and Werner Pfaff.
The Chamber Chorale has the following scheduled performances:
Chorale Fall Recital – Oct. 24– 7:30pm – Wagner & Brown Auditorium at Midland College
Chorale Spring Recital – May 19, 2024 – 3 p.m. – Location TBA
The Chamber Chorale will also perform with the West Texas Symphony orchestra at their Masterworks II performance, “An Americana Salute to Our Veterans’ and the annual “Sounds of the Season” concert on Dec. 2.
Visit WTXS.ORG for concert details and tickets.
