JOHANN VAN NIEKERK CONDUCTOR CURRICULUM VITAE 7518 43th Ave NE Seattle, WA, 98105 Phone: (215) 868 6423 email: [email protected] EDUCATION University of Washington, Seattle, WA: Doctorate of Musical Arts – 2011- present Primary Mentors: Geoffrey Boers & Giselle Wyers Expected Graduation: June 2014 Temple University, Philadelphia, PA: Master of Music in Conducting, 2011 Primary Mentors: Rollo Dilworth & Alan Harler University of South Africa (UNISA), Pretoria, South Africa: Postgraduate Licentiate in Piano Performance, 2009 University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa: Bachelor of Music in Piano, 2008 Hons. Dissertation: The Role and Purpose of Organised Music at Auschwitz. Study Leader: Christopher Walton Mini-thesis: Rest Eternal – An Investigation of the Context of Five Requiems. Primary Mentor: Johann van der Sandt CURRENT EMPLOYMENT UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON TACOMA, TACOMA, WA PART-TIME LECTURER & PRE-DOCTORAL TEACHING ASSOCIATE September 2012-present Co-designed and implemented new music program at University of Washington’s Tacoma campus. Duties include conducting the newly-formed World Voices and lecturing in music theory, music appreciation and analysis to a diversified group of students with varying backgrounds in music. Topics for the newly formed Music in Culture course include Social Justice in Music (Fall 2012), World Music (Winter 2013) and Pop Music (Spring 2013). RAINIER BEACH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, SEATTLE, WA. Director of Music, October 2011-present Conduct the church choir and collaborate with the youth programs in a culturally diverse congregation. Emphasis of program on inclusivity, communal singing, congregational participation and multiculturalism. 1 DRAKENSBERG BOYS’ CHOIR SCHOOL, WINTERTON, SOUTH AFRICA Regular Student Intern and Conductor, 2009-present Serve as intern during American summers, assist with rehearsals and conducting and teach theoretic and practical musical instruction, piano and voice at boy choir school, consisting of around 100 boys, ages 10 to 16 that are chosen from nationwide auditions. The choir tours abroad two to four times a year, and has shared the stage with several prominent boy choirs around the world, including the Vienna Boys Choir, Pacific Boychoir and the Keystone State Boychoir and have performed at multiple ACDA National Conferences. TEACHING EXPERIENCE: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON TACOMA, TACOMA, WA Part-Time Lecturer & Pre-Doctoral Teaching Associate, 2012-present Currently employed as part-time lecturer and pre-doctoral teaching associate. Please refer to Page 1. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE, WA Guest Lecturer – Jackson School of International Studies, 2012-present Guest lecturer in courses on Scandinavian and Baltic Cultural History. TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, PHILADELPHIA, PA Graduate Assistant and Lab Lecturer, 2009-2011 Independently taught lab sessions for undergraduate basic, intermediate and advanced choral conducting for group of 200+ students. UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA, PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA Guest Lecturer in Choral Conducting, 2008 Regular guest lecturer in choral conducting at the third-year undergraduate level. DRAKENSBERG BOYS’ CHOIR SCHOOL, SOUTH AFRICA Intern, 2009-present Taught classes in conducting, theory, aural training, sight singing, voice, piano, arts and culture, administration and music appreciation. CLINICIAN EXPERIENCE: Seattle Pacific University Men’s Chorus, Seattle, WA, Visiting Artist, 2012. Served as clinician, research assistant and advisor for authentic performance practice of African choral music. Temple University Youth Choir Workshop, Philadelphia, PA, 2011, Clinician Presented clinics with Chicago Children’s Choir, New Jersey Youth Choir and Keystone State Boychoir on the authentic performance practice of African choral music. 2 Northern Cape Galeshewe Choral Institute and Community Upliftment Project (NCGCICUP), Kimberley, South Africa, Clinican and Lecturer, 2011 Led clinics with underprivileged community choirs. Also presented lectures in music theory, sight-reading and sight-singing, music history- and appreciation as part of international panel of choral conductors from South Africa, the United States and Canada, hosted by the University of Alberta. CONDUCTING EXPERIENCE: KAMERTONIS, SEATTLE, WA Conductor, 2013 Founded project-based ensemble “Kamertonis”, specializing in performance of socio- political choral music with added emphasis on high-quality performances of Baltic Choral Repertoire. Performed Arvo Pärt’s Salve Regina at premiere concert in October 2013. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE, WA Chamber Singers, Assistant Conductor, 2012-13 Regularly led rehearsals and warm-ups for the university’s premier graduate ensemble consisting of 40 graduate and undergraduate singers, most of whom are voice majors. This group was one of two non-Latvian ensembles to be invited to participate in the 15th Latvian Song Festival as part of a massed choir of 16 thousand Latvian singers. Recital Chorus, Conductor, 2012 Conducted semi-auditioned group of students and community volunteers. Repertoire included J.S. Bach’s cantata Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern with Baroque orchestra, Mendelssohn’s oratorio fragments Christus, Pärt’s Solfeggio and American premiere of Pieter Bezuidenhout’s Stardance. Conductor’s Ensemble, Conductor, Spring 2013 Conducted small ensemble consisting of fellow graduate students in conducting. Comissioned and conducted American premiere of Pieter Bezuidenhout’s Skemer. University Singers, Conductor, 2011-12, 2014 Conduct University Singers, a non-auditioned choir with typical course registration of between 70 and 150 registered students (approximately 9/10 non-music majors). TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, PHILADELPHIA, PA Graduate Conductor’s Chorus and Orchestra, Conductor: 2010 Conducted J.S. Bach’s motet BWV 227 Jesu, meine Freude and Mendelssohn’s Jesu, meine Zuversicht with chorus and baroque orchestra. Also conducted Philadelphia premiere of Latvian composer Peteris Vasks’ Dona Nobis Pacem for mixed choir and strings. 3 Recital Chorus, Conductor, 2011 Conducted volunteer group of around 40 singers, consisting of mostly non-music- majors and community volunteers. Conducted American premiere of Niel van der Watt’s Missa Meridiana de Terra for mixed chorus and marimba. Also conducted music from Ola Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass. Women’s Chorus, 2011 Conducted semi-auditioned group of around 25 singers, consisting of freshmen only. Conducted American premiere of Mokale Koapeng’s Khutso – Chant for Peace. Chorale, Graduate Teaching Assistant, 2010 Conducted undergraduate group of around 100 singers, consisting of freshmen and sophomore majors. Developed recital concept of “music in motion” combining choral singing, kinesthetic movement and dance. University Singers, Graduate Teaching Assistant, 2009 Conducted university’s premiere undergraduate ensemble consisting of around 60 junior and senior year music majors. UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA, PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA Tuks Camerata, Student Conductor, 2007-8; Student Committee – Portfolio International and National Tours, Music & Archive, 2008. Conducted university’s premiere choir consisting of around 55 singers of which around 6 were music majors. Duties included rehearsals and conducting. First Prize Winners of International Choral Festival in Gorizia, Italy, in Popular and Jazz Category. The choir holds the distinction for the highest percentage obtained in the history of the European Grand Prix Choral Circuit (98.8%). During this period the choir toured to Austria, France, Germany, Kenya, Italy, Lichtenstein, Switzerland and Tanzania. Also responsible for organization of large-scale national tours for visiting international ensembles. Sine Nomine Chamber Choir and Orchestra, Conductor, 2007-2008 Established academic choir and string ensemble for the purpose of undergraduate conducting recitals, specializing in Classical and Romantic choral-orchestral music. Performances included Haydn’s Little Organ Mass, Mozart Mass in G, KV 49 and Schubert’s Mass in G. CONDUCTING EXPERIENCE: NON-UNIVERSITY Christchurch, Philadelphia, PA, Choral Scholar, 2010-2011 Conducted church choir consisting of 12 paid singers. Duties included assisting with rehearsals and conducting during service and regular performances for visiting tourists to this historic landmark (250 thousand visitors per year). Repertoire included Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, Pachelbel’s Magnificat and Brahms’ Gesang. 4 St. Luke and the Epiphany, Philadelphia, PA, Student Conductor, 2009-2010 Conducted church choir consisting of around 25 singers. Duties included assisting with rehearsals and conducting during services. Singkronies Adult Chamber Choir, Pretoria, Student Conductor, 2007-2008 Duties included teaching voice and leading rehearsals. Performed South African premiere of Arvo Pärt’s Te Deum for choir, orchestra and electronic tape. Waterkloof High School Ladies Choir, Pretoria, Conductor, 2009 Established the ladies’ choir of around 100 singers. Category Winners at national ATKV Applous competition in the same year. Waterkloof High School Mixed Choir, Pretoria, Student Conductor, 2006-2008 Duties included voice teaching and conducting rehearsals. Champions at National ATKV Applous competition in 2006 and 2008 and runners-up in 2007; Gold diploma winners in 2008 Festival of Advent and Christmas Music in Bratislava, Slovakia. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Mägi Ensemble, Seattle, WA, Volunteer Singer, 2012-present Member of active vocal ensemble in the Seattle Baltic community. The group specializes in the works of contemporary