Artistic Director Matthew Mehaffey

begins his tenth season at the helm of the Oratorio Society of Minnesota. He is also Associate Professor of Music at the University of Minnesota, where he conducts the University Singers and Men’s Chorus, and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Conducting and Literature. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Mehaffey holds degrees from Bucknell University (B.M.), Westminster Choir College (M.M.), and the University of Arizona (D.M.A).

Recent engagements include work with Washington National Opera, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, the Prague Proms, VocalEssence, Minnesota Chorale, Singers in Accord, and Turner Network Television. He has lectured nationally and internationally on the topic of rehearsal technique and is a frequent guest conductor of festival choruses. He is the author of Choral Ensemble Intonation and the editor of Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir, both for GIA Publications. He recently co-authored (with colleague Kathy Romey) a chapter on American choral music for the internationally released The Cambridge Companion to Choral Music. Additionally, Dr. Mehaffey serves as Director of Music at Hamline United Methodist Church in St. Paul. He enjoys golf, baseball, and curling in his spare time. He lives with his wife Libby, daughters Veda, Colette, and Summer, and their dog Bettis.

Accompanist Yichen Liang

Born in Suzhou, China, Yichen Liang is currently pursuing a DMA in Collaborative Piano at University of Minnesota Twin-Cities, studying with Timothy Lovelace. He studied piano performance with Edward Auer, and collaborative piano with Futaba Niekawa and Charles Prestinari at Indiana University. He got his undergraduate degree in Music Education at Shanghai Normal University. As a pianist, he participated in masterclasses with Peter Bithell, Kevin Kenner etc. Active as a versatile performer, he has played and sung in many performances of solo, chamber, and choral settings across Asia and the United States.

Conductor Laureate George S.T. Chu

George Chu founded the Oratorio Society in 1980 and served as its Artistic Director until May 2008, when he was named its first Conductor Laureate.
As professor of music and choral activities at Hamline University, Dr. Chu directs the A Cappella Choir, an ensemble which gives students — most are non-music majors — an opportunity to sing the finest choral music and tour internationally. Dr. Chu's love of teaching resulted in a unique expansion of the Oratorio Society's activities — Viva Coro! high school choral workshops, with an emphasis on leadership.
His musical training includes a bachelor's degree from Yale University (1969) and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Indiana University (1979), where he studied with Julius Herford.
 George S.T. Chu