Role

:

Composer Conductor

Birth

:

1971

 

Ethan Sperry is a renowned conductor, composer, and educator in the field of choral music. He was born on August 22, 1963, in Portland, Oregon, and grew up in a musical family. His father was a jazz pianist, and his mother was a singer and pianist. Sperry started playing the piano at the age of five and began singing in choirs at the age of eight. Sperry attended the University of Oregon, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in choral music education in 1985. He then went on to earn a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from Portland State University in 1990. During his time at Portland State, Sperry studied under the renowned choral conductor Bruce Browne. After completing his studies, Sperry began his career as a choral conductor and educator. He served as the director of choral activities at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, from 1990 to 1996. During his time at Pacific Lutheran, Sperry founded the choir Choral Union, which quickly gained a reputation for excellence and performed at numerous festivals and events. In 1996, Sperry moved to Latvia to serve as the director of choral activities at the Latvian Academy of Music. During his time in Latvia, Sperry immersed himself in the country's rich choral tradition and became a leading expert on Latvian choral music. He also founded the professional choir Kamer, which quickly gained international recognition for its performances of Latvian and Baltic choral music. Sperry returned to the United States in 2000 and became the director of choral activities at Portland State University. Under his leadership, the choral program at Portland State grew in size and reputation, and the university's Chamber Choir became one of the most acclaimed collegiate choirs in the country. In 2008, Sperry led the Chamber Choir on a tour of Latvia, where they performed with several Latvian choirs and premiered several new works by Latvian composers. In addition to his work as a conductor and educator, Sperry is also a prolific composer and arranger of choral music. His compositions and arrangements have been performed by choirs around the world and have been featured on numerous recordings. In 2010, Sperry received the Raymond W. Brock Memorial Commission from the American Choral Directors Association, which allowed him to compose a new work for the ACDA National Conference. Sperry has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of choral music. In 2007, he was named the Oregon Music Educator of the Year by the Oregon Music Education Association. In 2012, he received the Robert Shaw Choral Award from the American Choral Directors Association, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the choral art. Today, Sperry continues to be an active conductor, composer, and educator. He is a professor of choral music at Portland State University and serves as the artistic director of the Oregon Repertory Singers, one of the largest and most respected choral organizations in the Pacific Northwest. He also frequently serves as a guest conductor and clinician for choirs around the world.

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