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Our Directors |
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| Leon Griesbach
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Mr. Griesbach, the Director of the Concert Choir, has a Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance from Catholic University of America. He is also an alumnus of the Boy Singers of Maine Concert Choir and Lower Octave Choir. His experiences with BSM through his formative years fostered a deep love of music and laid a strong foundation of fundamental musical and performance concepts that to this day continue to enrich his life. |
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He currently serves as Director of Music and Organist at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. In this capacity he conducts the Cathedral Choir, the Cathedral Schola Cantorum and Magnificat Children’s Choir and composes choral works for these ensembles. In addition, he serves as the consultant for Sacred Music for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.
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Mr. Griesbach maintains an active performing schedule, appearing as a vocal soloist throughout Washington, DC, Maryland and Maine, performing the works of G. F. Händel, Heinrich Schütz, J. S. Bach, Gabriel Fauré, R. Vaughan Williams and Carl Orff. He has studied with Jaye Churchill, Bruce Fithian and Russell Penney.
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As an organist, he has performed in a series of organ recitals in Washington, DC, and throughout Maine and has studied with Christopher Uhlein, Dr. Robert Grogan and Dr. Edward Moore. |
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As a conductor, Mr. Griesbach is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association and has conducted instrumental and choral ensembles in Maine and Washington, DC, where he was Assistant Conductor of the Catholic University of America Chorus in 2008. Mr. Griesbach has studied conducting and choral method extensively with Dr. Leo Nestor, Ms. Giselle Becker and Mr. David Searl. |
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Patrick McCarthy |
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| Patrick
J. McCarthy, Director of the Lower Octave Choir, attended both the University of Maine in Orono
and the University of Southern Maine from 1995-2000. While
studying in Orono, he was part of the University of Maine
Singers and Chorale. He also sang in an all-male, student-run
octet known as the Maine Steiners. He played tuba in
both of the University's Symphonic bands. |
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five years, he performed in the all-male, semi-professional
vocal band, "6 Day Week," of which he was a founding
member. At Southern Maine, he sang in the Chamber Singers
under the direction of Dr. Robert Russell and shared some
of the directing responsibilities for that group and for
the Concert Chorale. Patrick's
first professional teaching job was at St. Joseph 's College
as director of St. Joseph 's Glee Club.
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was the Spiritual Music Director for State Street Church
where he continues to lead a worship band for their non-traditional
service. In 1998, he sang in Portland Choral Arts Society's
select ensemble, the "Camarata," directed by Dr. Robert
Russell. Patrick is now in his ninth year as vocal and
general music teacher for grades 6-12 for the Westbrook
School Department. |
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Lower Octave, Patrick says, "We've grown!" He
has enjoyed directing these talented
and dedicated young men for the past eight years and is looking forward to many
more years of music making. |
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| Dr. Michele Kaschub
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| Michele Kaschub, the Director of the Lyric Choir, is an Associate Professor of Music and the Coordinator of Music Teacher Education and Graduate Studies for the University of Southern Maine School of Music. She teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in music education, philosophy, research, composition and curriculum, as well as general and elementary/intermediate choral methods.
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She has recently coauthored Minds on Music: Composition for Creative and Critical Thinking (2009) with Janice Smith. Her many other writings have appeared in music and arts journals in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK. |
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An active presenter, Dr. Kaschub has offered sessions for national and eastern division meetings of the National Association for Music Education, the Center for Applied Research in Music Understanding, the New Directions in Music Education Conferences on the Teaching of Music Composition and Improvisation, the Society for Music Teacher Education and the Symposium for Research in Music Education. |
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In addition to conducting elementary and middle school honors choirs throughout the northeast, Dr. Kaschub has twice served as the interim director of the Southern Maine Children’s Choir. |
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