The Garden State Philharmonic Chorus Welcomes a New Director to the Podium

TOMS RIVER, N.J. - Oct. 4, 2017 - PRLog -- The Garden State Philharmonic is honored to announce the appointment of Steven Russell to the position of Chorus Director.

Steven Russell has had a full time career of over 34 years as a musician/conductor in churches, schools and choruses in Monmouth County. He is the owner of Becoming Sound LLC, which was founded in 2013 to guide those on the path to health and wellness of body, mind, and spirit through music, massage therapy, and yoga.

Steven served as the Artistic Director for the New Jersey Gay Men's Chorus from 2002-2014, and the Rutgers University Queens Chorale from 1988-2002, and was Interim Artistic Director of the Shrewsbury Chorale from 2001-2002. Steven was the Assistant Conductor of the Monmouth Civic Chorus from 1996-2001, and their Scandinavian Tour Conductor in 1996. He conducted the All Shore Chorus in 2003 in an all-American program featuring Bernstein's Chichester Psalms. Steven most recently founded the Ravine Crossing Chamber Chorale, which performed from 2014-2017. He was the Founding President of the New Jersey Choral Consortium from 2008-2013. Steven has served as the chair of the Repertoire and Standards Committee for Community Choruses for the Eastern Division of the American Choral Directors Association from 2010-2011, and served the same for the New Jersey chapter from 2008-2010.

Steven was the full time Director of Music for the Parish of St. Thomas More, Manalapan, from 2007-2017, St. Mary's Church, Colts Neck, from 1998-2007, and St. Joseph's Church, Keyport, from 1989-1998. He has also been Director of Music at Methodist churches in Edison, Atlantic Highlands, and Navesink.

Steven has served on the Executive Board of the Monmouth Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and was the newsletter editor from 2000-2010. Steven is also a substitute organist throughout New Jersey and the surrounding area. Steven taught vocal, instrumental, and general music from 1983-1988 at St. John Vianney High School, St. Joseph's School, Keyport, and for the Hazlet Township Public Schools.

Steven has a Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree magna cum laude from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, where he studied with Joseph Flummerfelt and Frauke Haasemann, and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, where he studied with Richard Westenburg.

Steven is a Licensed Massage Therapist, having graduated from the American Institute of Alternative Medicine in East Brunswick, and is a Certified Yoga Teacher, having studied with Sri Dharma Mittra in NYC.

He was half of the piano duo, Polymania, from 1994-2009. He enjoys singing, and playing the piano and organ, of course, but he can also play the recorder, the tuba, and the bass guitar, and can tap dance. You can hear him perform on his YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrqwRzvWvSsUUI3z7J5wbMjisygV9kJiQ

About the Garden State Philharmonic Chorus:
The Garden State Philharmonic Chorus, a community program of the Garden State Philharmonic Symphony Society, is a passionate 45-voice auditioned chorus of area residents. The GSP Chorus has been performing classical choral music at the Jersey Shore since its founding in 1984. For more information on Chorus membership or Chorus performances, please call 732-255-0460 or e-mail info@gardenstatephilharmonic.org. If you would like to join the Garden State Philharmonic Chorus, please call or email the office to schedule an audition. Rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings, September through June.