Artistic Director: Dr. Zachary Malavolti
Dr. Zachary Malavolti is a conductor, composer, and musical clinician originally from Tulsa. Dr. Malavolti has conducted and prepared musicians throughout Oklahoma in performances with the Tulsa Symphony, OKC Philharmonic, OK Mozart Festival, The University of Oklahoma, and The University of Tulsa. He also serves as the Artistic Director of the Bartlesville Chorale.
Dr. Malavolti is also the Associate Director of Music and Composer-In-Residence at Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Tulsa where he directs the parish choir, youth choristers, and their professional chamber choir. The church proudly offers a professional Choral Evensong every Sunday. Next year, this ensemble will offer the complete cycle of the evening musical services of Herbert Howells.
Before returning to Oklahoma, Dr. Malavolti was the Assistant Conductor of The Collegiate Chorale in New York City where he assisted in preparing the symphonic chorus for performances around the world with esteemed conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, Charles Dutoit, and Alan Gilbert. At this time, he was also the Conductor-In-Residence of the MUSET Homeschool Orchestra in Kingston, New York.
Dr. Malavolti is a graduate of The University of Tulsa (BM) where he was a prize-winning composition student under Joseph Rivers and Roger Price. At the Bard Conservatory of Music (MM), he studied both choral and orchestral conducting with James Bagwell and Harold Farberman. He completed his doctorate at The University of Oklahoma (DMA) under the supervision of Richard Zielinski and David Howard. His research is on colonial American choral music and its later use by the twentieth-century American composer Henry Cowell.
Assistant Artistic Director: Taylor Jack Conley
Taylor Jack Conley is the Choir Director at Skiatook High School, where he conducts choirs and teaches other vocal and general music courses. Taylor received his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Tulsa, and his Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Georgia State University, where he was named the Robert Shaw Choral Scholar. He studied conducting under Dr. Deanna Joseph, and voice under Dr. Kim Childs and Rick Clement. Taylor has a great passion for choral singing and sacred music, and has experience with university, church, community, and men’s choirs. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the National Association for Music Educators, and the American Choral Directors Association, and is the Past-President of Northeastern Oklahoma Choral Directors Association. Taylor has sung professionally with choirs and worked as a choral clinician in Oklahoma, Georgia, and North Carolina. Currently, Taylor sings with the Southminster Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir in Tulsa, OK as a chorister and soloist. Outside of music, Taylor enjoys the outdoors, cooking, and DIY projects. Taylor resides in midtown Tulsa, OK, with his cats, Hiccup and Nora, and partner, Hope.