An accomplished conductor, Brian Clissold has had great success working with choirs, and more specifically, specializing in community-based choirs throughout the Midwest. He was recently appointed as the new Artistic Director of the Hopewell Valley Chorus (Hopewell, New Jersey). Brian recently served as the Artistic Director of The Celebration Singers (Cranford, New Jersey). As a baritone, he is a founding member of the professional New York based ensemble, Manhattan Chorale. He performs regularly in renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall and has sung numerous roles in oratorios, masses, and operas. He boasts frequent appearances with the Battle Creek (MI) Symphony Orchestra and Butler University (IN) Symphony and is sought after as a clinician and adjudicator in Michigan, Indiana, New Jersey, and New York. Brian was recently named Conductor-in-Residence with Manhattan Concert Productions.

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Prior to moving to the Northeast, Brian led the Vivace Youth Singers of Fort Wayne (IN), the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir, and the Fort Wayne Youth Symphony. From 2008 to 2010, Brian worked with the Indianapolis Children’s Choir, establishing and conducting the Lebanon (IN) Regional Satellite Choir and working closely with Henry Leck and Ruth Dwyer. While in Indianapolis, Brian was active in the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and worked closely with Dr. Eric Stark. For 11 years, he served the Music Center of South Central Michigan as conductor of both the Battle Creek Girls’ Chorus and Community Chorus where he prepared numerous choral-orchestral works for performance. Brian holds a BM in Music Education from Western Michigan University and a MM in Conducting from Butler University.