Composer-conductor Stephen Sturk is currently Director of Music at Saint Thomas of Canterbury Episcopal Church in Temecula, California, and “composer-in-residence” at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in San Diego. His co-founder and director of Cappella Gloriana [www.cappella-gloriana.org], San Diego’s professional chamber choir, and was recently named Artistic Director of the San Clemente (Calif.) Choral Society. He is also a Founding Director of the Pacific Academy of Ecclesiastical Music (PACEM), and a former music professor at the University of San Diego.

A recognized composer of church music with works available from four different publishers, Sturk has received commissions from churches, organizations and individuals nationwide. In October 2008, Sturk’s alma mater, North Central College, honored his achievement as a composer by awarding him the college’s prestigious Fine Arts Medal.

Before moving to California in 1991, Sturk had a successful musical career in New York City, holding positions with The New York Motet Choir, the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, and The Juilliard School of Music. Sturk appears as conductor or singer on more than 60 recordings, most notably on the soundtrack of the Disney animated feature "Beauty and the Beast."

Dr. Sturk holds degrees from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois (B.A. in Classics), San Diego State University (M.A. in Music History and Literature) and North Dakota State University (D.M.A. in choral conducting).

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Our Accompanist - Nancy Rohr

 

 

Nancy Rohr received a Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance from CSU Fullerton, where she was given an award for “Outstanding Graduate Keyboard Student” by the faculty. She has maintained her own piano studio for over thirty-five years and served as President of the Orange Coast Cities Branch of the Music Teachers Association of California from 1992-1994. Nancy has played at four Orange County Methodist churches over the past twenty-four years, and has been with St. Andrew’s By-The-Sea UMC since 1998. Her occasional duet partner and husband of twenty-five years, Grant, is also a professional musician and accompanist.

A twenty-three year resident of San Clemente, Nancy can be seen around town walking her standard poodle or taxiing her teenagers, Hallie and Perry, (also budding musicians) to surf contests. Nancy is delighted to have accompanied the SCCS since last summer.

 

 

 

 

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If You Love To Sing ... Sing With Us.

 

The San Clemente Choral Society (SCCS) was created in 2004 to serve as an educational setting for the South Orange County community to study and enjoy choral music. Our group is made up of honored musicians and those who simply have a passion for music and love to sing. We believe that choral music lifts the human spirit and is a universal language that both spans borders and unites cultures.

 

 

We hope that you will join the San Clemente Choral Society   either in the Audience or on the Risers.