Artistic Director
Music Director Matthew Phelps is currently organist and choir director at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Church. He also is the accompanist of the Vocal Arts Ensemble and an assistant conductor with the Cincinnati Boychoir. He received degrees from Wright State University and the College-Conservatory of Music in piano and choral conducting respectively. The American Choral Director's Association recognized his efforts as a conductor when he was invited as a Semi-Finalist for their Young Conductor Competition in 2001. He has studied with Earl Rivers, Hank Dahlman, and Stephen Coker and has participated in master classes with Harry Christophers and the legendary Dale Warland.
Mr. Phelps served as Chorus Master of the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra from 2002-2003 where he prepared performances of Orff's Carmina Burana, Verdi's Othello, and Schoenberg's Survivor from Warsaw. Mr. Phelps also led the chorus in a concert of sacred music throughout the ages, including a world premiere by Cincinnati composer Peter Morabito.
As an organist Mr. Phelps played for the College-Conservatory of Music's performance of Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 in 2001 and Bach's St. John Passion in 2004. Wright State University's engaged him as a guest artist for their performance of John Rutter's Gloria in 2003. Mr. Phelps has won piano competitions throughout the state of Ohio and has performed as a soloist at numerous venues throughout the city. Mr. Phelps has also received the Sandra Goldfarb award for outstanding musicianship and outstanding graduate in the department of music at Wright State University in 2001.
While at the College-Conservatory of Music, Mr. Phelps served as principal accompanist for the choral department, principal accompanist to the Musical Theater Department, and also music director of the Studio Theater in the fall of 2002 where he conducted the regional premiere of Promenade. Mr. Phelps made his country music debut conducting the WGUC Radio Singers for country singer Jo Dee Messina's Holiday Concert at the Taft Theatre in 2002. Mr. Phelps currently resides in Cincinnati, OH.
Accompanist
Brian Bisig is the Director of Liturgical Music at St. Michael Church in Sharonville, Ohio, and a private teacher of piano. He earned his BA degree in music at the University of Dayton where he studied piano with Dr. Eric Street and organ with Dr. Richard Benedum. Currently he studies voice with Paul McCready at the Cincinnati Music Academy. Brian is involved with several community theater companies as a music director and an actor.