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Stephen Black, the music director of the Brearley Singers, holds graduate degrees in choral conducting and organ performance from the Yale University School of Music. Stephen joined us last year after the retirement of our founder, Paula Biran, and has shown the same qualities we found so wonderful in Paula: a great sense of humor, superb musicianship, great teaching ability, and above all patience. He has received the Richard French Prize, which recognizes exceptional talent in the field of choral conducting. He was also awarded the Charles Ives Prize in 1997, given by the dean of the school of music to the most outstanding organ performer in 1996-1997. He received his undergraduate music education at the University of Louisville, Kentucky.

Mr. Black has been active as a conductor of a wide variety of choral ensembles. From 1997-1999 he was the conductor of the University Chapel Choir of Yale University at Battell Chapel. From 1999 to 2003 he was the Artistic Director of the Greater New Haven Community Chorus in Connecticut. He served as the assistant conductor of the New Amsterdam Singers in New York City from 2002 to 2005. He has conducted for organizations such as the National Association of Composers USA and the Association of Connecticut Choruses Summersing. He currently conducts the Central City Chorus, and led the chorus and the Astoria Symphony in a performance of the Brahms Requiem May 20 and 21st, 2006.

Mr. Black has received several honors and awards in both choral conducting and organ performance. He was awarded a conducting fellowship to the Dennis Keene Choral Festival in the summer of 2002. In 1999 he was selected as one of six finalists in the American Guild of Organists Young Artist Competition at the guild’s national convention in Denver. In 1997 he was the first-prize winner of the John R. Rodland organ competition in New Jersey, the largest organ scholarship competition in the United States.

Mr. Black is also active as an organ performer and professional singer. He has performed organ recitals at Washington National Cathedral; St. Patrick’s Cathedral and St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue in New York City; All Saints Cathedral in Albany, NY; Longwood Gardens in Westchester County, PA; and St. Mary’s Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland. He recently performed as a member of the American Composers Orchestra Singers in the world premiere of Kristin Kuster’s Myrrha at Carnegie Hall.

Mr. Black is presently the director of music at St. Joseph’s Church on the upper east side of Manhattan. In addition to his duties as organist he directs the parish’s adult and children’s choral ensembles, including the St. Joseph’s Singers, a semi-professional chamber choir which he founded in the spring of 2004.