New Millennium Strings

Michael Carlson

Interim Music Director, Contra Costa Chorale

Michael Carlson, the Contra Costa Chorale's interim music director, has made a career of invigorating and strengthening the performance capacity of community based choruses. In addition to his work with the Contra Costa Chorale, Mr. Carlson also serves as Artistic Director of the Oakland East Bay Gay Men's Chorus, a performance ensemble well known for presenting high quality performances of an ever-expanding variety of choral styles and music types.

Michael began formal music studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, studying voice with Dr. Paul Kreider, former principal baritone of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and advanced conducting with David Weiller. He formed one of the first student chapters of the American Choral Director's Association, chaired the ACDA Western Division Student Symposium, and was the first student in the national organization to be appointed to state-level Chairmanship. While at UNLV, Michael was student conductor of the Varsity Men's Glee Club and University Singers. Mr. Carlson also served as Assistant Conductor of the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society, a large community chorus and orchestra focused on the performance of major choral works. Mr. Carlson also attended the University of Nevada, Reno. At UNR he founded the UNR Vocal Jazz Ensemble, performed in various operatic roles, and conducted the University Chorus, University Men's Glee Club, and the student chorus of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfornia, a men's musical fraternity. He again became involved in church music, becoming a Director of Music and Liturgy for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno, Nevada.

After completing his studies in music, Mr. Carlson divided his time between performing musical theater roles, including the role of Raul in the Los Angeles production of Phantom of the Opera, and serving as a choral adjudicator and clinician in southern California and Nevada. Michael came to San Francisco in 1997 and was shortly thereafter appointed Artistic Director of the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco. He worked diligently to expand the capacity and understanding of repertoire for the Chorus, including the performance of a variety of new works, multicultural works, and choral/orchestral works.