David Otis Castonguay is Director of Choral Activities at Radford University. In addition to supervising the university's five choral ensembles and graduate program in choral conducting, Castonguay teaches choral conducting and applied voice. University choirs under his direction present a wide variety of programs each year including works with orchestra, the annual Madrigal Dinner as well as a holiday concert in St. Andrew's Church, Roanoke which is broadcast on affiliates of National Public Radio.
University choirs under his direction tour the region annually and recently Radford Singers, the university concert choir, has established a relationship with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra resulting in a series of nine-day residencies in New Orleans. These extended tours have culminated in performances of the Beethoven Missa Solemnis, Brahms Requiem, the Dvorak Te Deum and Orff's Carmina Burana.
He also remains active as a soloist in recital and oratorio. A student of James Bailey, Richard Parke, Blake Stern and William Warfield, he has appeared in master classes conducted by Elly Ameling, Arleen Auger and Sherrill Milnes. In 1987 he was the baritone soloist for the world premier of Ned Rorem's cantata Homer. His annual recitals at Radford University focus on art song literature of 4 centuries and recently included appearances with Dorian recording artists Duo Firenze performing parlor music with 19th century guitar and fortepiano.
Castonguay is active as a clinician and guest conductor appearing in over a dozen workshops and choir festivals each year. Castonguay has conducted festival choirs in Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Vermont and Virginia and has presented workshops for state chapters of ACDA, MENC and the AGO. His principal conducting teachers were Harold Decker, Brock McElheran, John Poellein and Paul Vermel. In 1974 Castonguay was awarded a conducting scholarship for a residency with the Philadelphia Orchestra at their summer home in Saratoga Springs, NY. Prior to his appointment at Radford in 1986, Castonguay held faculty positions at Bemidji State University (Minnesota), the University of Connecticut and Spaulding High School in Barre, Vermont. From 1981-82 he was the director of the Madrigal Singers at the University of Illinois. From 1987-1989 he served on the faculty of the Virginia Governor's School for the Arts. Castonguay has also been selected to appear as a member of the Robert Shaw Festival Singers.
Castonguay's articles on choral music and techniques as
well as reviews of contemporary compositions and CD recordings are regularly
published in state, regional and national journals. He is editor-in-chief
of the Virginia Choral Literature List published by MENC. He serves on
the Advisory Board for ChoralNet and has been a leader in establishing ways
for choral directors to use the Internet to open lines of communication
internationally. Castonguay is currently preparing for publication by
J & W Chester, London the critical edition of Igor Stravinsky's landmark
ballet for choir, 4 pianos and percussion, Les Noces.
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