Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix Board of Directors
94th Season 2022 -2023
The Board of Directors of the Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix consists of directors elected from within the Chorus as well as members of the community. With skills in finance, development, marketing, and strategic planning, the Board is committed to working with the members of the organization and the community to ensure the high standards of the Chorus and outstanding community reputation are maintained.
Zak Tenpenny, President
A member for over 24 years, Zak served as our Treasurer 2009 – 2012. He brings his ability to help Orpheus stay current and relevant in the every changing world of the internet.
Donald Newsom, Vice president/President Elect
Don is a retired research engineer at Argonne National Laboratory who is now actively engaged in a variety of musical organizations in his summer/fall residence in Illinois as well as Orpheus in the winter/spring.
Alex Areno, Secretary
A member of the Bass section since September 2007, Alex is a former schoolteacher and IT professional. He edits and publishes our weekly newsletter and writes program notes for our concert playbills.
James Schulder, Treasurer
Jim joined Orpheus in January 2019 and is a member of the Bass section. As a retired accountant, he brings his accounting, business, and fundraising skills to Orpheus. He has served on the boards of several other choruses and professional associations.
Frank McPeek, Past President
Having just completed 2 years as President, Frank joined the Baritone section in January 2017. A retired electrical engineer, he is involved in many volunteer activities including two other choirs and Orpheus.
David Bickerstaff, Member at large
David has been a member of the 1st Tenor section since 2010 and is currently an accountant.
Kolby Kelly, Member at large
Kolby has been a member of the 2nd Tenor section since 2018 and is currently pursuing a BA in Public Relations and Marketing at the University of Arizona Global Campus.
Sean McComb, Member at large
A music section leader for the Bass section, Sean has been singing in choirs since 2006 and is currently in his 4th year as a general music teacher in the Isaac School District.
Doug McKenna, Member at large
Doug joined the Orpheus Bass section in January, 2018. After 24 years as an Infantry officer, and after retiring from the Army, he served as Associate Dean for 6 years and Dean for 20 years for the Marine Corps Command and Staff College
Karen McNally, Non-Singing Member
Karen is a dedicated Board member with many years of non-profit organizational experience. She joined the Board in the fall of 2018 and has been an avid fan and supporter of Orpheus for many years.
Brook Carter Larson
Artistic Director
A proud native of North Dakota, Brook Carter Larson is in his fourteenth season as the Artistic Director of the Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix. Since taking the podium with Orpheus, the group has more than tripled in size. Before joining Orpheus, Larson taught Choral Music Education classes at Arizona State University for six years. During his time at ASU, Dr. Larson founded and directed two choirs, the Sun Devil Singers and the ASU Men’s Chorus. In addition to directing choir, Larson taught Choral Methods, supervised student teachers, and coordinated field experience for music education majors. Before his time at ASU, Larson taught at the middle and high school levels.
Larson received a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from Arizona State University. He also holds degrees from Bowling Green State University (Ohio) and Moorhead State University (Minnesota). Larson’s mentor teachers at these institutions include R. D. Mathey, Paul Sahuc, David Stocker, and George Umberson. Upon completion of his doctoral studies, Dr. Larson also had the great honor of studying privately with the late Doug McEwen, emeritus professor of Arizona State University.
In 2020 and 2016 Brook was asked to bring Orpheus to the American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA) Western Division Conferences to perform. In July, 2016, Brook was presented the ACDA Choral Director of the Year Award. Larson has conducted the Cantaremos Boys Honor Choir, Arizona Music Educators Association Junior High School All-State Choir, the Greater Phoenix Honor Choir, Tucson’s inaugural Boys to Men Festival, Regional Honor Choirs throughout Arizona, and was a Co-conductor with Charles Bruffy (Artistic Director of the Grammy Award-winning Phoenix Chorale) of the Phoenix-area Boys to Men Festival which featured Chanticleer. Dr. Larson was the Repertoire & Standards Chair for Male Choirs for the Arizona chapter of the American Choral Directors Association for eight years. Larson’s edition of A New Commandment by Thomas Tallis was published by Alliance Music in 2010. Larson directed the Chancel Choir at St. Peter Lutheran Church (Mesa) for 15 years and has also taught choir and theory at Scottsdale Community College. He loves to travel with his family and watch his daughter play soccer.
Jon Lang
Accompanist
Jon Lang is a Phoenix native and has been active as a teacher and performer around the valley since 2007. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music Theory from Arizona State University where he was an accompanist for several student singers and instrumentalists and became involved in numerous ensembles, including the ASU Men’s Chorus, Marimba Maderas de Comitán, and the “Children of the Mud Volcano” Gamelan, with which he still occasionally performs throughout the community. He also co-founded and served as music director for ASU’s first all-male a cappella ensemble, Priority Male. Currently, he teaches Music and Latin at Archway Classical Academy North Phoenix and maintains a private studio of piano and theory students from home. He is delighted and honored to have been able to work with Orpheus since their 91st season!
Jeremy Harris
Operations Director
Jeremy Harris – Racine, WI
Board of Directors
Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix Board of Directors
94th Season 2022-2023
The Board of Directors of the Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix consists of directors elected from within the Chorus as well as members of the community. With skills in finance, development, marketing, and strategic planning, the Board is committed to working with the members of the organization and the community to ensure the high standards of the Chorus and outstanding community reputation are maintained.
Donald Newsom, Vice-President/President Elect
Don is a retired research engineer at Argonne National Laboratory who is now actively engaged in a variety of musical organizations in his summer/fall residence in Illinois as well as Orpheus in the winter/spring.
Alex Areno, Secretary
A member of the Bass section since September 2007, Alex is a former schoolteacher and IT professional. He edits and publishes our weekly newsletter and writes program notes for our concert playbills.
Jim Schulder, Treasurer
Jim joined Orpheus in January 2019 and is a member of the Bass section. As a retired accounting professional, he brings his accounting, business, and fundraising skills to Orpheus. He has served on the boards of several other choruses and professional associations.
Frank McPeek, Past President
Having served as President for the past 2 years, Frank joined the Baritone section in January 2017. A retired electrical engineer, he is involved in many volunteer activities including two other choirs and Orpheus.
David Bickerstaff, Member at large
David has been a member of the 1st Tenor section since 2010 and is currently an accountant.
Kolby Kelly, Member at large
Kolby has been a member of the 2nd Tenor section since 2018 and is currently pursuing a BA in Public Relations and Marketing at the University of Arizona Global Campus.
Sean McComb, Member at large
A music section leader for the Bass section, Sean has been singing in choirs since 2006 and is currently in his 4th year as a general music teacher in the Isaac School District.
Doug McKenna, Member at large
Doug joined the Orpheus Bass section in January, 2018. After 24 years as an Infantry officer, and after retiring from the Army, he served as Associate Dean for 6 years and Dean for 20 years for the Marine Corps Command and Staff College
Karen McNally, Non-Singing Member
Karen is a dedicated Board member with many years of non-profit organizational experience. She joined the Board in the fall of 2018 and has been an avid fan and supporter of Orpheus for many years.
Staff
Brook Carter Larson
Artistic Director
A proud native of North Dakota, Brook Carter Larson is in his thirteenth season as the Artistic Director of the Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix. Since taking the podium with Orpheus, the group has more than tripled in size. Before joining Orpheus, Larson taught Choral Music Education classes at Arizona State University for six years. During his time at ASU, Dr. Larson founded and directed two choirs, the Sun Devil Singers and the ASU Men’s Chorus. In addition to directing choir, Larson taught Choral Methods, supervised student teachers, and coordinated field experience for music education majors. Before his time at ASU, Larson taught at the middle and high school levels.
Larson received a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from Arizona State University. He also holds degrees from Bowling Green State University (Ohio) and Moorhead State University (Minnesota). Larson’s mentor teachers at these institutions include R. D. Mathey, Paul Sahuc, David Stocker, and George Umberson. Upon completion of his doctoral studies, Dr. Larson also had the great honor of studying privately with the late Doug McEwen, emeritus professor of Arizona State University.
In 2020 and 2016 Brook was asked to bring Orpheus to the American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA) Western Division Conferences to perform. In July, 2016, Brook was presented the ACDA Choral Director of the Year Award. Larson has conducted the Cantaremos Boys Honor Choir, Arizona Music Educators Association Junior High School All-State Choir, the Greater Phoenix Honor Choir, Tucson’s inaugural Boys to Men Festival, Regional Honor Choirs throughout Arizona, and was a Co-conductor with Charles Bruffy (Artistic Director of the Grammy Award-winning Phoenix Chorale) of the Phoenix-area Boys to Men Festival which featured Chanticleer. Dr. Larson was the Repertoire & Standards Chair for Male Choirs for the Arizona chapter of the American Choral Directors Association for eight years. Larson’s edition of A New Commandment by Thomas Tallis was published by Alliance Music in 2010. Larson directed the Chancel Choir at St. Peter Lutheran Church (Mesa) for 15 years and has also taught choir and theory at Scottsdale Community College. He loves to travel with his family and watch his daughter play soccer.
Jon Lang
Accompanist
Jon Lang is a Phoenix native and has been active as a teacher and performer around the valley since 2007. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music Theory from Arizona State University where he was an accompanist for several student singers and instrumentalists and became involved in numerous ensembles, including the ASU Men’s Chorus, Marimba Maderas de Comitán, and the “Children of the Mud Volcano” Gamelan, with which he still occasionally performs throughout the community. He also co-founded and served as music director for ASU’s first all-male a cappella ensemble, Priority Male. Currently, he teaches Music and Latin at Archway Classical Academy North Phoenix and maintains a private studio of piano and theory students from home. He is delighted and honored to have been able to work with Orpheus since their 91st season!
Jeremy Harris
Operations Director
Jeremy Harris – Racine, WI