Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix Board of Directors
95th Season 2023 -2024
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, President
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.
Nick Reid, Vice president/President Elect
Nick has been involved continuously with a variety of organized singing groups since the age of 12. Currently a Financial Systems Manager for one of the largest private auto repair companies in the US. He returns to Orpheus after his active participation in the Bass section for 4 years.
Michael Franzone, Secretary
Michael joined Orpheus in 2015 and is a member of the First Tenor section. He has both a professional and personal background in training, and singing at the highest levels. Passionate about Orpheus and this fraternity of singers.
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.
David Bickerstaff, Member at large
David has been a member of the 1st Tenor section since 2011. A
Paula Strano Isobe, Non-Singing Member
Paula was a soprano with The Phoenix Symphony Chorus for 14 seasons and served on the advisory council for 7 years (2 years soprano section leader, 2 years secretary, vice president, president and past president). She is on the board of the Matson Employees Federal Credit Union and the southwest committee member of Matson Giving, its charitable giving program.
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.
Drew Peterson, Member at large
Drew served as President 2019 – 2020 and is currently Chairman of the Outreach Committee. He is a retired medical profesional and has been with Orphues for over 20 years.
David Schwarz, Non-Singing Member
David joined Orpheus in January 2019. He served as Treasurer from 2020 to 2022. A retired financial advisor, David brings analytical and financial knowledge to the Orpheus Board. He as served on the boards of numerous choruses and other nonprofit organizations.
Bob Wenham, Member at large
Bob brings his strong background and experience in financial and budget improvement with nearly 50 years of varied healthcare experience. He has been a member of the Baritone section since 2018.
Mary Jo West, Non-Singing Member
Growing up singing in choirs since the age of nine, great choral singing coupled with camaraderie and community service is the essence of Orpheus. Current board member of the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame, current member of my church’s international humanitarian efforts board, Advisory volunteer for N.A.M.I., National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
Brook Carter Larson
Artistic Director
A proud native of North Dakota, Brook Carter Larson is in his fifteenth 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.
Orpheus has been selected to sing for the American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA) Western Division Conference twice (2016 and 2020) under Brook’s direction. In 2016, Brook was presented the Arizona American Choral Director’s Association 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
95th Season 2023-2024
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, President
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.
Nick Reid, Vice-president/President Elect
Nick has been involved continuously with a variety of organized singing groups since the age of 12. Currently a Financial Systems Manager for one of the largest private auto repair companies in the US. He returns to Orpheus after his active participation in the Bass section for 4 years.
Michael Franzone, Secretary
Michael joined Orpheus in 2015 and is a member of the First Tenor section. He has both a professional and personal background in training, and singing at the highest levels. Passionate about Orpheus and this fraternity of singers.
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.
David Bickerstaff, Member at large
David has been a member of the 1st Tenor section since 2011. A
Paula Strano Isobe, Non-Singing Member
Paula was a soprano with The Phoenix Symphony Chorus for 14 seasons and served on the advisory council for 7 years (2 years soprano section leader, 2 years secretary, vice president, president and past president). She is on the board of the Matson Employees Federal Credit Union and the southwest committee member of Matson Giving, its charitable giving program.
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.
Drew Peterson, Member at large
Drew served as President 2019 – 2020 and is currently Chairman of the Outreach Committee. He is a retired medical profesional and has been with Orphues for over 20 years.
David Schwarz, Non-Singing Member
David joined Orpheus in January 2019. He served as Treasurer from 2020 to 2022. A retired financial advisor, David brings analytical and financial knowledge to the Orpheus Board. He as served on the boards of numerous choruses and other nonprofit organizations.
Bob Wenham, Member at large
Bob brings his strong background and experience in financial and budget improvement with nearly 50 years of varied healthcare experience. He has been a member of the Baritone section since 2018.
Mary Jo West, Non-Singing Member
Growing up singing in choirs since the age of nine, great choral singing coupled with camaraderie and community service is the essence of Orpheus. Current board member of the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame, current member of my church’s international humanitarian efforts board, Advisory volunteer for N.A.M.I., National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
Staff
Brook Carter Larson
Artistic Director
A proud native of North Dakota, Brook Carter Larson is in his fifteenth 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.
Orpheus has been selected to sing for the American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA) Western Division Conference twice (2016 and 2020) under Brook’s direction. In 2016, Brook was presented the Arizona American Choral Director’s Association 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