Saengerfest Staff
Michael Driscoll, Music Director
Michael Driscoll began directing Boston Saengerfest Men’s Chorus in October of 2001. In addition to working with the men of Saengerfest, he is Director of Choirs at Brookline High School, a position he has held since September 2003. At Brookline High School he directs three choirs, advises three student-run a cappella ensembles, teaches music theory and class piano. Michael was Associate Conductor of The Masterworks Chorale under the direction of Steven Karidoyanes and was Assistant Conductor for four years under Allen Lannom. He has directed the choirs at Emerson College and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. In the Fall of 2007 Driscoll guest prepared Chorus pro Musica’s performance of Faure’s Requiem and Roger Ames’ Requiem for Our Time. He was invited to return as guest conductor by Chorus pro Musica in March 2009 in a program featuring Handel’s Dixit Dominus, Bach Cantata 161, and the New England premiere of Jonathan Dove’s Köthener Messe.
Driscoll serves as Treasurer for the Massachusetts division of the American Choral Director’s Association and has been involved with the Massachusetts Music Educator’s Association’s Eastern Division as chorus manager of the high school festival. He is a passionate advocate for teaching music literacy skills in the choral classroom and given presentations on the subject at a Massachusetts ACDA’s Summer Conference at Gordon College and at a workshop sponsored by Massachusetts ACDA and American Guild of Organists.
Driscoll received his Masters degree in Choral Conducting at the New England Conservatory where he studied with Simon Carrington, a former founding member and co-director of the King’s Singers. He began conducting as an undergraduate at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), directing Simple Harmonic Motion, a 14-member male a cappella group, for three years. He was Assistant Director of the WPI Men’s Glee Club for three years and directed the WPI Concert Choir for two years.
Driscoll graduated from WPI in 1997 with a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Minor in Music. He completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering at WPI in 1999 and worked as a software development engineer for two years prior to beginning graduate studies in Choral Conducting at New England Conservatory in the Fall of 2001.
James Roth, Accompanist and Associate Director
Jim Roth received his formal education at the Eastman School of Music and Boston University. Now retired, he was Director of Music at the Reading, MA public schools and conductor of the Reading Symphony Orchestra. He has served as Saengerfest accompanist since 1993.
Linus Travers, Compère
Compère for Saengerfest’s concerts, Linus Travers is a fund-raising consultant and emeritus professor of English literature who has performed in glee clubs and a cappella groups since his high school and college days. A compère or master of ceremonies is a regular part of many Welsh choral performances, helping to bridge the gap between stage and audience.