Ken Nafziger

Kenneth Nafziger was a post-doctoral conducting student with Helmuth Rilling in Stuttgart-Germany. In addition to his EMU course load, he is artistic director and conductor of the annual Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival (Harrisonburg, Va.), and of the chamber choirs Musica Viva (in Winchester, Va.) and Voce (in Reston, Va.) Between 1999 and 2003, he made numerous trips to Cuba, where he was a guest orchestral and choral conductor, taught courses and workshops, and led EMU Chamber Singers. He was music editor of ‘Hymnal: A Worship Book’ (1992), editor of its accompaniment handbook, and assistant to the editor of ‘Sing the Journey’ (2005) and ‘Sing the Story’ (2007). He is active in the United States and Canada as a guest conductor, workshop leader and clinician. He co-authored a book ‘Singing, a Mennonite Voice’, which was released in 2001.

Post-doctoral study in conducting with Helmuth Rilling, Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, 1975-76
D.M.A., University of Oregon, 1970
B.A., Goshen College, 1963

They brought Christmas with them © 2012, a CD recording of mostly original arrangements, Musica Viva; conductor

Shakespeare Songs, Complete Songs by Matthew Harris © 2012, a CD recording, Voce; conductor

Light © 2011, a CD recording of Christmas music, Laudate Mennonite Ensemble; conductor

Love Songs © 2011, a CD recording with Winchester Musica Viva; conductor

Sing the Story, © 2007, Faith & Life Resources, Scottdale, Pa.; assistant to the editor, and producer/director of two CDs to accompany this volume

Sing the Journey, © 2005, Faith & Life Resources, Scottdale, Pa.; assistant to the editor, and producer/director of two CDs to accompany this volume

Singing: A Mennonite Voice, © 2001, Herald Press, Scottdale, Pa., co-authored with Marlene Kropf

Hymnal: Accompaniment Handbook, © 1993, Mennonite Publishing House, Scottdale, Pa., et al; editor/writer/compiler

Hymnal: A Worship Book, © 1992, Mennonite Publishing House, Scottdale, Pa., et al; music editor

9-16 June 2013, 21st annual Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival; conductor and artistic director, Harrisonburg, Va., Bach, Verdi, Britten and some drama

25-26 May, Give Us a Song to Cheer: Music of the Civil War, Winchester Musica Viva, Winchester, Va.; conductor

17-19 May, Summertime…, Voce Chamber Choir, Reston and Herndon, Va., and Easton, Md.; conductor

8-11 May, Pepperdine (Ca.) University Ascending Voices III festival; music leader, clinician/workshop leader

22-23 March, i love you much, a concert of love songs, including the premiere performance of Matthew Harris’ i love you much, Voce Chamber Choir, Herndon and Reston, Va.; conductor

16-17 March, Choral Music of Benjamin Britten, Winchester Musica Viva, Winchester, Va.; conductor

10 March, joint performance with Beyond Ourselves, Lancaster, Pa., fundraiser for MCC program for AIDS orphans; including premiere performance of Simon Andrews’ Still, EMU Chamber Singers; conductor

19 January, Chamber Singers in the 5th Annual Opera Gala fundraiser for MCC program, Voices of Hope; Fulton Theatre, Lancaster, Pa.; conductor

14-16 December 2012, They brought Christmas with them, Winchester Musica Viva, Upperville and Winchester, Va.; conductor

1-2 December 2012, ¡Feliz Navidad, Spanish Christmas music of the western hemisphere, Voce Chamber Choir, with students from several area elementary and middle schools, Herndon and Reston, Va.; conductor

10-17, June, 20th annual Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival; conductor and artistic director, Harrisonburg, Va., world premiere of commissioned work for choir and orchestra, Glory, by Grammy-award winning cellist Eugene Friesen, on a text by Jean Janzen

12 May, music leading for worship, University Church, Pepperdine University, Malibu, Ca.

27 April, Baccalaureate Address, by the invitation from the EMU class of 2013, •Fifty Shades of Menno•

21 April, EMU Chamber Singers Spring Concert, *Alleluia! Let us move•, Park View Mennonite Church

20 April, led hymn singing at Mary Oyer’s 90th birthday weekend, Goshen College, Goshen, Ind.

27 March, EMU Holy Week Chapel, planned and led the service, with EMU Chamber Singers

17 March, planned and led a service of singing with the Harrisonburg Unitarian-Universalist congregation

7-10 March, EMU Chamber Singers Spring Break Tour to Maryland and Pennsylvania

11-13 January, co-led 26th annual weekend for music and worship leaders, Laurelville Mennonite Church Center, Laurelville, Pa.

10 December, EMU Christmas Chapel, •Love Takes the Risk of Birth*, planned and co-led with EMU Chamber Singers and Theatre Department

17 November, conducted the EMU Gala Concert: an all-Haydn program, with both choirs, orchestra and chamber music ensembles

28 October, planned and led a service of singing with the Harrisonburg Unitarian-Universalist congregation

14 October, Worship service planning and leading, with EMU Chamber Singers, EMU Homecoming Weekend

15-16 August 2012: planned and led worship services for Fall Faculty-Staff Conferences, EMU

American Symphony Orchestra League
American Bach Society
American Choral Directors Association
Chorus America
College Music Society
Reimenschneider Bach Institute
The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada

Committee memberships:
Honors Committee
Bach Festival Board
Hymnsings for undergraduate and seminary chapels
Guest lectures/presentations in The Christian Tradition seminary course