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

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

12-14 June 2009, 17th annual Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival: Bach and Handel; conductor and artistic director, Harrisonburg, Va.

15-17 May 2009, Voce concerts: Handel, Haydn and Harris; conductor, Reston and Herndon, Va.; included premiere performances of commissioned work by Matthew Harris, Shakespeare Songs: Book VI

25-26 April 2009, Winchester Musica Viva concerts: Flower Songs; conductor, Winchester, Va.

19 April 2009, EMU Chamber Singers Spring Concert: Priceless Treasures; conductor, Park View Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Va.

26-28 March and 2-5 April 2009: EMU Theatre Department production of Iolanthe: conductor, EMU Theatre, Harrisonburg, Va.

13-15 March 2009, Voce concerts: Thanks for the Melodies – Celebrating Voce’s 20th Anniversary; conductor, Reston and Herndon, Va.

19-21 December 2008: Winchester Musica Viva concerts: The Psalms of Advent and Christmas; conductor, Upperville and Winchester, Va.

12-13 December 2008: Voce concerts: Classic Carols of Christmas; conductor, Reston and Herndon, Va.

7 December 2008: EMU Chamber Singers: Choral EvenSong; conductor, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Harrisonburg, Va.

22 November 2008: EMU Music Department Gala Concert: choirs and orchestra, conductor: Vitier’s Misa Cubana, Handel’s Utrecht Jubilate Deo and premiere performance of Nathan Bontrager’s Death Cannot Separate, in memory of Matthew Garber; EMU Lehman Auditorium

18-19 October 2008: Winchester Musica Viva concerts: Shakespeare Songs; Winchester, Va.

23-26 June 2009: Washington Island Forum, Washington Island, Wisconsin: replacement on short notice for John Bell who canceled because of illness, featured presenter: The Unsung Jesus

5-8 May 2008: 66th annual Pepperdine University Bible Lectures: The Lord of Creation; presenter of three workshop sessions entitled Singing with the Mennonites; Pepperdine University, Malibu, Calif.

8 April 2009: EMU Chamber Singers, chapel at Eastern Mennonite School, Harrisonburg, Va.

30 January-1 February 2009: Semi-annual Music and Worship Leaders’ Retreat Weekend for Pacific Northwest Mennonite Churches at Portland (Ore.) Mennonite Church, featured presenter along with Marlene Kropf and Randy Spaulding

9-11 January 2009: 22nd Annual Music and Worship Leaders’ Retreat Weekend, Laurelville (Penna.) Mennonite Church Center, with co-leaders Marlene Kropf and Marilyn Houser Hamm

5 October 2008: planned and led service of hymn singing for the Harrisonburg (Va.) Unitarian-Universalist congregation

12 October 2008: planned and led (with EMU Chamber Singers) Homecoming Worship Service, Lehman Auditorium, EMU, Harrisonburg, Va.

21 September 2008: planned and led service of hymn singing for the Blacksburg (Va.) Unitarian-Universalist congregation

12-14 September 2008: Laurelville II, a first weekend for newer music and worship leaders at Laurelville (Penna.) Mennonite Church Center, with co-leaders Marlene Kropf and Marilyn Houser Hamm

13-14 August 2008: planned and led worship services for Fall Faculty-Staff Conferences, EMU

1-6 August 2008: Peace and Privilege: Linking Faith and Values: The Mountain, Highlands, N.C., a Unitarian-Universalist retreat center, co-leader of the retreat with Rev. Marti Keller (Atlanta, Ga.) and Rev. Glenn Johnson (Charlotte, N.C.)

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 Ruling Ideas and a series of presentations in The Christian Tradition seminary course