Eric Choate, San Francisco Conservatory of Music professor of choral and organ music, is the guest artist Sunday, Jan. 21, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church's "Mostly Third Sunday" concert, which begins at 5 p.m. Admission is free, while donations to the church's building fund are gratefully accepted.
Choate is in demand internationally as a choral and orchestral conductor. Recent engagements include the Göteborgs Symfoniska Kör & Vokalensemble in Gothenburg, Sweden, San Francisco Symphony Chorus, and Berkeley Symphony Chorus. From 2019-2022, Choate was the 10th Artistic Director of the GRAMMY Award-winning San Francisco Boys Chorus, who under his direction performed with the San Francisco Opera, the San Francisco Symphony, and Apollo5, as well as a tour of Austria and Czechia. Highlights of his engagement as Assistant Conductor of the Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra include conducting performances of Verdi's Requiem in Ypres, Belgium.
Last summer he was awarded a grant to study improvisation in the French style, with Sophie-Véronique Colette Claude Cauchefer-Choplin in Paris. He possesses an Associate Certificate from the American Guild of Organists and currently serves as Director of Music at the Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin. In July he returns to Paris to play a concert at the Church of St.-Sulpice.
Photo of Mr. Choate courtesy of Bill Hocker.