Our Director
Dean Ekberg earned the BA degree in Applied Music from SUNY Fredonia and the MM degree in conducting from the Eastman School of Music. His studies at Eastman continue. He has served on the production staff of the Chautauqua Opera Association, Opera Theatre of Rochester, Eastman Opera Theatre and a number of community theater organizations. His theatrical work has included stage management, musical preparation, stage direction and conducting. During his tenure as Choral Director at Gates Chili High School he also directed their dramatic productions and was music director for their annual musical theater productions from 1982 until his retirement in 2002.
In addition to his work at Gates Chili and in musical theater, he has been director of the Nazareth College Children's and Youth choirs, and has served in leadership roles for the Monroe County School Music Association, and the American Choral Directors Association. He is currently coordinator for voice adjuidcators for NYSSMA. He is Director of Music at Gates Presbyterian Church, Music Director of the Rochester Cathedral Choir School and Adjunct Instructor for Mansfield (PA University, supervising student teachers in music education.
His strong interest in international cooperation and cultural understanding is evident in his active participation in the Rochester Würzburg Sister Cities Committee. He is on the Board of the Association for Teen Age Diplomats, a group that organizes student exchanges primarily between Rochester and its several Sister Cities. He was the recipient of the 2001 Rochester Philharmonic Musicians' Award for Outstanding Music Educators in Choral music. He is a member of Phi Delta Kappa, and has twice been listed in Who's Who in American Education. In March of 2002, he was honored by the music students of Gates Chili High School by induction into Tri-M Music Honor Society as an honorary life member.