Bach at the Sem at Concordia Seminary begins its 22nd season with a new music director. Dr. Maurice Boyer, who guest conducted the February 2014 Bach at the Sem concert, has been appointed to serve as music director for the American Kantorei and Bach at the Sem.

Dr. Boyer is associate professor of music at Concordia University Chicago (CUC), River Forest, Illinois, where he conducts the chamber orchestra and Laudate, a women’s choir, and teaches all levels of ear training. Although born in the United States, he began his musical training (piano, voice, and solfège) in Aix-en-Provence, France, where he lived until the age of 18. Dr. Boyer’s Bachelor of Music degree in sacred music, with piano as his principal instrument, and his Master of Music in choral conducting, were earned at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey. He also studied theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey, and holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in orchestral conducting from the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland. His principal conducting teachers have been Joseph Flummerfelt, Kenneth Kiesler, and James Ross.

Dr. Boyer is also artistic director of Aestas Consort of Chicago, the Heritage Chorale of Oak Park, and assistant conductor of the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest. He has served as guest conductor of the Chicago Choral Artists and guest chorus master for Chicago’s Music of the Baroque. Additionally, he has been chorus master of the New Jersey State Opera and director of music at several churches.

Dr. Boyer follows long-time Bach at the Sem music director, Rev. Robert Bergt (1993-2011), and a series of guest conductors in the last two seasons. Dr. Boyer will remain in his position at CUC with released time to devote to his responsibilities in directing the American Kantorei and the Bach at the Sem series. Interim music director, Dr. Jeral Becker, will continue in service as assistant conductor of the Kantorei.