Music Director
In the Fall of 2018 Jason C. Tramm, DMA, became the tenth Musical Director, continuing the Chorale’s 57-year history of musical excellence under distinguished and dynamic conductors.
Maestro Tramm has been hailed as a “conductor to watch” by Symphony Magazine and “filled with Italianate passion” by the Huffington Post. His work in the operatic, symphonic and choral realms have received critical acclaim throughout the United States and abroad.
Apart from his work with the Taghkanic Chorale, Maestro Tramm serves as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor with MidAtlantic Artistic Productions with whom he made his Carnegie Hall (Stern Auditorium) debut in 2015. That program, entitled "A Prayer for Peace," featured works of Bernstein, Vaughan Williams, and Saygun. The second concert of this critically acclaimed series performed in 2017 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center featured works of Vasks, Schoenberg and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with Metropolitan Opera baritone, Mark Delavan. From 2008 to 2012 Maestro Tramm served as Artistic Director of the New Jersey State Opera, where he collaborated with some of the finest voices in opera, including Samuel Ramey, Vladimir Galouzine, Angela Brown, Gregg Baker, and Paul Plishka. His 2009 HDTV broadcast of "Verdi Requiem: Live from Ocean Grove" with PBS affiliate WNJN garnered an Emmy Award nomination.
Currently Maestro Tramm also serves a number of other roles: Director of Choral Activities at Seton Hall University (where he was named the 2017 University Faculty Teacher of the Year), Director of Music Ministries at the Ocean Grove Great Auditorium, Music Director of the Morris Choral Society, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Long Island Concert Orchestra. He has been highly in demand as a guest conductor, though important orchestral/opera debuts last summer in Prague, Vienna and Italy were cancelled due to Covid. He hosts “Music Matters with Jason Tramm”, a podcast that explores artistic innovation under extreme circumstances, as seen through the eyes of distinguished artists. For more information visit: www.JasonTramm.net.
Photo: Q. Tramm, Blue Crew Productions
The Chorale
Now in its 57th season, The Taghkanic Chorale offers music lovers in Northern Westchester and surrounding communities the opportunity to sing and hear the greatest choral music of all eras from the Renaissance to contemporary composers. Throughout its history the Chorale has attracted music directors with enormous talent and unique ability to lift avocational singers to high levels of performance. Each year we gladly welcome new singers who are eager to experience the rich benefits of rehearsing and delivering fine choral music.
In June of 2013 the Chorale was one of twelve area musical groups selected
to participate in a Make Music New York event in Central Park. All groups joined to sing R. Murray Shafer's Credo for 12 choirs under the direction of George Steel. Other opportunities have included performing Verdi's Requiem at Carnegie Hall in a mass choir assembled by MidAmerica Productions and singing works by John Rutter at Carnegie Hall under the composer's direction.
Board of Directors
Linda Kingsbury
Sheila Lois
Deborah May
Sally Petrina
Brian Tessler
Christie Virtue-Herman
David Watson
Patricia Watson
Terri Wilkowski