Malcolm J. Merriweather, Artistic Director/Conductor

Malcolm J. Merriweather began his musical training as a chorister in the choir of Men and Boys, St. Paul's Cathedral, Buffalo.  During his eight years with the choir he participated in three European tours and several domestic tours.  In 2007, he graduated from Syracuse University with a B.Mus. in music education, summa cum laude.  He studied organ with Dr. Christopher Marks, conducting with Dr. Barbara M. Tagg and voice with Eric Johnson.  While studying at Syracuse University he was privileged to serve as an assistant director to Dr. Barbara M. Tagg with the renowed Syracuse Children's Chorus.  In May of 2009, Malcolm earned a M.M. in choral conducting at the Eastman School of Music where he studied with William Weinert.  This year he will complete another M.M., this time in voice with Rita Shane.   In Rochester, Malcolm has been seen in performances with Eastman Chorale, Eastman-Rochester Chorus, Repertory Singers, Christ Church Scholar Cantorum, VOICES, and the Eastman Opera Theatre.  In addition to his studies at Eastman, Malcolm served as Organist and Choirmaster at the Church of St. Luke and St. Simon of Cyrene (Episcopal) in downtown Rochester from 2007-2009.  He recently was named Interim-Director of Music at Asbury First United Methodist Church.

Julie Ruhling, Accompanist

Julie Ruhling is currently an adjunct instructor of piano at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). She is also the accompanist for the RIT Singers, as well as all student recitals and  various guest artist recitals.  She earned her Master of Music in Piano and Literature from the University of Notre Dame, and her Bachelor of Music in Piano Accompanying from the University of Missouri-Columbia.  She and her husband, Michael, have 3 sons: Alexander, Peter and Nicholas.  
  

Daniel Pickens-Jones, Conducting Fellow

Daniel Pickens-Jones, originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, is a graduate student in Vocal Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music.  Daniel received his B.A. in Music and International Studies from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he served as assistant conductor of the Macalester Choir and received degree honors for his thesis on Benjamin Britten's "Sacred and Profane."  Daniel had his early musical training as a boy chorister and later as a lay clerk of the Grace Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, San Francisco, and he remains active in choral music as a member of Christ Church Schola Cantorum and as artistic director of the chamber choir Apeiron.  Daniel will earn a M.M. in Vocal Performance from the Eastman School of Music in May 2010. 

David Klement, Founding Director

David Klement, former director of music at Asbury First United Methodist Church, founded the Rochester Boys Choir in 2002.      

 

The Touring Choir has toured to locations including New Orleans, Washington D.C., Denver, New York City and Atlanta.