Z. Randall Stroope

Z. Randall Stroope (b. 1953) is widely known as a conductor, lecturer and composer. He is the Director of Choral Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, and Artistic Director of an international summer music festival in Wells, England, and another in Rome Italy. Stroope frequently conducts in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Washington National Cathedral and other wellÑknown venues in the United States.
 
Dr. Stroope conducted choral/orchestral concerts last year in Vienna and Salzburg as part of those cities' 250th Celebration of Mozart's birth. Additional guest conducting included the American School in Singapore and choir festivals in New York, Texas, Florida, Utah, Illinois, Oregon, Kansas, California, New Jersey, and Virginia.
 
Choral groups under his direction have taken 35 national tours and 15 international tours, including China, Japan, Russia, Sweden, the Baltics, Finland, central Europe, England, Canada and South Africa. He is constantly sought after as a lecturer and guest conductor, headlining summer ACDA conventions in 14 states and conducting 23 all-state choirs. Dr. Stroope as had performing groups on national ACDA and MENC conventions, as well as the International Society of Music Education in Pretoria, South Africa.
 
In 1987, Dr. Stroope graduated from Arizona State University with a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting. This followed several years of high school teaching in the Cherry Creek District in the Denver, Colorado area. He graduated with a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Dr. Stroope taught at the University of Nebraska for 18 years, and was honored as ÒDistinguished Professor for Research and Creative ActivityÓ for six years, the only faculty member in the College of Fine Arts ever given that honor. The state music educators also voted him, ÒOutstanding Choral Director of the Year.Ó
 
Dr. Stroope studied composition with Cecil Effinger and Normand Lockwood, both students of Nadia Boulanger (who was a student of Gabriel FaurŽ). Stroope has published 85 musical works for chorus, solo voice and, instruments, and has sold over a million and a half copies of music. He was the ACDA Raymond Brock commissioned composer for 2004, and his commission Ñ "We Beheld Once Again the Stars" was performed at all of the ACDA Regional conventions. Of his twelve recorded compact discs Ñ two are of his own music, titled Passages I & II: The Choral Music of Z. Randall Stroope. (web site: zrstroope.com)
 
As Director of Choral Activities at Rowan University, Stroope conducts the Concert Choir, Statesmen MenÕs Chorus, WomenÕs Choir and undergraduate/graduate conducting. He and his wife, Cheryl (a middle school choral music educator) live in New Jersey and love to travel.