Music Director Candidate Biography: Stephen Caracciolo
Stephen Caracciolo is a choral conductor recognized for his passionate artistry, creative teaching, and is a nationally known composer and arranger whose choral works have been performed throughout the United States and Europe. Dr. Caracciolo has guest conducted at the Capital University NOW Music Festival, the Conservatorio Nicolini in Piacenza, Italy, has accepted commissions from numerous organizations, including Cantus, The Maryland State Boychoir, Lancaster Chorale, and the Columbus Chamber Singers, and was awarded the prestigious Individual Artist's Fellowship in Composition from the Greater Columbus Arts Council.
In 1994 Dr. Caracciolo founded BelCanto Singers, a professional performing arts organization dedicated to chamber choral music in Columbus. Under his direction for four years, BelCanto Singers performances met with public praise and critical acclaim. He has performed choral masterworks with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Julliard School Orchestra, and the American Symphony under the batons of Robert Shaw, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, Kurt Masur, and James Levine. Dr. Caracciolo presently serves as a professional singer at Washington National Cathedral.
A composer for Morningstar Publishers, Kjos Music, Harold Flammer Inc., and Roger Dean Publishing, he has been active as a clinician for various educational, ecclesiastical, and professional organizations. His compositions appear on many professional, collegiate, and large church repertoire lists, and can be heard on nationally distributed recordings. Dr. Caracciolo has served on the faculties of Denison University where he was coordinator of choral activities; Ohio University, conducting the Singing Men of Ohio in a rigorous schedule of concert tours and appearances; and Roberts Wesleyan College as Director of Choral Activities, teaching conducting and directing the Roberts Chorale and Men’s Chorus. He holds degrees from Capital University, Westminster Choir College, and Indiana University, and has studied conducting with Joseph Flummerfelt, Constantina Tsolainou, James Jordan, Paul Hillier, Jan Harrington, Peter Erdei, and John Poole, former conductor of the BBC Singers.
His current appointment is Assistant Professor of Music in Choral Conducting at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) where he directs the Camerata and teaches conducting, voice, and choral related courses. In addition, Dr. Caracciolo is a professional bass at Washington National Cathedral where he sings regularly in services and concert performances.