Katherine Chan

Music Director Finalist and Guest Conductor

Australian conductor Katherine Chan is known for her energy and enthusiasm on the podium. As Director of Choral Activities and Associate Teaching Professor of Music at Northeastern University, Chan conducts the Northeastern University Choral Society Chorus, Chamber Singers, and Mosaic Advance Treble Ensemble. A sought-after choral clinician, Chan also serves as the Artistic Director of Boston Choral Ensemble.

Chan’s unique blend of talent and energy has also been on display at the numerous prestigious international festivals in which she’s been privileged to participate. In 2010, Chan was a presenter at the Australia National Choral Association's Choralfest and in the same year, was awarded the Sydney Symposium Choral Foundation’s Fifth Choral Conducting Scholarship. Chan has been a conducting scholar with Maestro Helmuth Rilling at the Oregon Bach Festival (2011), Taipei Bach Festival (2012), Hong Kong SingFest (2012) and has been invited to the National Conductors’ Symposium, Canada (2016). She has conducted in the National ACDA Graduate Conductor Masterclass and was placed among the top four finalists at the ACDA National Graduate Conducting Competition (2017). Internationally, Chan was recognized as top-12 finalist in the World Choral Conducting Competition 2019, and top-6 finalist at the Romano Gandolfi International Competition for Choral Conductors, Italy, in 2023.

Known for her highly innovative collaborations, Chan partnered with librettist Michael Dennis Browne in 2015 to present a semi-staged performance of Fauré’s Requiem with singers from the Minnesota Chorale. Other notable conducting engagements include guest conducting Minnesota Chorale, Xi’an Symphony Chorus (China), Bach Choir of Bethlehem, Cantata Singers, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Back Bay Chorale. She has been a guest conductor at State and Regional Honor Choir Festivals.

Prior to her relocation to the United States, Chan was extensively involved in Australia’s choral community. She held positions on National Council, and Queensland & Northern Territory State Committee for Australian National Choral Association (ANCA). She held numerous positions throughout Australia including musical director of Choral Connection and choir director at St Andrew’s Uniting Church, Brisbane. In addition to conducting, Chan also actively performs as a soprano and pianist/accompanist.

Chan received her Bachelor of Music Performance and Pedagogy in piano from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University, and won numerous awards including the Brisbane Women’s Club and Yvonne Hayson Bursary, the Ruby C. Cooling Piano Bursary, and M. K. Lassell Piano Scholarship. She received her Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the University of Washington, and Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from the University of Minnesota (UMN) under the mentorship of Kathy Saltzman Romey and Matthew Mehaffey.

Visit Katherine’s website www.katherinechanmusic.com.

Katherine will prepare and conduct The Spectrum Singers’ March 15, 2025 concert, Requiem for the Living.