B.S.L.A., Georgetown University; M.M., D.M.A. (Conducting), University of Texas, Austin

A native of California, Joshua Habermann is a graduate of Georgetown University and the University of Texas at Austin, where he completed doctoral studies in conducting with Craig Hella Johnson. He has also studied under Helmuth Rilling (conducting), Scott Fogelsong (piano) and David Jones (voice).

As associate professor of music San Francisco State University he directs the choral program, and teaches choral literature, conducting, lyric diction, and voice. Under his direction the SFSU Chamber Singers have been invited to appear in conferences and festivals, including international engagements in Havana, Cuba (2002 Festival Internacional de Coros), (2007 Amércia Cantat), Germany and the Czech Republic (2004), and China (2000). In 2006 he was invited to lead a collaboration between the SFSU Chamber Singers and the Orchestre des Jeunes de Provence in music of Poulenc and the Requiem of Maurice Duruflé in concerts throughout France. National invitations include the Waging Peace Festival in Eugene, Oregon in 2003, and multiple appearances at the California Music Educators Convention.

As a singer (tenor) he performs with the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus (Eugene, Oregon), where he can be heard on the Grammy-Award-winning recording of Krzystof Penderecki’s Credo. Other projects include two recordings with Conspirare: Through the Green Fuse, and Requiem, a Grammy nominee for best choral recording in 2006. Mr. Habermann also maintains an interest in the Hawaiian choral tradition, and sings periodically with Kawaiolaon`apukanileo, an ensemble dedicated to performing and preserving this unique repertoire. Other research interests include Latin American and Nordic music. His dissertation on the a cappella works of Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara was a Julius Herford Prize finalist for music research in 1997.

In demand as a guest conductor and lecturer Joshua Habermann has led honor choirs, choral festivals, and given presentations in North and Latin America, Europe and Asia. Highlights include lectures on vocal production, repertoire and language coaching for the American Choral Director’s Association, and sound building and American choral repertoire for the Singapore Choral Director’s Association. He is a frequent pre-concert guest lecturer with many California performing organizations such as the Cantabile Chorale and the San Francisco Opera. Memberships include the National Collegiate Choral Association, the International Federation for Choral Music, and the American Choral Director’s Association, where he serves as a Western Division board member for repertoire and standards.

Joshua Habermann’s long association with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus began in 1991, when he joined the chorus as a singer and diction coach. Over the course of 13 seasons he has sung and helped prepare both the standard canon and lesser-known works of choral-orchestral repertoire. From 1996-2006 Mr. Habermann was assistant to Vance George, and in 2006-2007 served as interim director upon George’s retirement. In that capacity he prepared the chorus for performances with conductors Michael Tilson Thomas and Charles Dutoit in concerts of Mozart, and Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust. Recordings as a singer with the SFSC include Christmas by the Bay (Decca Records), and Mahler Symphony #2 (London Records), also a Grammy nominee for Best Choral/Orchestral Recording.