Nathaniel (“Nat”) has had many years of diverse experience in church music. He grew up at Trinity Baptist Church in the Bronx, and by the time he was in high school had already developed a love of leading congregational singing. As an undergraduate music major at the Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia, he held part-time positions in Lutheran, Episcopal, and Presbyterian churches. In 2011, he received the Master of Music degree from Yale University (YSM and ISM), where he also served as organist for Marquand Chapel. Since graduating from Yale, he has worked as Director of Music and Arts at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC, where he oversees 350-400 volunteer musicians and staff in four choirs and other ensembles, and also serves as Sunday organist. He is a frequent guest musician at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, and is organist and clinician for the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference. In 2012, he organized music for plenary sessions of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC. Last year he was named in the “Top 20 Under 30” by Diapason Magazine.
Nat completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Eastman School of Music in 2019.