Student Spotlight: Kevin Vondrak D.M.A. Choral Conducting ’29

Kevin Vondrak D.M.A. Choral Conducting ’29 comes to Yale from Philadelphia, where he is associate conductor of The Crossing, a professional new music choir. He just spent his ninth year working with the choir during their summer festival “The Month of Moderns.” He is pictured below in the recording booth with composer Robert Maggio and engineer Paul Vazquez and in the studio with The Crossing’s conductor Donald Nally, and composer Gabriel Jackson (including props representing all of the works on the album). 

Kevin has collaborated on dozens of world premieres with many of the world’s leading composers at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Disney Hall, and the Finnish National Opera in Helsinki.

As well as being co-producer on nine Crossing recordings, Kevin is winner of the 2023 Grammy Award for best choral performance. Also an experienced church musician, he most recently served as interim choirmaster at St. Mark’s Church on Locust Street in Philadelphia. He holds degrees from Washington University in St. Louis and Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time trail running, fly fishing, and driving in/to the mountains.