Artistic Director and Conductor
Paul Laprade

Paul Laprade is a conductor, educator, composer, and scholar specializing in choral literature. He currently teaches choral literature at VanderCook College of Music. His expertise in literature is reflected in his extensive work with ACDA, where he has served as a national repertoire and research chair and as choral reviews editor for Choral Journal. He is a past-president of Illinois-ACDA.

Laprade’s research explores choral literature, appropriation, and fusion, themes on which he has presented nationally and internationally. Notable presentations include Appropriation and Artistic Synergy (18th International Conference on the Arts and Humanities, Venice, 2020) and Richness of the ‘Other’: Confluences and Mutual Influences among Musical Languages (13th Annual International Conference on Visual and Performing Arts, Athens, 2022).  

Paul’s scholarship extends to theory and analysis, with articles and reviews published in The Journal of Music Theory, Theoria, and MUSIQ.  Laprade holds degrees from Westminster Choir College and the Eastman School of Music.

With experience teaching at the high school, college, and university levels, Paul has led ensembles that have performed throughout North America and earned the honor of performing at the White House for Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama. He studied under Joseph Flummerfelt, James Jordan, Donald Neuen, and Robert Shaw.

Paul has been the artistic director/conductor of the Oak Park Concert Chorale since Fall 2024, and conducts choral workshops and clinics throughout the Midwest.