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News | Ariel Quintana appointed Assistant Conductor

July 12, 2006

Ariel Quintana, a choral conductor, composer and singer, has been appointed assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, it was announced by Master Chorale Chair Mark Foster.

“We are pleased to welcome Ariel to this newly created post,” said Foster. “A former singer with the Chorale, he brings with him invaluable choral experience.”

According to Foster, the assistant conductor post was created to provide much-needed support for Music Director Grant Gershon, who has conducted nearly every Chorale rehearsal and concert since his appointment six years ago. With the increasing number and complexity of the Chorale’s performances, it became necessary to engage an assistant conductor to handle selected artistic responsibilities.

“Ariel is a tremendous musician,” added Gershon. “He has a commanding knowledge of choral repertory, great technical skills, an incredible ear and really understands the nuances of the human voice. I look forward to working closely with him.”

Currently completing the doctoral program in choral conducting at the University of Southern California under Dr. William Dehning, Quintana sang with the Chorale from 1994 to 1995. In December 2000, the Chorale’s Music Director Emeritus Paul Salamunovich conducted the world premiere of Quintana’s work Hodie Christus Natus Est at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, which was subsequently performed by other ensembles in February 2003 at the American Choral Directors Association National Convention in New York and at the Choral Olympics in Bremen Germany in July 2004.

Born in Entre Rios, Argentina, the multi-lingual Quintana currently conducts the Cathedral Choir of the Hollywood Presbyterian Church, the Opus 7 Chamber Singers, and the Glendale City and Vallejo Drive Seventh-Day Adventists Church Bell Choirs. He earned a Master Degree in choral conducting from Cal State Northridge under John Alexander and Master Degrees in both piano performance and vocal performance at the IUNA Superior National Conservatory of Music of the National University of the Arts in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Previously, Quintana served as the organist at San Dimas United Church of Christ in San Dimas, California and the Palermo Seventh Day Adventists Church in Buenos Aires. The Glendale resident also taught music at the Crescenta Valley Adventist School in La Crescenta from 1994 to 2003.