About the Repertory Singers
The Director
Dr. Paul French was so moved by a single performance at age 18 that it changed the course of his life. As a college student sitting in a music hall he experienced a performance of Josquin's "Ave Maria." He was so inspired that he changed his major and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of California at Berkeley and Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Music from the University of Southern California. After teaching and singing in the Los Angeles area for twelve years, French joined the music faculty at Southern Oregon University in 1990 and became conductor for the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers. He is currently Director of Choral/Vocal Studies, and Artistic Director of the Vocal Arts Institute.
French has extensive experience as singer, conductor and teacher. Ensembles under his direction have performed to acclaim at prestigious six-state conventions such as the American Choral Directors Association Northwest Convention (1994, 2002), the American Guild of Organists Northwest Convention (1997) and the Oregon Music Educators National Conference (2002). In 2003, French made his National Public Radio debut with the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers performing on "West Coast Live" for an estimated one million households nationally and Internationally.
Operatic conducting credits include Carmen, La Bohème, La Traviata, and Cosi Fan Tutte, as well as numerous light operetta productions such as Die Fledermaus, Sweeney Todd, and Candide. French has conducted for Rogue Opera, Jefferson Baroque Orchestra, Northwest Bach Ensemble, Chelan Bach Festival, Rogue Music Theatre, and made his Rogue Valley Symphony Orchestra debut in a performance of Brahms' "Requiem" in Spring, 2002.
In demand as a clinician and adjudicator, French has adjudicated Oregon's Music Educators National Conference state voice and choir competitions many times as well as MENC sponsored competitions in California and Alaska. He has conducted numerous Honor Choirs and regional All-State Choirs in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Nevada.