About the Festival Choir of Madison
The Festival Choir of Madison is an auditioned ensemble of approximately 50 passionate and skilled singers who come from all walks of life to create exceptional music together. We offer three captivating concerts each year—in early November, March, and May—and proudly serve as the core choir for the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra’s annual holiday performances of Handel’s Messiah.
At the heart of our mission is the sharing of uplifting musical experiences. Through choral music, we give voice to people’s stories, celebrate cultural differences, and unite and grow as a community by remembering that we are all partners in the human condition. We welcome singers and audiences of all backgrounds, ethnicities, orientations, and world-views. Our programming highlights the beauty of musical traditions from across time and culture, and we use our voices to amplify messages that need to be heard. Singing allows us to express love, hope, rage, anguish, despair, and reconciliation. It is a healing art that unites, and we dedicate ourselves to the uplifting it may bring.
Our mission is to present musically outstanding choral events that stand apart in Madison. From timeless choral masterpieces to innovative works by contemporary composers, our concerts celebrate a wide range of artistic traditions from across the globe. Whether performing a cappella, harmonizing with guest instrumentalists, or showcasing soloists, we strive to craft a shared musical experience that deeply connects both audience and performers. Join us in celebrating the transformative power of music.
Our Mission
Our mission is to perform thematic concerts of artistically challenging choral music from around the world for listeners who enjoy traditional, modern, and eclectic works; for singers who enjoy developing their talents with others; and for both, by sharing uplifting musical experiences.
Our History
Founded in 1972 by Vernon Sell, Festival Choir was led by David Lewis Crosby from 1975 to 1993, Eric Townell from 1993 to 2006, Drew Collins from 2007 to 2008, Dr. Bruce Gladstone from 2009 through 2011, and Dr. Bryson Mortensen from 2011 through 2015. Since 2015 its Artistic Director has been Sergei Pavlov.
Festival Choir of Madison has long championed living composers by commissioning and performing new works, especially by composers of the Upper Midwest. Past Composers-in-Residence and commissioned composers have included Stephen Paulus, Elizabeth Alexander, Paul Carey, Eric Whitacre, Scott Gendel, Jean Belmont, Brent Michael Davids and Yónatan Sánchez-Santianes.
As one of Madison’s oldest continuous independent choral organizations, the Choir has a distinguished history in the area musical community. It has performed live broadcasts from the Chazen Museum for Wisconsin Public Radio, appeared as part of Overture Center’s Grand Opening Festival, and toured across the state and abroad. In 1999, the Choir traveled by invitation to Austria as the first choral ensemble ever asked to participate in the prestigious Ost-West Musikfest. The choir has brought to Madison the Finnish choir Cantinovum and the University of Michigan-Flint Chamber Singers, and collaborated with guest conductors such as Joseph Flummerfelt and Nikoleta Popova.
Our Team
Sergei Pavlov, Artistic Director
Sergei Pavlov is the Artistic Director of the Festival Choir of Madison and Director of Choral Activities at Edgewood College.
Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, he studied at the National Academy of Music of his home country and holds a doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Previous positions include resident conductor at Teatro Nacional Sucre in Quito, Ecuador, music director of the National Mixed Choir of Ecuador, associate conductor of the Opera Department at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, chorus master and assistant conductor of Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France and assistant conductor at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC, among others. He has been a member of the faculty at Eastern Illinois University and State Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria.
In the past few years, Pavlov has offered masterclasses at Conservatorio Superior de Música de Canarias (Spain), Universidad de las Américas and Universidad Católica (Ecuador), Lamar State University in Texas, and summer workshops for young conductors at the National School for Music and Dance in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Sergei Pavlov has collaborated with internationally renowned opera artists such as Grace Bumbry, Willard White, Barbara Dever, Maurizio Barbacini, Stefano Vizioli, and Daniel Catán.
Stephen Radtke, Accompanist
Stephen Radtke is a native of small town Shawano, WI and a 2007 Bachelor of Music graduate of UW Stevens Point where he studied piano performance with Dr. Molly Roseman. He has also studied composition with Dr. Charles Rochester Young during a semester abroad in London and piano performance with Douglas Weeks at Brevard Music Festival.
He is currently living and working in the Madison area in many capacities, having collaborated with Opera for the Young, Madison Youth Choirs, Festival Choir, Choral Arts Society Chorale, MATC's Choral Collective, the Savoyards, the Whoopensockers, and many many students through the UW system and indepedent area teachers.
Outside the classical and choral world he is an active member of several local jazz/funk/cover bands. He also enjoys coffee, bicycles, and cats.
Meet our Board of Directors
The Festival Choir of Madison is guided by a dedicated and passionate Board of Directors, whose leadership helps shape the choir’s mission and vision. Committed to supporting our artistic and community goals, each board member brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and a shared love for choral music. Together, they work to ensure that our programs and outreach continue to foster unity, celebrate diversity, and create exceptional musical experiences for both singers and audiences.
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Beth Binhammer
CHAIR
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Robert Cramer
TREASURER
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Mike George
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Sarah Schaffer
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Lynn Nyhart
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Rasmus Birn
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Tucker Meyers
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Bridget Fraser
BOARD ADVISOR