Please join us in welcoming Dr. Christine Howlett as the new Music Director and Conductor of the Greenwich Choral Society. 

Joanne Falinski, Chair of the GCS Board, is thrilled: “Christine Howlett demonstrated her keen intelligence, strong musicianship, excellent teaching skills and a wonderful sense of humor throughout the long search process, and convinced us that we could continue to make beautiful music with her as our new music director.”  

Dr. Howlett is equally thrilled: “I am delighted to have been appointed Music Director of the Greenwich Choral Society. Alongside the remarkable performance history of GCS, I am inspired by the impressive culture of commitment and volunteerism I have found in the ensemble. It is an honor to follow in Paul Mueller’s footsteps, and I’m grateful for his kindness and support as I assume this new role. With the 100th anniversary season just around the corner, I am excited to lead the chorus through this impressive milestone.”

Dr. Howlett shared an epiphany she had that changed how she felt about working with community choirs. “When I started with a community choir in Poughkeepsie, I thought, ‘What a great opportunity for me to learn more music.’ Very selfishly, I wanted to do this great music. But one night a chorister said to me that going to rehearsals was ‘her favorite thing of the week.’ It made me realize how important it can be to people, and elevated what I was doing. Now, my goal is getting to the end of the rehearsal, knowing people have left happy.”
 
Canadian conductor and soprano Christine Howlett is an Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities at Vassar College. Her choruses have sung at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.
 
Dr. Howlett earned a Bachelor of Vocal Performance from the University of Toronto. She studied at Indiana University (IU), earning a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting.
 
Her parents say she was singing before she talked. And she says that it was when she, “on a whim,” took her first conducting class at IU that she felt really at home – there on the podium.