About Capitol Hill Choral Society
Founded in 1983 by Betty Buchanan, the Capitol Hill Choral Society is among Washington's artistically acclaimed arts organizations. The Society presents a nine-month season with three concert periods. The repertoire is eclectic, drawing from the entire choral repertoire, including major works with orchestra.
The 1998-99 season marked the Society's first season under the direction of William Usher. A young and dynamic choral conductor, Usher is committed to the continued growth of this fine ensemble.
The Society's members are drawn from a wide range of Washington professions, including Capitol Hill staff, attorneys, civil servants, doctors, and homemakers. All are drawn to the Society's commitment to making the finest choral music accessible to the DC community.
William D. Usher II is the Music Director of the Capitol Hill Choral Society. He began work with the choir in the 1998-99 season. Mr. Usher is also Director of Liturgical Music at Holy Trinity Church, Georgetown, a position he has held since September 1995. Originally from upstate New York, he comes to Washington via Los Angeles, where he was first a graduate student and later Director of Music at St. Mel Church in Woodland Hills. At St. Mel, he established one of the most significant music programs in the Archdiocese. He also taught on the music faculty of St. John's Seminary College in Camarillo, CA.
As a choral conductor, Mr. Usher has conducted numerous major works for chorus and orchestra. He has recorded a CD entitled "Requiem" with chorus and orchestra, a Christmas album entitled "Merry Christmas to All" with the St. Mel Boychoir, and portions of the movie soundtrack "A New Nightmare" with the Los Angeles Boychoir. Specializing in-group vocal techniques for both adults and children, Mr. Usher has been a clinician for children's vocal techniques in Southern California, and a guest conductor for the Lousiana Music Educators Conference in New Orleans.
Mr. Usher received the Master of Music degree in Organ Performance from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where he studied with acclaimed concert organist Cherry Rhodes. He did two years of undergraduate work in church music a Wesminster Choir College where he studied organ with Dr. Donald McDonald and conducting and group vocal techniques with the late Frauke Haasemann and Constantina Tsolainou. He has sung under the baton of such noted conductors as Joseph Flummerfelt, Leonard Slatkin, and Riccardo Muti.
