“I always love tours for how the choir kind of grows together. The repeated performances under pressure just makes things grow, but what is really interesting to me is how the choir really becomes in tune with each other, trusts each other, listens to each other, and that extends beyond the music.”
– Brian Galante, January 2024
The Choir of the West (2023)
Brian Galante began as Director of Choir of the West in 2022, at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, marked by a return to touring. The choir took their first major tour in four years, visiting the American Southwest in 2024 with appearances in Nevada, Arizona, and California. It was also in 2024 that CollegeRank.Net ranked the Choir of the West second on its list of the twenty most impressive college choirs, citing its intensive rehearsals, regular tours, and many accolades.
In April 2025, the group performed at the Katherine L. White Invitational Choral Festival on Vashon Island, Washington. That summer, the Choir of the West made its 10th trip to Europe. Alongside fellow student performers from the University Chorale, University Singers, and Knights Chorus, they visited Switzerland and Italy.
The return to live performances and tours marked the end of the greatest disruption in its history. Even when many singers left to fight overseas during World War II, the show went on. COVID-19 was a new type of crisis and demanded a new response, causing the group to take its only break from performance in the 100 years since its founding. With the resumption of operations, the choir can look forward to their next 100 years and the many landmark performances, exciting tours, and prestigious accolades that are sure to come.
In some ways, the Choir of the West is the same choir it has been since its conception in 1926. Striving for excellence, the group has always aimed to share the joy of music. As Choir of the West alumna Elizabeth Warner (Class of 2003) put it in her May 6, 2026 interview covering her time with the choir, “Music impacts people. […] When something bad happens, we turn to music. […] It impacts everything. And I think that it impacts so many people positively. [The Choir of the West] teaches musical excellence and gives a unique opportunity, but it also is just inspiring generally.” For the last 100 years, the choir has continued to inspire, through its radio and television appearances to reportedly bringing audience members to tears. The group has had fun with innovation, played with the music video, and travelled the world. At the center of it all, though, is the love of music. A love that is both its legacy and its future.
Katherine L. White Invitational Choral (April 24 2025)
2025 Europe tour Instagram post
D
r. Brian Galante is Associate Dean of the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and Director of Choral Studies at PLU. In Fall 2022, he became the seventh conductor of the Choir of the West. During his time at PLU, Dr. Galante also conducted Chorale, University Singers (SA) and Knights Chorus (TB), and taught undergraduate courses in Vocal Pedagogy for the Choral Music Educator, Choral Methods and Choral Literature.
Dr. Galante continues to find success and acclaim as a composer and arranger. His compositions are published by GalanteMusic, Walton, Colla Voce Music, and Pavane Publishing; have been performed by professional, collegiate, and advanced high school choirs throughout the United States and Europe; and recorded for commercial release by Delos, Centaur Records, MSR Classic, and PLU Media. He is the recipient of multiple ASCAP Plus awards, and a regular composer-in-residence for the Taylor Festival Choir (Charleston, SC).
Galante received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting, with a related field in Voice Science and Pedagogy, from the University of North Texas. He holds Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees from Louisiana State University. Previous choral appointments include Visiting Associate Director of Choral Studies at Louisiana State University; Conductor of the UNT Men’s Chorus and Conducting Associate of the UNT A Cappella Choir; Director of Choral Music/Coordinator of K-12 Music at Highland Park High School, Dallas, Texas; Director of Choirs at Episcopal High School and Director of Music at St. Louis King of France Catholic Church, both in Baton Rouge.
Choirs under Galante’s direction have offered invitational performances in Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, New York; the Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas; Notre Dame Cathedral and Sacre Coeur, Paris; the 2010 Washington Music Educators Association conference; the 2011 Northwest MENC Conference; and the 2012 Northwest Division ACDA Conference.
Frequently in demand as a clinician and adjudicator, Galante has conducted honor choirs at all levels. He served as President of Louisiana ACDA from 2001-2003, and remains an active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO), the American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Washington ACDA, and the Washington Music Educators Association. He served as Conference Chair of the 2020 Northwest ACDA Region Conference, Program Chair of the 2010 and 2018 Conferences, on the National Technology Committee (2007-2001), and Associate Conference Chair of the 2013 National ACDA Conference. He is Past-President of the Northwestern ACDA Region.
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Brian Galante biography from plu.edu
Click the preview images below to see the full Choir of the West photographs
2022
2023
2024
Richard Sparks
Press play below to hear Richard Sparks describe Brian Galante’s career. This is an excerpt from the Choir of the West 90th Reunion Concert.
A Mighty Fortress is Our God
The Pacific Lutheran University Choir of the West performs “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” (arr. Olds) during their 2023 Spring Concert. Recorded live in Lagerquist Concert Hall, on the campus of Pacific Lutheran University. Choir of the West is conducted by Brian Galante.
Come to the Woods
The Pacific Lutheran University Choir of the West performs “Come to the Woods” (Jake Runestad) during their 2023 Spring Concert. Recorded live in Lagerquist Concert Hall, on the campus of Pacific Lutheran University. Choir of the West is conducted by Brian Galante, and features collaborative pianist Amy Boers.