Don Krudop is Artistic Director and Conductor of the Virginia Beach Chorale (a 100-voice community choir based in the resort city). The Chorale (currently celebrating it's 65th concert season) was initially organized in 1958, and is one of the longest-tenured performing arts ensembles in southeastern Virginia; they have sung in concert with:

• the late Kenny Rogers,

• popular trio The Tenors,

• the Virginia Wind Symphony,

• the Tidewater Winds,

• Symphonicity (the symphony orchestra of Virginia Beach), and

• the Virginia Children's Chorus.

 

​The  Chorale has commissioned and presented world premiere performances of new choral works, the most recent of which are:

•  Resplendent Light  by Daniel Gawthrop (premiered on May 31, 2021) and

• Sing to Me  by Joseph Martin (premiered on May 18, 2019).

 

The Chorale also initiated the "Generations in Harmony" project; each year a Virginia Beach high school choral ensemble is invited to perform as the special guest on the Christmas concert and joins the Chorale for the concert finale. As of 2021, the Chorale has featured ensembles from:

• Cape Henry Collegiate School, 

• Cox High School,

• First Colonial High School, 

• Green Run High School,

• Kellam High School, 

• Landstown High School,

• Ocean Lakes High School, 

• Princess Anne High School,

• Tallwood High School, and

• The Visual & Performing Arts Academy @ Salem High School.

In 2022, the guest ensemble was Vox Coelestis from Regent University.

​

In addition to his work with the Chorale, Don is also Director of Music Ministries at Heritage United Methodist Church, and Assistant Professor of Music at Regent University, both in Virginia Beach.  At Heritage, he oversees the programs for music ministry and conducts the Chancel Choir; at Regent, he conducts the touring ensemble Vox Coelestis, and teaches Conducting and Hymnology. 

​

He is a VMEA/VCDA-certified adjudicator (through 2027) and serves as a festival clinician for Festivals of Music and Music in the Parks choral festivals and as in-house Choral Coach for Complete Custom Itinerary Service (CCIS Travel); He has been a panel adjudicator for District Choral Assessments and has judged VMEA Senior Honors, All-Virginia, & All-District Chorus auditions.

​

Don holds the

• Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Music Education,

• Master of Music (MM) in Conducting, and

• Bachelor of Music Education (BME)

degrees from the Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, and the

• Master of Education (ME) in Administration

degree from Regent University in Virginia Beach.

​

While at Shenandoah, he studied conducting with Robert Shafer, Grammy award winner & Conductor Emeritus of the City Choir of Washington, and Past President of the American Choral Directors Association, Dr. David Stutzenberger. He also completed post-graduate studies at Westminster Choir College, George Washington University, Old Dominion University, and was a participant in Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir 6 , the Barbershop Harmony Society's Harmony University, and the late Robert Shaw's Carnegie Hall Choral Workshop. 

​

Don:

• has been honored as Virginia's “Music Educator of the Year,”

• was Salem High School’s “Teacher of the Year,”

• was named a Salem High School "Distinguished Educator,"

• was a recipient of the Shenandoah University “Distinguished Alumni Award” for outstanding career achievement,

• and was a national finalist for the Grammy Foundation “Music Educator” award.

Coastal Virginia magazine featured him in their special edition on "Ten Top Teachers in Hampton Roads" and Choral Director  magazine awarded him their "Director of Note" award for the state of Virginia.

 

He is a Past President of the Virginia Choral Directors Association (VCDA), has served as a member of the Shenandoah University Alumni Board of Directors, was a Repertoire and Standards Chair for the Virginia chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), served as a member of the National Advisory Board for Music Educators Journal, was a national chorus mentor for the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), is well known as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician throughout the Mid-Atlantic, and has presented sessions on choral literature, conducting, and copyright law at state, division, and national music education conferences.

 

Choirs under his direction have performed in

• the White House, Lincoln Memorial,  National Cathedral, and National Presbyterian Church (Washington, DC),

• Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center (New York, NY),

• the Bath Abbey (Bath, England),

• Yorkminster (York, England)

• Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral (London, England),

• Walt Disney World & Universal Studios (Orlando, FL),

• on "The 700 Club" (flagship broadcast of the Christian Broadcasting Network),

• Historic Bruton Parish Church (Williamsburg, VA),

• Chrysler Hall (Norfolk VA),

• the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts (Virginia Beach, VA),

• the Ferguson Center for the Arts (Newport News, VA), and

• have performed as the MainStage chorus for the Virginia Arts Festival's acclaimed "International Tattoo."

     His Visual & Performing Arts Academy elite choir, Vox Harmonia, performed with renowned R&B producer, Timbaland, at GQ magazine’s annual “Gentlemen’s Ball” in New York, sang with Brooke Shields during the Virginia Symphony's "Bernstein 100th" concert, and sang the national anthem for President Barack Obama during his visit to Virginia Beach. Don's choirs have performed numerous times at the Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky Music Educators Association annual conferences and Southern Division conferences of the National Association for Music Education. 

​

Don has been honored to be the Guest Conductor for:

• All-District Choruses in Virginia's Districts I, II, VI, VII, XIII, XIV, and XV

• All-City & All-County Choruses throughout Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and New Jersey​

In addition, he has served as Guest Chorus Master for Symphonicity (the symphony orchestra of Virginia Beach) and was Guest Conductor for the Norfolk, VA Choristers Guild.

​

Employment Highlights

• 2017-Present: Regent University - Assistant Professor of Music

• 2009-Present: Virginia Beach Chorale - Artistic Director & Conductor

• 2000-Present: Heritage United Methodist Church - Director of Music Ministries

• 2004-2019: Visual & Performing Arts Academy @ Salem High School - Vocal Strand Chair

• 1989-2007: Salem High School - Director of Choral Music Education

• 1987-1993: Courthouse Community United Methodist Church - Choir Director/Pianist

• 1986-1989: Princess Anne Junior High School - Choral Director

• 1983-1985: Greater Tidewater Chapter of Sweet Adelines International - Director

• 1982-1986: Commodore Chorus, Norfolk, VA chapter of SPEBSQSA (BHS) - Director

• 1975-1986: Holland Elementary School - Music Specialist