Don Krudop is Artistic Director and Conductor of the Virginia Beach Chorale, the resort city's premier choral ensemble.The 100+ voice Chorale 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, 2018).

 

In 2010, the Chorale 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 2023, 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

• Salem High School

• Tallwood High School

• The Visual & Performing Arts Academy @ Salem High School

• Regent University's Vox Coelestis

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In addition to his work with the Chorale, Don is Director of Music Ministries at Heritage United Methodist Church in Virginia Beach a position he has held since 2000. He  oversees the programs for music ministry and conducts the Chancel Choir. 

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From 2017-2023 he served on the music faculty at Regent University, where he founded the choral music program, conducted Chamber Choir, University Choir, the touring ensemble Vox Coelestis, and taught Conducting, Music Theory, Sight-Singing, Music History, and Hymnology. Prior to his time at Regent he was Chair of the Vocal Music Strand at the Visual and Performing Arts Academy at Salem High School (2004-2019), and Choral Director at Salem High School (1989-2007). He began his teaching career as the Music Specialist at Holland Elementary School (1975-1986) and as the Choral Director at Princess Anne Junior High School (1986-1989), both in Virginia Beach.

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Don is a VMEA/VCDA-certified adjudicator 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 Virginia's District Choral Assessments and has judged VMEA Senior Honors, All-Virginia, & All-District Chorus auditions. He also serves as an adjudicator for the Virginia Beach Lion's Club "Bland Vocal Scholarship" competition.

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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.

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While at Shenandoah, he studied conducting with Robert Shafer, Grammy award winner & Conductor Emeritus of the City Choir of Washington, and  Dr. David Stutzenberger, Past President of the American Choral Directors Association. 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. 

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Don:

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

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

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

• was named a Virginia Beach "Distinguished Educator,"

• was a recipient of the Shenandoah University “Distinguished Alumni Award” for Outstanding Career Achievement,

• was a recipient of the Shenandoah University “Distinguished Alumni Award” for Lifetime Achievement.

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 conducting, choral literature, and copyright law at state, division, and national music education conferences.

 

Choirs under his direction have performed in

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

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

• Bath Abbey (Bath, England),

• Yorkminster (York, England)

• Westminster Abbey (London, England),

• Westminster Cathedral (London, England),

• Walt Disney World (Orlando, FL),

• 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),

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

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

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

His Visual & Performing Arts Academy 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. 

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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.

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Employment Highlights​

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

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

• 2017-2023: Regent University - Assistant Professor of Music

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

• 1989-2006: Salem High School - Director of Choral Music Education

• 1987-1994: Courthouse Community United Methodist Church - Choir Director/Pianist

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

• 1982-1985: Greater Tidewater Chapter of Sweet Adelines International - Director

• 1981-1987: Commodore Chorus, Norfolk, VA chapter of SPEBSQSA (BHS) - Director

• 1976-1980 - Miles Memorial United Methodist Church - Choir Director

• 1975-1986: Holland Elementary School - Music Specialist