Tim Sharp.Piano 2

       Tim Sharp is Executive Director of the American Choral Directors Associationthe world’s largest association of choral conductorsstudentsscholarscomposersand choral industry representatives. Dr. Sharp pursues an aggressive agenda of strategic planning and innovative initiatives to keep the American Choral Directors Association energized and relevant in the 21st century. He represents choral activity in the United States to the International Federation for Choral Musicis Vice-President of the Musica International databaseand appears regularly as guest conductor and choral clinician throughout the world.
       Tim is in his ninth season as Artistic Director of the Tulsa Oratorio ChorusTulsaOKwhere critics characterize his performances as having “stunning power” and “great passion and precision”. In a recent review of the Tulsa Oratorio Chorus’ performance of Mozart’s Requiemarts critic James Watts stated“The Tulsa Oratorio Chorusprepared by its artistic director Tim Sharpwas in excellent formsummoning up rafter-shaking power…and showing great sensitivity ...”
       Dr. Sharp is Principal Guest Conductor of the Leonardo Da Vinci International Choral Festival in FlorenceItaly. In 2016he served as chorusmaster for the annual Classical Musical FestivalEisenstadtAustriawhere Tulsa Oratorio Chorus performed Joseph Haydn’s Stabat MaterMass in Time of Warand Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (Choral).In 2011Sharp served as Principal Guest Conductor at the International Festival of the Aegean in SyrosGreecewhere TOC was the featured chorus in the production of Verdi’s La Traviataand performed Rachmaninov’s All Night Vigil at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. He made his New York City Alice Tully Hall debut in 2014 conducting Handel's Messiah. Tim returned to Carnegie Hall in April of 2017 for the eighth timeon this occasion conducting his composition Come Away to the Skies: A High Lonesome Bluegrass Mass. Tim has conducted and played bluegrass banjo on this work in over one hundred performances throughout the United StatesCanadaEnglandand Ireland. Critics have characterized this multi-movement work as “dynamic”“crowd-pleasing”and described the composition as “…unfailingly true to itselflacking in pretensesimpledirectand heartfelt.” 
       Before coming to ACDASharp was Dean of Fine Arts at Rhodes CollegeMemphisTNwhere he held the Elizabeth Daughdrill Endowed Chair in Fine Arts. At RhodesTim conducted Rhodes Singers and MasterSingers Chorale. In 2003Sharp’s production of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi won an Ostrander AwardMemphis’ annual award for excellence in theater. While in MemphisTim served as archivist for The Blues Foundationand returns to Memphis each year to adjudicate the International Blues Challenge. Prior to his position in Memphis he was Director of Choral Activities at Belmont UniversityNashvilleTNwhere he conducted the Belmont University Chorale and Oratorio Chorus. While in Nashvillehe received choral credits on the Grammy Nominated and Dove Award winning recordingA Glen Campbell Christmas.
       Dr. Sharp’s publications include Collaborating in the Ensemble Arts: Working and Playing Well with OthersMentoring in the Ensemble Arts: Helping Others Find Their VoicePrecision ConductingUp Front! Becoming the Complete Choral ConductorAchieving Choral Blend and BalanceMemphis Music Before the BluesNashville Music Before CountryJubilate! Amen!The German Songbook in the 19th CenturyA Short History of the American Choral Directors AssociationCollaborative Creativityand a wide variety of published articlesessaysand CD liner notes for recordings by Helmuth RillingIona BrownNeville MarrinerMichael Kelly Blanchardand The King’s Singers. His most recent book publications include the historical-critical edition Johannes Herbst: Hymns to be Sung at the Pianofortepublished by Stegleinand Innovation in the Ensemble Arts: Sustaining Creativitypublished by GIA.
       Dr. Sharp’s choral compositions and arrangements exhibit his interest in conceptual programmingexemplified by the choral collection Salvation is CreatedAn Early American Service of Lessons and Carolsthe Integra Music young voices series including Christmas Messiah for Young Voices and Vivaldi’s Gloria for Young Voiceshis own choral series through Gentry Publicationsand his self-published bluegrass massco-created with Wes RamsayCome Away to the Skies: A High Lonesome Bluegrass Mass.
    Tim received his education at Bluefield College (AA)Belmont University (BM); The School of Church MusicLouisvilleKY (MCM; DMA); and studied further at the Aspen Music SchoolAspenCO; the NEH Medieval Studies program at Harvard UniversityCambridgeMA; throughout Belgium on a Rotary Scholarship; and at Cambridge University (UK)where he is a Clare Hall Life Fellow.

       Tulsa Oratorio Chorus
       As one of the premier fine arts organizations of OklahomaTulsa Oratorio Chorus seeks to present the very best of choral music to the region. Inspiring audiences since 1992Tulsa Oratorio Chorus is a 100 voice choral organization of talented and dedicated volunteer musicians who share a passion for great choral music and dedication to the art of classical music performance. The mission of Tulsa Oratorio Chorus is to elevate the human conditionbringing choral masterpieces to audiences in Tulsa and the surrounding region. In addition to maintaining an annual concert series of choral masterworksthe Tulsa Oratorio Chorus has performed concert tours in MexicoGreeceItalyEnglandand Ireland.