Joel Navarro
Dr. Joel Navarro
Office: Fine Arts Center 225B
Phone: (616) 526-8749
click on the photo for a high-resolution image
Biographical Information
Joel Navarro is Associate Professor of Music of Calvin College where he teaches conducting and directs the Capella, the Oratorio Society, and the Campus Choir. Prior to this appointment, he was one-time Chair of the Choral Conducting Department and served as an assistant professor at the University of the Philippines College of Music for 16 years. He is known internationally as the former Music Director and Conductor of the Ateneo de Manila University Glee Club which has amassed a string of top prizes during the last 20 years in choral competitions in Cantonigros (1983) and Tolosa (2000) in Spain, Arezzo (1983) and Riva del Garda (2000) in Italy, Llubljana (2000) in Slovenia, Cork (2000) in Ireland, Tours (2000) in France, and Marktoberdorf (2001) in Germany. In the summer of 2008, he led the Capella of Calvin College to two third prizes in the Florilege Vocal de Tours international competition.
As the recipient of numerous awards in performance and education in his native Philippines, he is widely known as a conductor, educator, clinician, lecturer, writer, singer, recording artist, composer, arranger, stage actor, record producer, and music consultant. He was Vice-Chairman of the Philippine Federation for Choral Music and the Main Consultant for the College Choir Division of the National Music Competitions for Young Artists. His choirs have performed with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra for national television, state receptions, and national and international choir festivals. In August of 2002, he was one of 31 scholars to lecture at the 6th World Symposium of Choral Music held in Minneapolis.
Navarro finished a degree in Mathematics before returning to complete his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Choral Conducting at the University of the Philippines where he also taught undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting, choral literature, chorus classes, recital, and music theory. He obtained his Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting at Michigan State University where he studied under Drs. Charles Smith, Jonathan Reed, and David Rayl.
Taking an active interest in post-modern music and the music traditions and liturgies of the world, he went to Manila, Jakarta, and Singapore in the summer of 2006 to hold a series of conferences on worship, choral music, and conducting technique. His articles on Philippine Choral Music and Music in the Philippine Protestant Church have appeared in the International Federation for Choral Music Bulletin and in Dr. Anne C. Kwantes’ book “Chapters in Philippine Church History.” Navarro is currently on sabbatical as Minister of Vocal Music at Hope Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
A guest conductor for festivals and honor choir conventions in Asia, Navarro counts Reynaldo Paguio, Francisco Feliciano, and Martin Behrmann as his early mentors. He has attended workshops under Eric Ericsson, Robert Sund, Stephen Cleobury, Gregory Rose, Laszlo Heltay, Frieder Bernius, Gyorgy Gulyas, and Jürgen Jürgens.
His other passion is composition. He continues to compose and arrange choral music for professional, university, community, and church choirs. Occasionally, he gets offers to write songs and produce solo albums for the Philippine music industry.
Curriculum Vitae
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at Michigan State University
Master of Music in Choral Conducting, University of the Philippines, 1993.
Bachelor of Music in Choral Conducting, University of the Philippines, 1985.
Master of Science in Mathematics credits, Ateneo de Manila University (Philippines), 1977-1978.
Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, University of St. La Salle (Philippines), 1976.
POSITIONS HELD
Senior Lecturer (Former Chair), Department of Conducting and Choral Ensembles, University of the Philippines College of Music.
Music Director and Conductor, Ateneo de Manila College Glee Club.
Music Teacher, International School Manila.
Current Involvement:
Minister of Vocal Music, Hope Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
SUMMARY PROFILE
- Thirty years as a Professional Singer
- Twenty-seven years as Choral Conductor
- Nine years as a College Instructor
- Seven years as a College Assistant Professor
- Twenty-one years as a Music Consultant
Areas of expertise include: Choral and Orchestral Conducting in Pedagogy and Performance, Vocal Performance and Pedagogy, Choral Organization, Choral Workshop, Choral Clinic, Music Consultancy, Orchestration, Choral Composition, Choral and Minus One Arrangements, CD Production, Studio Recording, Album Production, Music Administration.
Completed 2 undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Music, and 1 graduate degree in Music. Took up graduate units in Mathematics.
Proficient in KORG 01W, Roland XP80 and Roland MC50 applications.
WORK EXPERIENCE
International School of Manila
August 1999 – June 2001
TEACHER. Handled advanced courses in International Baccalaureate in Music to highly gifted students; taught Humanities (Music), Show Choir, and Concert Choir.
University of the Philippines
June 1998 – September 2000
DEPARTMENT CHAIR, Conducting and Choral Ensembles, College of Music. Administration and Faculty Development. Designed and Successfully implemented two new conducting programs in Choral conducting and Band Conducting. Reports to the College Dean. Managed 8 instructors and professors.
October 2000 – April 2001
SENIOR LECTURER. Conducting and Choral Ensembles, College of Music
June 1995 – October 2000
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, Teaching Graduate and Undergraduate Courses in Choral Conducting, Voice, Chorus Classes, Recital, and Choral Literature.
June 1985- May 1995
INSTRUCTOR, Teaching Undergraduate Courses in Choral Conducting, Voice, Chorus Classes, Recital, and Music Theory.
Ateneo de Manila University
June 1979-August 2001
MUSIC DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR, Ateneo de Manila College Glee Club.
June 1977-May 1978
INSTRUCTOR, Teaching Undergraduate Courses in Probability and Statistics, Algebra and Trigonometry, and Linear Programming.
University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos
June 1976-May 1977
INSTRUCTOR, Undergraduate Courses in Algebra and Trigonometry, Probability and Statistics.
Sugar Industry Foundation Inc.
June 1976-May 1977.
RESEARCH ASSISTANT. Formulation, selection, and information dissemination regarding scholarships for dependents of sugar industry workers.
SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENTS
Graduate School
Three Masters Recitals featuring John Rutter’s Magnificat and Gloria, The Asian Mass of Geonyong Lee, Requiem of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Masdan O Yahweh by Patatag; Grade Marks: Excellent.
Comprehensive Exams in Conducting and Pedagogy of Theory. Grade Marks: Excellent.
Full Scholar, Graduate School, University of the Philippines.
Doctoral Fellowship for Minority Faculty, Calvin College.
College
Graduation Recital: Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Grade Mark: Excellent.
Departmental Awardee, Conducting, University of the Philippines. 1981.
College Recognition for Outstanding Achievement as a Student, University of the Philippines College of Music, 1981.
College Scholar, University of the Philippines College of Music, 1979-1982.
Full Scholar, Bishop Julian M. Teodoro Foundation, 1979-85.
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
AS EDUCATOR
Professorial Chair in Choral Conducting, Awarded by the Metro Manila Authority for the period covering January-December 1998, University of the Philippines.
Most Outstanding Male Faculty, Award granted by the U.P. College of Music Student Council, SY1998-99.
Professorial Chair, Ateneo Glee Club Alumni Batch 65-71, Ateneo de Manila University, 1999.
International Choral Clinician, Anglo-Chinese Junior College, Singapore, May 1999; Anglo-Chinese School-Independent, Singapore, April 1999.
Singapore Ministry of Education for the Singapore Youth Festival 1998
Workshop Leader, Joint Projects of University of the Philippines-Commission on Higher Education, April 1999. National Music Competitions for Young Artists and Department of Education, Culture, and Sports, Cebu Arts Council, Pilar Sala Foundation, and Himig Singers Foundation, 1990-99.
Chair of Choral Competitions, Choir Categories, National Music Competitions for Young Artists, (1990-1999)
AS CHORAL CONDUCTOR OF THE ATENEO COLLEGE GLEE CLUB
Grand Prix de la Ville Tours, Florilege Vocal de Tours 2000.
First Prize, Mixed Choir Category. Florilege Vocal de Tours, 2000.
First Prize, Free Programme Category, Florilege Vocal de Tours, 2000
Special Prix 2000, for the best rendition of a 20th century work, Florilege Vocal de Tours, 2000
Prix de Public, Florilege Vocal de Tours, 2000
First Prize, Folkloric Category, International Dia del Canto Coral, Cantonigros, Spain, 1983
Third Prize, Mixed Choir Category, International Dia del Canto Coral, Cantonigros, Spain, 1983
Fifth Prize, Mixed Choir Category, International Choral Competitions, Arezzo, Italy, 1983
Thirteen (13) International Concert Tours, with the Ateneo College Glee Club, traveling to England, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Guam, Canada, and the United States. 1979-2000.
Best Choral Album, LAHI, KATHA Awards (Conductor of the Ateneo College Glee Club), 1997.
National Champion, National Music Competitions for Young Artists, College Choir (Conductor of Ateneo College Glee Club), 1980.
British Council Visitorship Grantee, 1985.
AS CHORAL ARRANGER
Best Choral Arrangement of a Traditional Song, LAGI KITANG NAAALALA, KATHA Awards, 1997.
AS SINGER
Featured Soloist, Filipino Artist Series, Cultural Center of the Philippines, 1995.
Essayed the lead as Eugene Onegin in the opera, Eugene Onegin, by P.I. Tchaikovsky, 1998.
Essayed the role of Mercutio, in C. Gounod’s opera, Romeo and Juliet, 1996.
Essayed the role of Raoul, in A.L. Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, 1999.
Finalist, Metro Manila Popular Music Festival, “SWERTE-SWERTE LANG,” 1977.
Best Actor, as Francisco Pizarro, in Peter Shaffer’s “Royal Hunt of the Sun,” Iloilo Drama Association, 1976.
National Champion (Singer’s Category), PALIGSAHAN SA MUSIKA, Cultural Center of the Philippines, 1974.
AS ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR
Performed the Nutcracker Suite, Handel’s Messiah, John Rutter’s Magnificat, and Gloria, December 1989.
Performed Choruses from Haydn’s Creation and The Seasons, and Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, October 2000.
Performed for King Juan Carlos II and Queen Sofia of Spain, Cultural Center of the Philippines 1997.
Performed Mendelssohn’s Elijah, October 1999.
Conducted 20 performances of Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story, September to October 1998.
PARTIAL LIST OF MAJOR WORKS CONDUCTED
Felix Mendelssohn, Elijah
Felix Mendelssohn, Lobgesang
John Rutter, Magnificat
John Rutter, Gloria
John Rutter, Requiem
Geonyong Lee, Asian Mass
Leonard Bernstein, Chichester Psalms
Benjamin Britten, Rejoice in the Lamb
Benjamin Britten, Ode to St. Cecilia
Ludwig von Beethoven, An die Freude
Ludwig von Beethoven, Mass in C
Franz Josef Haydn, The Creation
Franz Josef Haydn, Orgelmesse
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Requiem
Georg Frideric Handel, The Messiah
Georg Frideric Handel, Utrecht Jubilate
Francis Poulenc, Stabat Mater
Francis Poulenc, Gloria
Francis Poulenc, Quatre chansons pour le temps de penitence
Francis Poulenc, Quatre chansons pour le temps de Noel
Maurice Ravel, Trois chansons
Einojuhanni Rautavaara, Suite de Lorca
Johannes Brahms, Liebeslieder Waltzer
Filipino Works
Francisco Feliciano, Ilawan sa Takipsilim
Francisco Feliciano, Missa Mysterium
Lucio San Pedro, The Redeemer
Antonio Molina, Misa Antoniana
Ryan Cayabyab, Misa
Ryan Cayabyab, Te Deum
Ryan Cayabyab, Eclesiastes 3
Josefino Toledo, Jr., Ako ang Daigdig
Ramon Santos, Centennial Piece for 6 choirs and orchestra
Lucio San Pedro, Sa Dalampasigan
Lucio San Pedro, Suite Pastorale
Lucresia Kasilag, In the Beginning
Ruben Federizon, Oremus
CHORAL COMPOSITIONS (Partial)
The Lord Is My Shepherd, for SSAATTBB
Sing to the Lord a New Song, for SSAATTBB
Tatlong Salmong Awit, for SSA
Awit sa Intramuros, for double choir
Hanggang Langit, for solo and double choir
A Song of Choices, for SATB divisi
To the Little Child, for SATB
CHORAL ARRANGEMENTS
Around 60 choral arrangements