Richard Zielinski

Richard Zielinski has studied conducting with Donald Neuen, Don Moses and Jan Szyrocki. Dr. Zielinski holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Wisconsin, Masters degrees in choral conducting and vocal performance from the Eastman School of Music, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Illinois.

Dr. Zielinski is an associate professor and Director of Choral Activites at the University of South Florida School of Music (Tampa, USA) where he conducts the USF Chamber Singers, University Singers, teaches graduate choral conducting, and administers all choral activities.

In addition to this academic position, Richard serves as Music and Artistic Director of the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay (USA), a highly select 150-voice chorus designated as the principal chorus of The Florida Orchestra and artist-in-residence at the University of South Florida.
In October 2003 he was appointed conductor and artistic director of the internationally acclaimed Academic Choir of the Szezcin Technical University in honor of Jan Szyrocki” (Poland).

Richard has focused much of his research on choral rehearsal techniques and twentieth century music, specifcially Polish choral music. He has received awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Kosciuszko Foundation, and the Wilk’s Prizes for Research in Polish Music. He has recently published a chapter in a book of studies, After Chopin: Essays In Polish Music, Dr. Maria Anna Harley, editor, entitled Karol Szymanowski’s “Stabat Mater.”

He is artistic director of the International Festival of Choral Song in Międzyzdroje (Poland), Assistant Conductor and Chorusmaster for the Classical Musical Festival in Eisenstadt (Austria) and has served for 10 years as the Artistic Director and conductor of the Fond du Lac Summer Music Festival and Philharmonic Orchestra in Wisconsin. Richard has directed choral programs at universities in Indiana, New York, and Georgia. He has also served as Music Director for the Elgin Choral Union (Illinois, USA), Vermilion Festival Chorus (Illinois, USA), Choral Guild of Atlanta (Georgia, USA), and Terre Haute Masterworks Chorale (Indiana, USA). He has worked with composers Samuel Adler, Libby Larsen, James Oliverio, and Krystoff Penderecki while participating in numerous North American and international music festivals and competitions.

Dr. Zielinski has been a conductor of In Terra Pax since 2001; in June 2003 he was appointed Artistic Director and chief conductor of the choir.