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2024 ACDA Midwestern Region Conference February 7-10, 2024 Omaha, Nebraska

P er f orming C hoirs
Performing Choirs

Purdue University St. Michael-Albertville High School

Varsity Glee Club Concert Choir

The STMA High School Music program prides it-
With integrity and passion, the members of the Pur- self on excellence and inclusion for the over 500 stu-
due Varsity Glee Club have proudly served as ambas- dents that it serves. The STMA Concert Choir is one
sadors of Purdue University for 130 years. Under the of fifteen performing ensembles offered at STMA High
leadership of William E. Griffel, the Purdue Varsity School. Recent performance highlights include invi-
Glee Club has an established reputation for musical tational performances with American Public Media,
and academic excellence, representing diverse back- ACDA, and Minnesota MEA. STMA has enjoyed col-
grounds and hometowns, with majors ranging from laborative performances with numerous high schools,
engineering to education. Founded in 1893, the Pur- collegiate ensembles and professional ensembles. Up-
due Varsity Glee Club has inspired audiences across coming highlights for the 2023-2024 Concert Season
the globe and been invited to perform for six presiden- include performances with VOCES8, and the midwest
tial inaugurations. premiere of Christopher Tin’s The Lost Birds.

William E. Griffel is the director of Pur- Joe Osowski is one of two choral directors
due Musical Organizations at Purdue at St. Michael–Albertville High School.
University. He directs the internationally He holds a BME and MME from North
recognized Purdue Varsity Glee Club Dakota State University. At STMA High
and produces and directs the annual School, Osowski directs four curricular
Purdue Christmas Show. Griffel has traveled interna- ensembles, one co-curricular ensemble, and serves as
tionally both as a director and as a performer. As a the vocal director for the annual high school musical.
professional vocalist, his voice can be heard on many Osowski is also the conductor of Bring the Sing, a com-
commercial and professional recordings. In 2016, he munity singing initiative. He is in demand as a guest
was selected as a quarterfinalist for the Grammy Music conductor, clinician, and adjudicator. Osowski recently
Educator Award. He received his bachelor’s degrees in served as the Northeast District Chair for ACDA-MN.
music education and vocal performance from Viterbo He was selected as a conducting delegate representing
University in LaCrosse, WI, a master’s in vocal perfor- the United States for the 2017 International Conduc-
mance and a performance certificate in vocal perfor- tors Exchange Program.
mance from DePaul University in Chicago, IL.

44 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5