Matthew Culloton (1976), an American composer and is the Founding Artistic Director and Conductor of The Singers – Minnesota Choral Artists. In August 2010, Matthew became Choirmaster at The House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul. He holds degrees from Concordia College, Moorhead (B.M. in Music Education) and the University of Minnesota (M.M. in Choral Conducting, D.M.A. in Conducting). Matthew has studied conducting with René Clausen, Kathy Romey, Craig Kirchhoff, Paul Nesheim, Matthew Mehaffey, Mark Russell Smith, and Bruce Houglum. As a composer, Matthew has been commissioned by The Singers, the Dale Warland Singers, Choral Arts Ensemble of Rochester (MN), Ames Chamber Artists, Chanson, the Minnesota MMEA All-State Choir, and numerous high school, collegiate, and church choirs. He is co-editor of the Matthew and Michael Culloton Choral Series with Santa Barbara Publishing Company. He is also the editor of the Christmas with The Singers Choral Series published by MorningStar Music Publishers.His music is published by Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Hinshaw Music, Mark Foster Music (Shawnee),Kjos Music, and Graphite Publishing.Matthew is a contributing writer to Teaching Music Performance through Literature, Vols. 2 & 3, for which he writes repertoire resource guides in a collection alongside some of America’s most respected choral conductors. He has also been published in the Choral Journal, co-authoring a collection of interviews with some of today’s leading conductors. An experienced and celebrated music educator, Matthew is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Saint Thomas in St. Paul, teaching a graduate music course, Choral Repertoire for Mature Adolescent Voices. He began his teaching career in the Long Prairie – Grey Eagle School District. From 2000-2006, he was Director of Choral Activities at Hopkins High School, overseeing a choral program of six performing ensembles. His Hopkins Concert Choir performed at the 2002 and 2004 MN ACDA Fall Conventions and the 2005 MMEA Mid-Winter Clinic. In November 2004, Matthew was presented with the MN ACDA Outstanding Young Choral Conductor of the Year Award. In the fall of 2003, he was the recipient of the VocalEssence/ACDA of Minnesota Creative Programming Award for his work at Hopkins High School. From 2008-2011, he was conductor of the University of Minnesota Women’s Chorus. From 1999-2004, Matthew was a member of The Dale Warland Singers, having served as Music Adviser to Dale Warland, Assistant Conductor, and Bass Section Leader. As Warland’s Music Adviser, the two worked closely together on artistic programming and recording projects, including the editing preparation for that organization’s final four recordings.