With the recent retirement of founder and director Duain Wolfe, the Colorado Symphony Chorus is proud to announce a new leadership structure for their remaining 2024/25 Season performances. Taylor Martin has been named Chorus Director Designate and Conductor while Mary Louise Burke will serve as Associate Director and Conductor. Martin will assume the title of Chorus Director and Conductor starting in the 2025/26 Season.
“Leading the Colorado Symphony Chorus has been one of the greatest honor of my career,” said Wolfe, who now assumes the title of Founding Director and Conductor Laureate. “I’m confident Taylor and Mary Louise will continue this legacy with fresh energy and vision. They are both deeply committed musicians, and the Chorus will be in excellent hands in the years to come.”
Taylor made his podium debut with the Colorado Symphony in 2019 conducting their staged version of Handel’s Messiah, titled Messiah: Awakening. Now in his tenth season with the Colorado Symphony Chorus, he has frequently taken the podium during the holiday season for productions of A Colorado Christmas and Messiah. Taylor has prepared the Chorus for productions with the Colorado Symphony, and assisted in productions with New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Dallas Symphony, and he recently conducted a concert tour of Austria featuring works for chorus and organ, leading Anton Bruckner’s Te Deum with the Salzburg Domorchester. Known for his musical versatility, Taylor has prepared choruses for performances alongside Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, Al Green, and Josh Groban, among other critically acclaimed artists. He also serves as Artistic Director of ELUS Vocal Ensemble.
“It is an absolute privilege to follow in Duain Wolfe’s footsteps,” said Martin. “His remarkable leadership has shaped this Chorus into a world-class ensemble. I’ve learned so much from him over these last ten years and I’m honored to continue his legacy. I look forward to working alongside Mary Louise and with our talented singers and musicians to bring innovative and powerful choral performances to our community.”
Mary Louise Burke is in her 31st season with the Colorado Symphony Chorus. In addition to assisting Chorus Director Duain Wolfe for many years, she has also prepared the chorus for various Colorado Symphony pops concerts and special projects, including Too Hot to Handel. She is the Creative Director of the Symphony’s Colorado Christmas concerts. In the summer of 2022, she conducted the Symphony chorus on their concert tour of Austria. She has worked as the Associate Director of the Colorado Children’s Chorale, participating in hundreds of concerts and dozens of the Chorale’s regional, national and international tours. She was also Vocal Director of the Children’s Chorale, where she provided specialized vocal coaching and opera preparation. With an expertise in vocal technique, Burke frequently conducts seminars in vocal and choral techniques for area church and community choirs. She is the Vocal Advisor at Montview Presbyterian Church. She has a Doctorate in Voice Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Colorado.
“I am thrilled to support Taylor as Associate Director and continue working with this extraordinary group of singers,” said Burke. “The Colorado Symphony Chorus is a family, and together we will strive for artistic brilliance while honoring the rich tradition established by Duain Wolfe.”
Mark Cantrell, President & CEO of the Colorado Symphony, praised both incoming leaders:
“Duain Wolfe has left an indelible mark on the Colorado Symphony and the arts community at large. As we welcome Taylor and Mary Louise to these roles, I have no doubt their leadership will inspire the Chorus to reach new heights. This transition reflects our commitment to nurturing talent and innovation in every facet of the Symphony.”
Don’t miss the Colorado Symphony Chorus throughout the Colorado Symphony’s remaining 2024/25 Season concerts including in performances of A Colorado Christmas (December 13-15), A Symphonic Tribute to Mel Brooks (February 1), Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms (March 7-9), Orff’s Carmina Burana (April 4-6), Brahms’ Schicksalslied and Holst’s The Planets (May 2-4). For more information on the Colorado Symphony Chorus, visit coloradosymphony.org.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
For more information or to request interviews, please contact:
Nick Dobreff, Communications and Creative Director
ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org – 303.308.2477 (o)
For high-resolution, downloadable images of the Colorado Symphony, contact: ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org
Support for the 2024/25 Colorado Symphony Season is provided by: The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), Genesee Mountain Foundation, Denver Arts & Venues, Bonfils-Stanton
Foundation, Chamber Initiatives, and the Colorado Symphony Guild.
TICKETS:
Tickets to Colorado Symphony events are available online at coloradosymphony.org/tickets, by phone at 303.623.7876, and in person at the Boettcher Concert Hall Box Office, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1000 14th Street. The Box Office is open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, noon – 5 p.m., and two hours prior to each performance.
ABOUT THE COLORADO SYMPHONY
One of the leading orchestras in the United States, the Colorado Symphony Association is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization performing more than 150 concerts annually at Boettcher Concert Hall in downtown Denver and across Colorado. Led by Principal Conductor Peter Oundjian, the Colorado Symphony is home to eighty full-time musicians, representing more than a dozen nations, and regularly welcomes the most celebrated artists from the world of symphonic music and beyond. The orchestra celebrated its Centennial during the 2023/24 concert season. In the last year, the Colorado Symphony served over 340,000 people attending live performances at concert and non-traditional venues throughout Colorado’s Front Range. Recognized as an incubator of innovation, creativity, and excellence, the Colorado Symphony continually expands its reach through in-person and virtual education programs, outreach, and programming. The Colorado Symphony partners with the state’s leading musical artists, cultural organizations, corporations, foundations, sports teams, and individuals to expose diverse audiences to the transformative power of music. To learn more, visit coloradosymphony.org.