David Thye (pronounced Tee), Principal Conductor-in-Residence with MidAmerica Productions in New York City, is a passionate conductor, educator, lecturer and clinician. While inspiring excellence through discipline and musical integrity, Dr. Thye consistently delivers cutting-edge "live" performances with sincerity, focus and enthusiasm. With over 30 years of leadership experience in music, Thye has conducted and managed numerous music and drama organizations, from elementary to high school, university to adults, and community to professional ensembles-encompassing such varied genres as jazz, symphonic works, musical theatre, opera and oratorio. At ease with conducting instrumentalists or vocalists, orchestras or choirs, he enjoys combining musical forces in performance. Having received his B.A. degree in Music Education and Voice from the University of Sioux Falls, Thye began his teaching career as a public school choral director. By 1992, he had earned both the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts Degrees in Choral Conducting from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music. He has studied with such noted teachers as Eph Ehly, Weston Noble, Margaret Hillis, Don Moses, LeRoy Pogemiller, Gerald Kemner, Glenn Block, Ron Nelson, Rod Walker, Kerchal Armstrong and many others. Dr. Thye has conducted, performed in, or produced over 100 oratorios, operas, or large-scale productions throughout his career. As an advocate for outstanding sacred music, Dr. Thye has been a significant force for musical excellence in the church. Opposing the musical mediocrity that threatens worship in today's church, he is committed to promoting the integrity of hymnody and textually deep songs of worship while utilizing the fine choral and instrumental talent often found in the church. With this philosophy, Thye has been Director of Music and Worship in several churches with weekly attendance ranging up to 5,000 people. These churches include First Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, First Mennonite Brethren Church in Wichita, Kansas, and Grace Community Church in Tempe, Arizona. Under Thye's direction, various high school, collegiate and professional choral organizations have been selected to perform in Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York City, in Los Angeles with the Young American's National Invitational Choral Festival, for the State Music Educators and ACDAs of Kansas, South Dakota, Montana and Arizona, and for the MENC North Central Convention. In recognition of his outstanding success as a choral director and educator, the University of Sioux Falls presented him with its Alumni Pacesetter Award. Before coming to MidAmerica Productions, Dr. Thye was Founder of the Southwestern College Music Department in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was Professor of Music, Director of Choral Activities, and Music Department Chairman until 2005. Additionally, he was Professor of Music and Voice, and Director of Choral Activities at both the University of Montana in Missoula and the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota. In addition to his work at MidAMerica Productions, Dr. Thye is the Robert L. Burton Chair of Graduate Conducting at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Chorus master of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Click here to close this window