Michael C. Lister holds a Doctor of Arts degree in Choral Conducting at Ball State University, a Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance from Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and a Master of Music in Music Theory from Indiana University. For six years, Dr. Lister was the Director of Choirs at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, a private junior high and high school in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He has also served on the faculty of Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, and Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. For 12 years, Dr. Lister was a professor at the College of Saint Rose, where he conducted several choral ensembles, including the Masterworks Chorale, Madrigal Ensemble, and Musical Theater Workshop and taught courses in conducting, music education, and music theory.
Throughout his career, Dr. Lister has remained an active conductor, clinician, and performer. He has served as Guest Conductor for and as group adjudicator for various NYSSMA events. He has conducted several New York All County and Area All-State festivals, and his choirs have been featured in NYSSMA and New York ACDA conferences. Dr. Lister has also published several cd and book reviews in The American Organist and The Choral Journal and has presented at several regional and international conferences on male chorus music of the nineteenth century, the 20th century choral chanson, and singer placement in the male chorus.
In addition to serving as board member for the New York/American Choral Directors Association from 2009-2016 and the Empire State Youth Orchestra from 2018-2021, Dr. Lister maintains active membership in numerous organizations, including the National Association for Music Education, and the College Music Society, National Collegiate Choral Organization, and IMC Tenor-Bass Consortium. As a singer and pianist, Dr. Lister has performed regularly with Men and Boy Choir at The Cathedral of All Saints and as part of The College of Saint Rose Camerata. Dr. Lister currently serves as the Music Director of First Presbyterian Church in Albany, New York, where he also directs the First Friday Music and Art Concert Series.