Oshkosh Chamber Singers
Music Director
The Music Director is responsible for setting and achieving the artistic vision of Oshkosh Chamber Singers mission. He is accountable for all musical and artistic decisions, and, in conjunction with the OCS Board of Directors, conceptualizes, schedules, and produces the concert season. The Music Director serves as principal conductor. He serves as an ex officio member of the Board of Directors, and is directly responsible to the Board.
Music Director
Herb Berendsen was named Music Director of the Oshkosh Chamber Singers in 2016 after retiring from teaching 33 years in the public schools. He taught in Mission, South Dakota, Neenah, Ripon, and most recently at Oshkosh West High School beginning in 1997. His choirs have sung with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Oshkosh Symphony and Oshkosh Youth Symphony, and also joined with the Oshkosh Chamber Singers. He holds degrees from Wheaton College (Bachelor of Music Education) and a Master of Music from UW-Madison.
Since 2011, Herb has directed the MacDowell Male Chorus of Appleton, WI, celebrating its 90th year in 2024. Under his direction, the Oshkosh Chamber Singers was recently featured at the 2024 Wisconsin Choral Directors Association (WCDA) state conference. Herb is a proud member of the National Association for Music Education as well as the American Choral Directors Association. Through his involvement in these organizations, he has had the opportunity to work with some of the top conductors in the world. Herb also has chaired and co-chaired the NextDirection project, a national Choral Leadership Conference for High School and Collegiate students for 10 years, and has also served as the TB R&R Chair for WCDA. Herb is active as an accompanist, clinician, and voice coach. Herb is very grateful for the support of his wife, Madeline, his 3 children, and 5 grandchildren!
Music Director Emeritus
Dr. Carl Chapman served as Music Director of the Oshkosh Chamber Singers for 30 years, from its founding in 1985 through 2015.
Carl Chapman, D.M.A., M.M., B.M.E, was Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Before retiring in 2012, he was Chair of the Music Department and the Director of Choral Activities. He directed four of the University's five choral ensembles, including the one hundred-voice University Choir; Le Choeur de Femmes, a select chorus of women's voices; and the University Chamber Choir. The UW Oshkosh Choral Union, a combined force of nearly 200 singers, performed frequently with the Oshkosh Symphony Orchestra under Dr. Chapman's preparation.
Dr. Chapman received degrees in Music Education from Northwestern University, in Choral Conducting from the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral music from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was the Director of Vocal Music at Mukwonago High School (Mukwonago, Wisconsin) for nine years, and served as visiting lecturer at the University of Illinois before receiving his appointment at UW Oshkosh in 1981.
Dr. Chapman was very active in The American Choral Directors Association and was a past President of the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association. He was a frequent clinician for festival and honors choirs, as well as for high school and junior high school choirs.
Carl passed away on October 7, 2021. You may read his obituary and write on his tribute wall here.