Music Director

Nick Strimple

of the Los Angeles Zimriyah Chorale, has enjoyed a long, distinguished, and versatile career. Born in Amarillo, Texas, he was educated at Baylor University and the University of Southern California. As a guest conductor, he has performed with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Nuremberg Symphony, the Ensemble Orchestral d'Aquitaine, the Slovak Radio Orchestra, the Janacek Philharmonic, the Prague Radio Choir, the New York Oratorio Society, the Hans Sachs Chor, and the Oregon Bach Festival, among others.

His recordings of twentieth century choral music are released on the Music & Arts, and 4-Tay labels. His recording of Max Helfman's Die Naya Hagoda(with the Los Angeles Zimriyah Chorale, the Choral Society of Southern California and the YMF Debut Orchestra) was recently released on the Naxos label. He has also prepared choruses for some of the world's greatest conductors, including Zubin Mehta, Michael Tilson-Thomas and Erich Leinsdorf.

Dr. Strimple is well-known as a scholar whose interests include twentieth century music, Jewish music, the music of Dvorak and other Czech composers, and the aesthetics of sacred music. His critically acclaimed book, Choral Music in the Twentieth Century, was released in 2002. He is recognized internationally for his work with Shoah music. He has lectured on the subject at Yale University, Oxford University, Wellesley College, and other distinguished institutions, and served for ten years as a consultant to the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust. He has presented and performed Shoah music programs throughout the United States and Europe. During 2001-02, he served on the California State Legislature Working Group for Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Education, and currently serves as Vice President of the David Nowakowsky Foundation.

As a respected composer, Strimple has written concert and liturgical works, as well as film and television scores, and has served as arranger (mostly choral arranger) for Frank Sinatra, Rod Stewart, Air Supply, and other leading artists.

Nick Strimple also serves as Music Director of the Los Angeles Vocal & Instrumental Ensemble ("la vie"), Music Director of the Choral Society of Southern California, Minister of Music at Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church.  He is an Assistant Professor of Music in the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California.

Visit his personal website at www.nickstrimple.com