Staff & Board

Dr. Stan Hill, Artistic Director

Dr. Stan Hill became the Chorus' fourth Artistic Director on August 1, 2000 after serving eleven years as the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. He received his doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His doctoral dissertation on the voice has been adapted for use by the music faculty at California State University, Fullerton. Portions of his thesis have also been published in the Journal of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and have been used in two NATS symposia. A native of Southern California, Stan earned his BM and MM in conducting degrees from CSU-Fullerton, where he studied with David Thorsen and Harold Decker.

Stan, in his third decade as a choral director, has conducted in the public schools for eleven years, the University of Illinois for two years, CSU-Fullerton for five years, was previously on the voice faculty at CSU-Fullerton where he conducted all the choirs offered and has maintained a private voice studio in his home.

A dynamic conductor, arranger, clinician and vocal coach, Stan's career spans the elementary, secondary, university, church and community choral spectrums at which he has conducted every configuration of vocal ensemble and chorus in concert with every combination of instrumentation from small ensembles to full symphony orchestra. Stan is a member of NATS, ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) and is well known in choral circles for his witty, humanist and iconoclastic approach to conducting.

Hill has commissioned some of GALA's (Gay and Lesbian Choruses Association) most successful repertoire including NakedMan, Exile, ExtrABBAganza, Misbehavin'! and Metamorphosis. He has produced thirteen CDs, two videos and countless arrangements for men's choruses.

Stephanie can be reached at: shill@tcgmc.org and 612-339-7664

Jon Lewis, Executive Director

Jon Lewis comes to TCGMC after 20 years of law practice, mostly in the areas of small business and non-profit law. Two years ago, Jon made the switch from lawyer to arts administrator by working as the Executive Director of the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS). Prior to this, Jon served on and advised many non-profit boards throughout the Twin Cities community.

A native of Ames, Iowa, Jon graduated from St. Olaf College, where he met his wife, Lisa, played percussion with the St. Olaf Orchestra, and sang in the Campus Choir. After St. Olaf, Jon obtained his law degree at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. For the past 10 years, Jon has played percussion with the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra (MSO), which plays free concerts throughout the Twin Cities. Jon served on the MSO Board for six years, the final two as President.

Jon and Lisa reside in South Minneapolis in the Lyndale neighborhood with their two cats.

Jon can be reached at: jlewis@tcgmc.org and 612.339.7664

Christopher Taykalo, Marketing and Development Manager

Christopher Taykalo (pronounced Ty-kuh-low) has been working in marketing and communications for 11 years in the Minneapolis/St. Paul community. He has worked in Marketing and Communications at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in downtown St. Paul, as the Education Manager for the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, and most recently worked as the Community Relations Director for Disney/ABC Radio (KQRS, 93X, Drive 105, and Radio Disney) in Minneapolis. Currently, Taykalo volunteers his time to lead the PR efforts for the Pride Festival. This is his second year as PR Director for the Pride Festival. He is an active member of the Minneapolis University Rotary Club, serves on the Board of Directors for Pangea World Theater, and will chair their annual benefit gala for the third time in May 2008. Christopher also does freelance acting and voice-over work. He is a 2007 graduate of the Leadership Twin Cities program produced by the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, and a graduate of St. Olaf College with a BA in Speech-Theater and English. He and his partner, Michael-jon Pease, live in the Crocus Hill neighborhood in St. Paul with their two cats, Toast and Stanford.

Christopher can be reached at: ctaykalo@tcgmc.org and 612-339-7664

Stephanie Gaw, Office Manager

Stephanie can be reached at: sgaw@tcgmc.org and 612-339-7664

Timothy De Prey, Principal Accompanist

The holiday concert begins Timothy’s 15th season as Principal Accompanist for the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus. Throughout his career with the Chorus, he has been in demand as an accompanist for GALA (Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses). In the summer of 1998, he was chosen to be the accompanist for the Festival Chorus at the Gay Games in Amsterdam and in the summer of 2000 was chosen to be the accompanist for the Festival Men’s Chorus at Festival 2000 in San Jose, under the direction of Grammy winning director, Vance George.

De Prey can be heard on 7 of the TCGMC’s CDs, on Proud and Peaceful, a CD of solo piano music from pianists with GALA and on his own solo CD, In the Evening Air, a collection of nocturnes, lullabies and night songs.

Timothy is the Director of Individual Instruction and Music Therapy at the MacPhail Center for Music. De Prey has a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Music Therapy from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, is a board certified - music therapist and has a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the University of Minnesota. His many credits include the role of the accompanist in Park Square Theatre’s production of Master Class, the Minnesota Opera, Opera 101, the College of St. Catherine’s, The Calhoun Beach Club, Bryant Lake Bowl and the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire’s Statesmen Men’s Chorus under the direction of Morris Hayes.

TCGMC Board of Directors

Kerry Severson, Board Chair
Stephanie Meredith, Board Vice Chair
Pamela Clayton, Treasurer
Eric Olmscheid, Secretary
Steve Dahl, Membership President
Jason Schuck, Membership Vice President
Paul Blom
Curtis Blomberg
Jeffrey Bores
Lois Carlson
Vincent Doyle
Mike Ferguson
Shawn Frank
Jeff Heine
Sean Kennedy
Nancy Kluver
Brian Marquis
Jay Olson
David Schwarz
Mick Smuk
Eric Strack
Kelly Weber
David K. Wells, III