Dr. Trent A. Patterson is the Director of Choral Studies and Music Education in the Department of Music. Patterson is a veteran music educator with middle and high school teaching experience in the Orange County Public Schools (Orlando), one of the largest and most diverse school districts in the United States.
Under Patterson's direction, in March 2014 the Webster University Chamber Singers performed for the Southwestern Divisional American Choral Directors Association (SWACDA) conference in Little Rock, Arkansas. Two months prior in January, they were the headline college/university choir for the Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) conference at Tan-Tar-A. Recent large-scale choral works performed by the Webster Chamber Singers and Concert Choir include Britten's Cantata Misericordium, Rejoice in the Lamb, Copland's In the beginning, Orff's Carmina Burana, Schubert's Magnificat D.486, Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem, In Windsor Forest, and Vivaldi's Gloria RV 588. Both choirs have sung for eminent conductors Charlene Archibeque, Trey Jacobs, and David Rayl (November 2014) through Webster sponsored artist residencies. The Chamber Singers and Concert Choir are featured in the DVD, "How to Make a Good Choir Sound Great" with Charlene Archibeque, which is available through GIA Publications.
In addition to conducting the Webster University Chamber Singers and Concert Choir, Dr. Patterson teaches a freshman course in music education, choral conducting and literature, graduate choral conducting seminar, and advises undergraduate and graduate students in music education and choral conducting. He collaborates with a team of fourteen highly regarded St. Louis music educators and performers who serve as adjunct instructors for the University's noted program in music education. Dr. Patterson is in demand as a guest conductor, workshop clinician, and has served as an adjudicator for MSHAA festivals throughout the state of Missouri.
As a collaborative pianist, Patterson has performed throughout the United States and abroad and has served as vocal coach for many classical singers and choirs. From 2007-09, he served as pianist for the Michigan State University Women's Chamber Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Sandra Snow, appearing at the 2008 Central Division and 2009 National Conferences of the American Choral Directors Association. Patterson has served as an opera staff pianist at the American Institute of Musical Studies (Graz, Austria), where he previously was a Fisher-Tye Fellow studying vocal accompanying and German Lieder.
Patterson received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting from Michigan State University, Master of Arts in choral conducting from San Jose State University, and a Bachelor of Music in choral music education from The Florida State University. Dr. Patterson is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, Missouri Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, Missouri Music Educators Association, National Collegiate Choral Organization, and Chorus America. Since 2011, he has served as the choral director at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Webster Groves. He currently serves the Missouri Choral Directors Association as Repertoire and Standards Chair for college and university choirs.