Bio

Dr. Matheus Cruz is Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, where he conducts the UWSP Concert Choir and University Choir and teaches courses in choral music education and conducting. He also serves as Artistic Director of the Monteverdi Chorale in Stevens Point.

Originally from Brazil, Dr. Cruz earned his Bachelor of Music Education from the State University of Maringá and his Master of Music from the University of Missouri–Columbia, where he studied with Dr. Paul Crabb and Dr. Brandon Boyd. Prior to moving to the United States, he worked extensively as a K–12 public school music educator and directed community and church choirs throughout Paraná. He later received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Missouri–Kansas City.

In the United States, Dr. Cruz has maintained an active conducting career. He served as Chorus Master for the 2021–2022 production of Così fan tutte by Mozart and conducted staged performances of Handel’s Acis and Galatea in fall 2021. His artistic work reflects a strong commitment to collaborative music-making, student mentorship, and stylistically informed choral performance.

Dr. Cruz’s research centers on Brazilian choral music, with particular emphasis on the works of Osvaldo Lacerda (1927–2011) and José Maurício Nunes Garcia (1767–1830). His scholarly activities have resulted in publications, editorial projects, and leadership roles in major choral organizations in both Brazil and the United States. His publications include the Choral Journal article “Osvaldo Lacerda’s Choral Legacy: Shaping the Sounds of Brazilian Choral Music,” as well as “Choral Singing and the Elderly – Rehearsal as a Moment of Great Possibilities” (Brazilian Music Educators Association Magazine – ABEM, 2014) and “Choosing the Choral Repertoire: A Conductor’s Task?” (Música Hodie, 2016).

An active clinician and guest conductor, Dr. Cruz previously served as Repertoire and Resources Chair for World Music & Cultures for the American Choral Directors Association Southwestern Division (2020–2022). He regularly collaborates with festivals and educational programs in Brazil and the United States, including serving as choral director for major music festivals in Cascavel and Pato Bragado, Paraná, and as a clinician and instructor at the UW–Madison Summer Music Clinic. In addition to his work as a conductor and educator, Dr. Cruz is an active arranger of Brazilian music, with publications released by Pavane Publishing, Gentry Publications, La Voz Publishing, and MusicSpoke.