Bio
Matheus Cruz is the new Interim Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, where he conducts the UWSP Concert Choir and Choral Union and teaches academic courses in music education. Mr. Cruz has also been appointed as the new Interim Artistic Director of the Monteverdi Chorale at Stevens Point.
Born in Brazil, Cruz received his Bachelor of Music Education from the State University of Maringá and a master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he studied with Dr. Paul Crabb and Dr. Brandon Boyd. Before moving to the United States, Matheus worked as a K-12 public school teacher and directed community choruses and church choirs in the state of Paraná. He is currently a DMA candidate at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he studies with Dr. Jennaya Robison and Dr. Charles Robinson.
Professional Experience
- Conductor for Canticum Novum and the assistant conductor for the premier choral ensemble Conservatory Singers
- Taught choral arranging and basic conducting courses and served as the Chorus Master for the 2021/2022 opera productions Così fan Tutte by Mozart.
- Fall of 2021, he conducted the staged performances of Handel’s Acis and Galatea.
Research
Mr. Cruz’s research focuses on Brazilian choral music, particularly the choral works of Osvaldo Lacerda (1927-2011) and José Maurício Nunes Garcia (1767-1830). His scholarship interest has led to publications and leadership positions with important choral organizations in Brazil and abroad.
Publications
- “Choral Singing and the Elderly – Rehearsal as a Moment of Great Possibilities” was published in the Brazilian Music Educators Association Magazine (ABEM)- 2014.
- “Choosing the Choral Repertoire: A Conductor’s Task?” in the magazine Musica Hodie -2016.
Professional Memberships
- Matheus has served as the Repertoire and Resources Chair for World Music & Cultures for the ACDA Southwestern Division (2020-2022).
Mr. Cruz maintains an active schedule as a clinician for festivals in Brazil and the U.S. In Brazil, he serves as the choral director for two large music festivals in Cascavel and Pato Bragado, Paraná. Recent appearances include his work as a clinician and instructor for the 2022 UWMadison Summer Music Clinic. Aside from his work as a conductor and an educator, Matheus enjoys writing and performing his arrangements of Brazilian tunes.