PEV welcomes Ash Walker as Music Director

In a press release today, we proudly announced the appointment of choral conductor Ash Walker as PEV’s third music director in our 40-year history.

Here’s the official announcement:

BERKELEY, CALIF (July 30, 2020) – Pacific Edge Voices (PEV), the Berkeley-based chamber chorus known for its wide-ranging repertoire and artistic collaborations, today announced the appointment of Ash Walker as the ensemble’s new music director. Walker is the organization’s third music director, succeeding Dr. Lynne Morrow, who retired at the end of PEV’s 40th anniversary season in June 2020 after 15 years at the helm, and founding director Richard Grant.

“After an extensive search that became quite prolonged due to the coronavirus pandemic, we are absolutely delighted to welcome Ash as PEV’s next music director,” said Polly Winograd Ikonen, the president of PEV’s board. “In addition to his technical expertise as both a conductor and a vocalist, Ash brings a creative vision, artistic energy and deep commitment to community that is consistent with PEV’s mission and legacy and will undoubtedly drive us to break new ground. Naming a new artistic leader in this time of great uncertainty feels especially meaningful, as we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring a robust future for PEV and for the essential art of ensemble singing.”

Ash Walker currently serves as professor of voice at Las Positas College and as cantor and associate director of choirs at the Archdiocese of San Francisco. He completed a Masters degree in choral conducting at California State University East Bay. While there, Walker won the Trustees Scholarship and on two occasions co-presented research at the National American Choral Directors Association Conference with his mentor Dr. Buddy James. A Pennsylvania native, Walker began his musical career singing and touring internationally with the Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale. He attended Millersville University of Pennsylvania, where he completed a B.A. in music. While an undergraduate, he co-founded and directed the Men's Choir and served as vice president of the American Choral Directors Association, Lancaster Chapter.  In 2009, Ash founded and served as artistic director of the 'Music for Everyone' Lancaster Community Chorus, a community choir open to singers of every age and stage, with a mission of cultivating the power of community and music in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania.

 “I am thrilled to be joining this amazing family of talent and community. Pacific Edge Voices has a long tradition of performances that deliver new and exciting repertoire to our audiences. To become part of that tradition is a blessing,” said Walker. “It is important for singers in any choir to ‘listen louder’ than we sing to ensure our connection with one another as we create. I am eager to apply that principle of listening to our locality and beyond. We will be a voice for our community: echoing what we see around us through dynamic performances and working to be part of the change our world is experiencing. Many thanks to the members of PEV who worked tirelessly through the pandemic to ensure the continuity of this incredible ensemble. I also want to thank my mentor and friend Dr. Buddy James for all he has done to prepare students like me to take chances and be better than we ever expected.”