About…The Conductor

Thanks to our demonstrated achievements and potential, we have attracted outstanding conductors to our podiums for over 40 years of existence. Since 1996, our director has been Dr. William Payn, professor of music at Bucknell University; his immediate predecessor (1972 - 1996) was Cyril Stretansky, professor of music at Susquehanna University. The Chorale has also sung with the Williamsport Symphony under its director-conductor, Robin Fountain, and with the world-renowned Paragon Ragtime Orchestra under its founder and director-conductor, Rick Benjamin. Our always eagerly anticipated and well-received Pops Concerts owe much of their success to our sharing the stage with the Jack Fries Stage Band.

DR. WILLIAM A. PAYN

Dr. William A. Payn has been the Music Director and Conductor of the Susquehanna Valley Chorale and Orchestra since 1996. In addition to his work with the Chorale, he is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at Bucknell University, where he has been a member of the faculty since 1982. His responsibilities there include conducting the Rooke Chapel Choir, the Bucknell University Chorale, and the Rooke Chapel Ringers. In June 2001, Bucknell University awarded D. Payn the "Class of '56 Lectureship" for inspirational teaching.

Dr. Payn received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, where in May, 1996, he received the alumni's Distinguished Merit Award. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in organ and harpsichord literature, graduating summa cum laude from West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV.

In addition to his conducting work, Dr. Payn has achieved prominence as a composer. He currently has 30 published works, including a new work, Heart Melodies, distributed by Paradigm Press and performed by the Phoenix Symphony in 2003.