“One of the goals of the choral experience is to reinforce in
ourselves and others the importance and impact of human voices united in the expression of the human spirit.”
This season Jim Elsberry celebrates 27 years as Artistic Director of the MasterSingers. During that time he has molded each edition of the group with his skills as a consummate teacher, composer, arranger, conductor and performer. His legacy is a vast number of choral works which have been
performed around the Midlands and across the United States. The primary beneficiaries of this musical largesse are the MasterSingers, our audience, and the Midland Lutheran College Choir, where Jim was the Director of Choral Studies from 1976 until 2007.
Bringing people together is a particular joy for Jim. He often tells us that one of the rewards of his efforts is putting 40 people in a room and asking them to sing the same note at the same time. “When you do that”, he says, “wonderful things can happen -
not just wonderful musical moments but great personal moments as well.”
Indeed, music has brought Jim Elsberry a host of friends and admirers. His musical reach far exceeds the Heartland. He is listed in “Who’s Who Among Teachers in America”, “Who’s Who in American Education” and is a 2004 inductee in the Nebraska Music Educators Hall of Fame. But, with all his accomplishments and recognitions, Jim is not resting on his laurels. He joyfully admits that he still has much more music in him. What a great thing for future MasterSingers and all who love the choral arts!