Artistic Director

Nicole Aldrich

Artistic Director Nicole Aldrich is a dedicated educator-performer with a background in piano and voice as well as conducting. She sees the conductor’s podium as more than a place to facilitate great music-making: it is also a platform for encouraging growth, understanding, and mutual trust among singers. The ultimate goal of this work is to create powerful shared experiences between ensemble and audience.

In addition to her work with Cantus Novus, Dr. Aldrich serves as Director of Chapel Music at Princeton University, where she directs the 65-voice Princeton University Chapel Choir and oversees a full calendar of concerts, worship services, and other special musical events. Before coming to Princeton, she served as Director of Choral Activities at Washington University in St. Louis for 10 years and held teaching positions at the University of Delaware and University of Maryland.

Dr. Aldrich has prepared choruses for Helmuth Rilling and Paul Goodwin, has conducted honor choirs in six states, and is a frequent guest clinician and lecturer on group vocal pedagogy. She has presented her research at state, regional, and national conferences of music educators. She earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from the University of Maryland, holds a master’s degree in conducting from Northwestern University, and studied piano and voice at Virginia Wesleyan College.

Accompanist

Jihye Park

Jihye is a native of S. Korea, where she earned a BA from Hanyang University in Seoul. She received an MA and a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD and a DMA in piano performance from Northwestern University in Chicago.

Jihye has wide accompaniment experience, ranging from vocal and instrumental collaborations, summer opera programs and serving as recital accompanist. Currently living in S. Brunswick, NJ, she is also a staff accompanist at Westminster Choir College and a piano instructor at Rutgers University Prep School.