Anton Armstrong

Mentor

Anton Armstrong served on Chorus America’s board from 2008–2017, and rejoined in 2021. He is now Chorus America's board chair. Armstrong is the Tosdal Professor of Music at St. Olaf College, and became the fourth conductor of the St. Olaf Choir in 1990 after ten years in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he served on the faculty of Calvin College and led the Calvin College Alumni Choir, the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus and the St. Cecilia Youth Chorale. He is a graduate of St. Olaf College and earned advanced degrees at the University of Illinois (MM) and Michigan State University (DMA). He is editor of a multicultural choral series for Earthsongs Publications and co-editor (with John Ferguson) of the revised St. Olaf Choral Series for Augsburg Fortress Publishers. In June 1998, he began his tenure as founding conductor of the Oregon Bach Festival Stangeland Family Youth Choral Academy. 

Since 1990, Dr. Armstrong has served as artistic director of the St. Olaf Christmas Festival which features nearly 600 student musicians who are members of five St. Olaf choral ensembles and the St. Olaf Orchestra. Armstrong has received numerous awards for his outstanding work, including the 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award from Michigan State University and the Saltzman Award from the Oregon Bach Festival in June 2013.