Get to know our directors
Chris Albanese
Director of the Singing Hoosiers
Chris Albanese is a Pam and Jack Burks Assistant Professor of Choral Conducting and associate professor of music in choral conducting at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he directs the Grammy-nominated Singing Hoosiers and teaches courses in choral conducting.
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Ben Wegner
Assistant Conductor
Benjamin Wegner is a choral conductor, educator, vocalist, and composer currently pursuing a Doctor of Music in Choral Conducting at Indiana University. He is thrilled to serve as Interim Principal Conductor for the Singing Hoosiers and this year’s Holiday Chimes, and is also the Choir Director at St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Bloomington, Indiana. Previously, Ben was Director of Choirs at St. Edmond Catholic School in Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he led two curricular high school ensembles, a co-curricular show choir, an extracurricular chamber choir, the 7th–8th grade choir, and the school musical. Under his direction, many students received state honors and festival awards. Ben earned his B.A. in Music from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and his M.M. in Choral Conducting from the University of Minnesota, where he co-directed the 100-voice Campus Singers–Maroon. He is a member of the American Choral Directors Association and a published composer with MorningStar Music. His works have been performed by professional, community, school, and church choirs across the United States. As a performer, he has sung with the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, The Singers–Minnesota Choral Artists, and the Bach Society of Minnesota.
Lida Bourhill
Assistant Conductor
Lida Bourhill is a second year master’s student of choral conducting at Indiana University. She currently studies choral conducting with Drs. Dominick DiOrio, Betsy Burleigh, Carolann Buff, Chris Albanese, and Professor Walter Huff. At IU, Lida enjoys conducting the Conductor’s Chorus, singing in multiple choral ensembles, and collaborating with other students and professionals on interdisciplinary projects. She also serves as the Music Director at First Presbyterian Church, Bloomington. Before coming to Bloomington, Lida worked for four years as a public school chorus teacher near Richmond, Virginia. Primarily, she taught middle school chorus, and found a passion in teaching music to children. She also served as the Assistant Music Director at River Road Presbyterian in Virginia, where she enjoyed conducting the adult choir and working with the children’s chorus. Additionally, she directed the Richmond, Virginia Recovery Ally Choir, a choir created for those in recovery from substance use disorders and their allies. Lida studied conducting with Dr. Erin Freeman, piano with Daniel Stipe, and voice with Margaret Woods, Melanie Kohn Day, and Michelle Harman-Gulick. She has twice attended the Summer Choral Conducting Symposium at the University of Michigan, where she studied with Dr. Eugene Rogers. Lida earned a Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020. She is passionate about music education, facilitating community building through music, and pursuing excellence. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, playing tennis, and trying new restaurants.
Ryan Block
Accompanist
Ryan Block has spent the entirety of his career collaborating with others as a conductor, vocalist, collaborative pianist, and composer. Some of his recent accomplishments are having a world premiere with Cincinnati’s Vocal Art Ensemble, being a Professional Vocal Fellow with world-renowned vocal ensemble Gallicantus, and performing J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Block is the recipient of Ruth and Raymond Young Prize (MCHaT Composition Competition), a Downbeat Award, as well as Grand Prix winner at the Monterey Jazz Festival and Kaunas Cantat International Choir Festival. He has headlined performances in the United States, Canada, and Europe and his voice can be heard on demo recordings from Alfred Music. He has also performed alongside a wide range of artists including Ben Folds, The Real Group, Randy Brecker, Kurt Elling, Voces8, New York Voices, and Chico Pinheiro. Ryan has also performed as a concertist on several occasions with The Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin. As a collaborative pianist, his name can be seen in MSVMA Regional and State Honors Choirs performances, as a former member of the pop/funk cover group Retro Pop Shuffle, as well as a staff member and accompanist for Showchoir Camps of America.