Benedict Sheehan

Conductor and composer Benedict Sheehan is an important figure in the growing field of Orthodox choral music in the U.S. Also active as an arranger, musicologist, and educator, Sheehan is artistic director of the Saint Tikhon Choir and has recorded several acclaimed albums with the group. Sheehan was born in Franconia, New Hampshire, in 1980. He was raised in the Orthodox church by parents who were converts to the religion. Sheehan attended Westminster Choir College at Princeton University, studying composition with Joel Phillips and graduating in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in composition and theory. He took conducting lessons with Russian Orthodox music specialist Vladimir Gorbik and then at the Bard College Conservatory with James Bagwell, earning a master's degree in conducting at that school in 2016. His conducting career began at Bard in 2014, when he led members of the Bard Graduate Vocal Arts Program with soprano Dawn Upshaw at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts. In between these two degrees, Sheehan earned a master's of divinity degree at St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in 2011. He has continued his association with St. Tikhon's, serving as artistic director of its choir and as director of music at St. Tikhon's Monastery and Seminary, and of the school's newly formed Artefact Ensemble, in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, where he lives with his family. He lectures on Orthodox church music, conducts workshops, and writes for several publications in the field. Sheehan is also a composer who has had several works published by Musica Russica and has written what he calls story scores that have been performed by the Skylark Vocal Ensemble; one of these, based on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, was recorded by Skylark and slated for release in late 2021. His style draws on Orthodox church music but also includes influences from folk styles and 20th century music. As a conductor, he has worked on several major recordings of Orthodox church music, including serving as chorus master on the multi-choir recording of Alexander Kastalsky's Memory Eternal (also known as the Requiem or Requiem for Fallen Brothers); that album was nominated for a Grammy award. Sheehan has been able to bring his work as conductor and composer together, recording his own Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (2020) and Vespers (2021) with the Saint Tikhon Choir on the Cappella Romana label.
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