Dr. Mark Shapiro

Dr. Mark Shapiro is Director of Choral Activities at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. A recipient of three ASCAP Adventurous Programming Awards, Dr. Shapiro is Artistic Director of Cantori New York and the Monmouth Civic Chorus, and Associate Conductor of the verismo opera company Teatro Grattacielo. He has conducted over sixty local, national and world premieres, and appeared with Conspirare and the Gregg Smith Singers in choral festivals presented by the National Endowment for the Arts. Under his direction Cantori New York appeared with Great Performers at Lincoln Center and World Financial Center Arts & Events; the group also performed in the inaugural season of Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall under Michael Tilson Thomas.

Dr. Shapiro's instrumental conducting engagements have included the Cygnus and New York Art Ensembles, Works & Process at the Guggenheim Museum, and PBS, where he was heard conducting the soundtrack for Ric Burns's special about New York; he has also conducted Nova Sinfonia, a chamber orchestra in Halifax. Opera and music theater appearances include American Opera Projects, the Center for Contemporary Opera, and Two River Theatre; in addition, Dr. Shapiro was Assistant Conductor for the Banff Centre's production of Alban Berg's Wozzeck, and conducted a rare performance of Sofia Gubaidulina's monumental cantata Perception at the Salle Cortot in Paris, in the presence of the composer.

Dr. Shapiro is Director of Conducting Studies at the European American Musical Alliance, a summer program in Paris. As a longtime faculty member of Mannes College The New School for Music, Dr. Shapiro conducted the Mannes Chorus at the United Nations and taught university lectures in music and science with New School Science Faculty. With Cantori New York, Dr. Shapiro has released commercial CDs on the Albany, Arsis, Newport Classics and PGM labels. His recording of music by the Swiss composer Frank Martin was an Editor's Choice in Opera News. Dr. Shapiro has been a panelist and clinician throughout the tri-state area.