Choral conducting
Welcome to the University of Colorado Boulder graduate choral conducting program! Here you will find important information about our program and degree offerings.
The master’s and doctoral conducting program provides a wide variety of experiences that prepare our graduate conductors to function in conducting and teaching positions. We have three teaching assistantships that allow our graduate students to work with all areas of our comprehensive choral program. We have four choirs: CU Boulder Chamber Singers, CU Boulder University Choir, CU Boulder Treble Chorus and CU Boulder Festival Chorus. Our graduate students are involved in all aspects of the program as well as undergraduate conducting courses.
The CU Boulder choral program, founded in 1938 by Warner Imig, was the first formal area of study in the College of Music. In the 1960s, CU Boulder became one of the first universities in the nation to offer a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting. We are also proud to claim alumna Charlene Archibeque, who was the first woman in the world to earn the DMA in Choral Conducting (University of Colorado Boulder, 1969).
Upcoming choral events
Coreen Duffy
Coreen Duffy is associate professor of conducting and director of choral activities at the University of Colorado Boulder where she conducts the CU Boulder Chamber Singers and oversees the choral program. Her duties at the College of Music include leading the graduate program in choral conducting at both the master’s and doctoral levels. Duffy is also artistic director of the Seicento Baroque Ensemble, a Boulder-based semi-professional choral ensemble committed to working with period instruments and historically-informed performance practice. Prior to her appointment at CU Boulder, Duffy served on the faculties of the University of Montana and the University of Miami Frost School of Music. As director of choral activities at the University of Montana, Duffy conducted the Chamber Chorale and University Choir and served as Artistic Director of the Missoula Community Chorus. MORE
Elizabeth Swanson
Elizabeth Swanson is associate director of choral activities and associate professor of music at the University of Colorado Boulder where she conducts the University Choir and Treble Chorus. Under her direction, the University Choir was selected to perform at the 2025 National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conference at Cal State Fullerton and performed at the 2023 Colorado Music Educators Association Conference. A passionate educator, Swanson also teaches undergraduate conducting courses and serves on master's and doctoral committees. She oversaw the CU Boulder Choral Program as interim director for four semesters (2018-19; 2024), supervising all aspects of the program. In 2024, she received a university-wide Provost’s Faculty Achievement Award acknowledging her contributions to CU Boulder through scholarly and creative work, teaching, leadership and service. MORE
Contact
Coreen Duffy
Associate Professor of Conducting
Director, Choral Activities
coreen.duffy@colorado.edu