David Mennicke
Conductor, Singer, Guest Choral Clinician/Adjudicator, Composer, Church Musician
David Mennicke is a highly awarded choral conductor and music educator with extensive experience regionally and internationalloy. His musical work has been primarily at the collegiate level and in church music. He is a published composer and professional singer. He is active in professional organizations and is in demand as a guest conductor, clinician, administrator, speaker, and writer.
Biography
Dr. David L. Mennicke has been engaged in music his entire life, growing up in northern Minnesota in a musical family. With degreesfrom St. Olaf College (B.A. in Vocal & Classroom Music Education) and the University of Arizona (Master of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts), he has studied with Kenneth Jennings, Maurice Skones, Dale Warland, Robert Shaw, and Helmuth Rilling.
His first teaching position was in Benson, Minnesota, where he directed the Vocal Music program at Benson Jr./Sr. High School. He served as Director of Choral Studies, Chapel Cantor, and Christmas Concert Coordinator at Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP) for over three decades, teaching choirs, conducting, church music, music education, private voice, and choral arranging, literature, and methods. He also served as CSP’s Music Department Chair, Coordinator of Music Ensembles & Recruitment, Academic Events Coordinator, and many years on the Faculty Senate and other committees.
The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) of Minnesota has honored Mennicke with these awards: “Outstanding Young Director” (1992), “Creative Programming Award” (1995), World Choral Symposium Grant (2014), and “Choral Director of the Year” (2016). Under his direction, the Christus Chorus of Concordia University, St. Paul appeared in state, regional, national, and international conferences, was a College/University National Finalist in the 2017 America Prize competition and enjoyed six collaborations with the Minnesota Orchestra.
Mennicke has conducted 425+ festivals/guest choirs in the U.S., Middle East, Europe, South Korea, and Africa, including: ACDA-MN All-State Children’s Choir, MMEA All-State Tenor/Bass Choir, Lutheran Summer Music, National Lutheran Choir. He has dozens of choral compositions (primarily with Morningstar Music Publishers) and scholarly articles and reviews published in various professional journals. He was a state and regional officer for numerous professional organizations.
A professional tenor singer, he been a member, soloist, and section leader in the Grammy-winning Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Chorale, and the Minnesota Beethoven Festival Chorale. He is currently a tenor section leader in the Minnesota Chorale.
Mennicke has been involved in church music his entire life, including conducting the Bethlehem Chorale and Men’s Choir at Bethlehem Lutheran Church-Twin Cities for 28 years. He began service June 2024 as the Director of Music and Choir Ministries at Crossview Lutheran Church in Edina. He is also currently the Coordinator of the St. Paul Outreach Center (a collaborative ministry of the 15 St. Paul churches and schools), Board Chair of 29:11 International Exchange (a Gospel music/reconciliation ensemble from South Africa), and member of the F.Melius Christiansen Endowment Fund Committee.
Mennicke continues to be active as a guest choral conductor/clinician/adjudicator locally, regionally, and internationally. He is husband to Katherine, father of Susanna (Jon), MaryLynn (Derek), and Christine (Dustin), and grandfather to Henrik, all of whom love music.