Dr. Chris Shepard Appointed to Replace Bruce, Associate Music Director Susan Saltus Also Retiring

After 28 years as the Founding Music Director of Con Brio Choral Society, Dr. Stephen Bruce of Groton has announced his retirement, commencing in July 2025. 

Dr. Bruce has directed the group since the organization’s founding in 1997. Under his baton, Con Brio has grown to be one of the leading choruses in the region, regularly performing to packed houses.

Dr. Bruce has also led eight highly successful European Concert Tours. Following his retirement, he will not be leaving, but will join the bass section, and will hold the honorary title of Music Director Emeritus. 

Also retiring in July 2025 will be Con Brio’s Associate Music Director Susan Saltus of Essex. Saltus has served in that role since 2009 with great distinction and has played many key roles in Con Brio’s success.  

Con Brio wishes to thank Stephen Bruce and Susan Saltus for their extraordinary service and looks forward to the 2024-2025 concert season, which will celebrate their unique contribution, culminating in Gala Farewell Concerts on April 5 and 6, 2025.

Appointment of New Music Director

Con Brio’s Board has announced the appointment of Dr. Chris Shepard of Clinton as its new Music Director, commencing in August 2025. He is a renowned choral conductor, voice coach, arts ambassador, pianist, organist, and distinguished Bach scholar.

In addition to this new position, Shepard continues—now in his 10th year—as Artistic Director of Connecticut Choral Artists (CONCORA), the state’s oldest professional choir and as Director of The Complete Bach, a project that will be America’s first presentation of all of Bach’s works. Based in Worcester, Mass. The project’s performances will occur over the next 11 years. 

Shepard is also in his 16th year as Music Director of the Worcester Chorus in Massachusetts.  

He holds degrees from the Hartt School, the Yale School of Music and the University of Sydney. He researched the performance history of Bach Mass in B Minor for his PhD—his dissertation won the American Choral Directors Association’s 2012 Julius Herford Prize for outstanding doctoral thesis in choral music.

For more information about Con Brio Choral Society, visit www.conbrio.org.

OLD LYME–The Lyme Art Association (LAA) is currently hosting three new shows, which are on view through July 18.

Featuring the work of LAA’s member artists, Expanding Visions includes everything from hyper-realism to abstract works in a memorable exhibition.

Running concurrently is the Hudson Valley Art Association’s 91st Annual Juried Exhibition.

Finally, celebrate the creativity of young artists with Hope Is the Thing with Feathers, a show that is inspired by Emily Dickinson’s poem of the same name.

The LAA offers workshops for painters of all levels. June’s workshop offerings include Steven Assael teaching portrait painting June 27-30; and Howard Park & Lisa Miceli lead Oil & Watercolor Plein Air on June 29-30. Founded in 1914 by the American Impressionists, the Lyme Art Association continues the tradition of exhibiting and selling representational artwork, as well as offering art instruction, lectures, and other community programs.

The LAA is located at 90 Lyme Street in Old Lyme, CT, in an iconic 1921 building designed by renowned architect Charles Adams Platt and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Admission is free. Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm.

For more information, visit www.lymeartassociation.org or call (860) 434-7802.