Dr. Maxine M. Asselin, Music Director and Conductor

We are honored that Dr. Maxine M. Asselin, Music Director and Conductor, has chosen to devote what would be considered an entire career to Jubilate Chorale.

Under her direction for over 30 years, the chorale has made one Canadian and three European concert tours performing in the former Yugoslavia, Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Denmark.

Dr. Asselin was the first judge from the United States selected to be a member of the XVI International Choir Competition of 2005 in Verona, Italy. This event, organized every year in Verona, is a cultural event considered one of the most important and prestigious of the region. Over 30 choirs from Italy, Croatia, Germany, Switzerland, France, Puerto Rico, Spain, Ireland, and the United States participated.

Dr. Asselin is Professor Emeritus of Bridgewater State College and received degrees in Voice Performance from Eastman School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, and in Music Education from the University of Connecticut.

Prior to her teaching career, Dr. Asselin sang professionally in New York and New England. She has appeared with such notable conductors as Pierre Monteaux, Eugene Ormandy, Leonard Bernstein,
and with the famed Robert Shaw Chorale.

Honors bestowed upon Dr. Asselin as a conductor and educator include listings in numerous Who’s Who editions: 2003 Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the East, Who’s Who of American Women, the international edition of Who’s Who of Women in Education, and other national and international directories.

Dr. Asselin is active in the American Choral Directors Association and has served the organization in elected state, division, and national leadership positions. She is a charter member of the National Endowment Trust Fund of the Association and served on that board until 1997. In 2005, Dr. Asselin concluded serving a second four-year term as National Treasurer. 

Mr. James Hay, Principal Accompanist

James Hay has a Graduate Performance Diploma (with Distinction) in Collaborative Piano from Longy School of Music. Previously, he studied Piano Performance at New England Conservatory of Music. His piano teachers include Wayman Chin, Yoriko Takahashi, and Gabriel Chodos. He has performed in Master Classes with Aube Tzerko, Victor Rosenbaum, Joan Panetti and Warren Jones.

He was Music Minister at St. Basil’s Chapel in Bridgewater, Organist at Universalist Unitarian Church of Brockton and Studio Accompanist at the Voice Studio of Lin Schuller. Presently, he is on the faculty as both Visiting Lecturer and Staff Accompanist at Bridgewater State University and as Staff Accompanist at U-Mass Dartmouth.

He is Accompanist of the Jubilate Chorale, Bridgewater State University Chorale, and U-Mass Dartmouth Chorale and Organist at First Baptist Church and Pearl Street United Methodist Church in Brockton. Mr. Hay is the Resident Accompanist for the McClosky Institute of Voice and an accompanist for Mass Theatrica. He is also the Recital Accompanist for several voice studios in Southeastern Massachusetts.

He has performed at the Music Mansion in Providence, Rhode Island and the Longfellow House in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mr. Hay was a winner of the Longy School of Music Honors Competition in 2006.

 

John Marraffa, Assistant Conductor

John Marraffa got his start in conducting when he asked Penny Knight, then in her first year as director of the Brockton High School Concert Choir, if he could help out and teach the choir a piece of music, and maybe even conduct it for an upcoming concert.  He went on to Westminster Choir College where he had the opportunity to sing choral works with mahile at Westminster, John was selected to conduct the annual Messiah sing before graduating with honors with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education.  After college, John directed the Franklin Federated Church Choir for four years.  He joined Jubilate Chorale in 1995.  Utilizing his training, Music Director Maxine Asselin has asked John to assist in rehearsals, leading sectional rehearsals and help with teaching parts.  When he is not singing or conducting, John is a hospital pharmacy technician. 


Susan St. Pierre, Assistant Conductor

Susan St. Pierre is honored to serve as the assistant director of the Jubilate Chorale.  She has spent her entire career working with students in the public schools of Brockton MA as a music specialist (Grades K – Grade 8).  Working with adults has expanded her experience and has been a real joy.  Along with being a classroom music specialist, she has directed numbers of middle school choirs, including the Brockton All City Children’s Choir and the “Carmina Burana” children’s choir, which performed with the Jubilate Chorale in the spring of 2007. Mrs. St. Pierre is delighted to have been a member of the chorale for many years and plans to continue singing for a long time to come.