Michael Semancik

Michael Semancik is an Assistant Professor and Director of Choirs and Orchestra at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland where he conducts the Chamber Singers, the Goucher Choral Society, and the Orchestra. In addition to his role at Goucher College, he is a doctoral candidate in Choral Conducting at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, studying with Dr. Patrick Gardner. He earned a M.M. in Choral Conducting at the University of Delaware under the direction of Dr. Paul D. Head and a B.S. in Music Education from Slippery Rock University.

Prior to his enrollment at Rutgers, Michael was the Director of Choral Activities at Morris Knolls High School in Rockaway, New Jersey for 11 years. Under Michael’s direction, the Morris Knolls Chorale–one of six choirs featuring over 275 choral students–received extensive awards and performed at a wide range of venues including the White House (2018), Carnegie Hall (2018, 2016, 2014), the American Choral Directors Association Eastern Division Convention (2016), the New Jersey Music Educators State Convention (2014), the National Association for Music Education Eastern Division Convention (2013), and Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center (2012). The choir completed three European tours and performed in concerts at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria; St. Peter's Church in Riga, Latvia; the Czech Museum of Music in Prague, Czech Republic; Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland; St. Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast, Northern Ireland; and the Jaani Church in Tallinn, Estonia.

Michael has been the guest conductor of the Delaware All-State Mixed Choir (2023), PMEA Region 1 Mixed Choir (2022), New Jersey Region 1 Mixed Chorus (2022, 2014), PMEA District 1 Honors Tenor/Bass Choir (2019), the New Jersey Region 2 Treble Choir (2018), the New Jersey All-State Treble Choir (2016), and the Sussex County Honor Choir (2011).  Additionally, Michael has been an adjudicator for choirs in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. He is extremely active in the American Choral Directors Association, recently serving as secretary for the State of New Jersey.