Meet the Performers

Music Director

Dr. Nathan Payant, Music Director

Nathan Payant is a devoted conductor, educator, and professional singer who strives to cultivate long-lasting connections with others through the choral arts. He has choral teaching and conducting experience at the middle school, high school, college, and professional levels. Currently, Nathan is an Instructor of Music at Colorado State University, where he directs the Concert Choir, mentors student teaching candidates, and teaches Voice Skills for Music Therapists, Foundations of Music Education, and Music Appreciation. He is also on the choral faculty at the University of Denver and conducts the Lamont Women’s Chorus and teaches Choral Literature.

A dedicated advocate for choral music education, Nathan is involved in NAfME, CMEA, ACDA, and CoACDA, placing special emphasis on encouraging lifelong singing. He is frequently invited to present lectures and reading sessions at state conferences, as well as visit and clinic at local high schools throughout the Front Range in Colorado. He has served on the Colorado All-State Choir Board, the Vocal Music Council of CMEA, and the Colorado ACDA Council as the Women’s Choir R&R Chair. He fully believes in promoting standards of the choral repertoire, as well as discovering and supporting newly composed works.

Nathan is a very active member of the professional choral community in Colorado. In addition to his work with Laudamus Chamber Chorale, he is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Anima Chamber Ensemble, General Manager of Colorado Bach Ensemble, and sings professionally with St. Martin’s Chamber Choir and Colorado Bach Ensemble. He is also honored to have several choral arrangements published through Hal Leonard Publishing.

A native of South Dakota, Nathan is a proud alumnus of Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD, where he earned a Bachelor of Music Education. He received his M.M. in Choral Conducting from Colorado State University and D.M.A. in Choral Conducting and Literature from University of Colorado, Boulder. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Nathan enjoys traveling and spending time with his beautiful wife, Natalie, and three daughters, Faythe, Ava, and Lilian.

Accompanist

Linda McGinn, Accompanist

Linda McGinn received Bachelor of Music Education and Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance degrees from Colorado State University, studying with James McCray and Robert Cavarra. She received an MA in Teaching from Grand Canyon University. Her 31 years of choral teaching included Thompson Valley HS in Loveland, Gunnison HS, Alamosa HS and Pueblo South HS. In addition to her teaching experience, Linda served as staff accompanist at Western State Colorado University, Adams State University and Colorado State University-Pueblo, and choral director at the Gunnison Community Church. Linda was a board member for both the Colorado Music Educators Association and the Colorado American Choral Directors Association and now serves as a judge for the Colorado All-State Choir auditions. Currently, she is collaborative pianist for the Loveland and Thompson Valley high school choirs. In 2013, Linda and her husband Wayne (retired college and high school football coach) returned to Loveland where they first met! They are most fortunate to have their grown children (Caitlin and Zack and their spouses) and grandson Killian also in the NoCo area.

Singers