Dwight Jilek — Five Words or Less

Dwight Jilek is the Director of Choral Activities at Bemidji State University, and conducts the Bemidji Choir, the Bemidji Chamber Singers, and Musikanten. Dwight is also Artistic Director of Magnum Chorum in Minneapolis, MN, and has served as the Northwest District Chair and Collegiate Repertoire and Resources Coordinator for the Minnesota chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. Dr. Jilek completed his doctoral studies in Choral Conducting at the University of North Texas with a related field in Vocal Pedagogy. He conducted the UNT Concert Choir and received the Outstanding Graduate Conductor award in 2016. Dr. Jilek attended Michigan State University where he earned a master’s degree in Choral Conducting, was the assistant conductor to the Men’s Glee Club and State Singers, the Chorus Master for the Opera Theatre Program, and director of the Young Men’s Chorus for the Community Music School. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Music Education from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. Dr. Jilek was the Assistant Conductor to the Dallas Symphony Chorus from 2013-2016 and was Chorus Master for the Christmas with the Dallas Symphony series. He worked with Director, Joshua Habermann, to prepare choruses for Jaap van Zweden, Jacques Lacombe, Simone Young, Nick Carter, Larry Loh, and Tomáš Netopil. Before pursuing his graduate degrees, Dr. Jilek was vocal music director for six years (2005-2011) in Minnesota at Northfield High School where he oversaw five curricular and four extracurricular choirs, along with the curricular vocal lesson program. Under his direction, the Northfield Concert Choir was accepted by audition to perform in the inaugural Minnesota ACDA Choral Arts Finale (2006), the Minnesota State ACDA Convention (2007), the Minnesota MEA Convention (2008), and was a featured choir at the Luther College Choral Invitational (2007), and St. Olaf Choral Festival (2009). Dr. Jilek has been active as a singer, performing in the UNT A Cappella Choir, UNT Collegium Early Music Singers, the Michigan State University Chorale, Westminster Choir College Chamber Choir, Magnum Chorum, and Choral Arts Ensemble in Rochester, MN. He has over ten years of church music experience, most recently as the Traditional Choir and Adult Handbell Choir director at St. Andrew Catholic Parish in Fort Worth, TX. He lives in Bemidji with his wife Alyssa and five children.