About the Choir
Good Shepherd’s adult choir sings at most traditional worship services throughout the school year from September to June. Membership is open to all confirmed church members of any vocal skill level and experience who are dedicated to making high quality choral church music. Our repertoire represents the entire spectrum of musical styles and eras, from the Renaissance to the 21st Century, with anthems chosen for their solid artistic merit and their ability to reinforce and enhance the themes of the individual worship services. Our choir does not sing to entertain but for the glory of God and the deepening of our congregation’s worship experience.
About the Director
Hailing originally from Minnesota, Bruce Larson is a classically trained musician, having played piano since 7 years of age, and organ since his teens. He is a life-long church musician, always in LCA and ELCA congregations. Singing in church choirs wherever he lived, Bruce has regularly filled in as an organist and choir director as needed. He also has sung in semi-professional choirs in Minneapolis, Washington D.C., Atlanta, and Roanoke.
Bruce has a degree in Music from Lutheran-affiliated Gustavus Adolphus College. (Although Bruce says he always knew he would go on to law school and become a lawyer, he also wanted to get as much formal music education as possible to support his love of church music.) At Gustavus, he was a member of the concert (touring) choir and served as tenor section leader.
While Bruce has extensive training and experience in traditional worship, liturgy and music, he also was a founding member of a contemporary music ensemble at his church in Atlanta. He later served as the interim director of music for the praise (contemporary) worship service at his church in Roanoke.
Bruce next served many years as the regular adult choir director (and substitute organist) at his church In Rochester, Minnesota. While there, he also was responsible for mounting a production of Gian Carlo Menotti’s one-act opera Amahl and the Night Visitors, for which he served as music director and orchestra conductor. In addition, for several years he was the music director, vocal coach and orchestra conductor for a community-wide production of The Promise – a musical Passion Play that involved over 150 participants from more than two dozen area churches.
After moving to Maryland to be near his wife’s family, Bruce first served as the interim choir director, substitute pianist (contemporary service) and organist (traditional service) for a small Lutheran church in Jefferson. Before coming to Good Shepherd, Bruce served for 2 years as organist for Haven Lutheran Church in Hagerstown.
Apart from his musical activities, Bruce is an attorney specializing in immigration law. He currently works for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Personally, he and Judy have been married for 37 years and have two sons, two grandchildren, and a menagerie of rescue cats and dogs.
Bruce says he feels blessed to be a part of Good Shepherd’s important music ministry, and he is excited to collaborate with Pastor Dave, Organist James, and the many talented singers and other musicians in leading worship at our wonderful congregation!