Plymouth Oratorio Society
Our Conductors, Present and Past
Dr. Brian Altevogt
Brian L. Altevogt served as Chair of the Music Department, Professor of Music, and Director of Choirs at Concordia University, Ann Arbor for nearly 20 years beginning in 2003. In addition to his work with choirs, Dr. Altevogt has remained steadfast in his enthusiasm for music education and church music.
Currently, he teaches K-4 general music for the Milan Area Schools, is Director of Music at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor, accompanist for Ann Arbor Youth Chorale, and Artistic Director of the Plymouth Oratorio Society.
Prior to his arrival in Ann Arbor, Dr. Altevogt taught general music at the elementary level and directed high school and middle school choirs for public schools in Michigan and Indiana. He has served as Director of Music in churches in Michigan and Ohio.
Dr. Altevogt graduated with a BM in Music Education at the University of Michigan, received his MM in Choral Conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and DMA at the University of Michigan.
His work at Concordia included a wide range of creative activities, with performance tours to more than 25 states, international tours, multiple recordings, and musical collaborations with an array of professional and amateur ensembles and musicians. His choirs performed at more than one hundred churches and for important campus events.
In October 2017, Dr. Altevogt conducted a chorus of more than 1,100 singers in celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation in the Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State University in front of an audience of 13,000 people.
Dr. Altevogt has conducted festival choirs though out the Midwest and adjudicates choir and vocal festivals in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.
Brian lives in Saline with his wife, Lisa, and children, Jane Ellen, Claire, Kelsey, and Henry.
This is Dr. Altevogt's 1st year conducting the Plymouth Oratorio Society.
Dr. Richard Ingram
Richard Ingram is the retired choral director and chairman of the Music Department from Ann Arbor Huron High School. In addition, he is one of the founders and past conductors of the Ann Arbor Youth Chorale, a select treble voice choir. His college work at the University of Michigan included degrees in Music Education (BME), Choral Conducting (MME) and Vocal Performance (DMA).
Choirs under Dr. Ingram's direction have appeared throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, including New York's Carnegie Hall. His honors and leadership positions have included: Michigan School Vocal Music Association Teacher of the Year for 2007, Presidential Scholar Distinguished Teacher in 1997, President of the Michigan School Vocal Music Association (1995-1997) and MSVMA State Honors Choir Director in 1995. He currently serves the American Choral Directors Association as President-Elect.
The Huron High School A Capella Choir has completed four European tours including a 2006 appearance at the Verona, Italy Choral Competition, where they were awarded the Gold Trophy as the outstanding choir in their category, as well as a special judge's award. They have also performed ar state music conferences for MSVMA and ACDA in 1994, 2004 and 2005.
From 2000-2006, the Huron High School Music Department has been named as a Grammy Signature School five time, In 2003 they received Grammy Signature Gold rating, signifying it as one of the top seven high school music departments in the country.
Dr. Ingram served as conductor of the Plymouth Oratorio Society for 17 seasons.
Dr. Leonard Riccinto
Until his untimely death on December 11, 2006, Dr. Leonard L. Riccinto served as Professor of Music at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He directed the University and Chamber Choirs, supervised student teachers, and taught choral conducting and secondary school vocal methods. He directed Measure for Measure from its founding in 1988.
Dr. Riccinto earned his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the University of Michigan School of Music. He was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree by Michigan State University in 1985. He was also a veteran of twenty years of public school teaching at the secondary level, holding positions in the Grosse Pointe and Battle Creek school systems in Michigan.
He was past president of the American Choral Directors Association - Michigan, and a member of the Michigan School Vocal Music Association. Dr. Riccinto was also the director of the Plymouth Oratorio Society, and served as a guest clinician and adjudicator.
On January 13, 2007, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to male choral singing in America, Dr. Leonard Riccinto was posthumously awarded the 2007 Marshall Bartholomew Award by the Intercollegiate Men's Choruses, a national association of male choruses.
Robert Pratt
For 25 years, Robert Pratt was chairman of the music department, director of choral activities and founder of the music history portion of the humanities program at Pioneer High School. His name is listed on the Ann Arbor Public Schools’ Roll of Honor. He was also involved in a host of local musical endeavors, and conducted the annual Community “Messiah” Sing from 1988-2007.
Long active in church music, Pratt was director of music at Ann Arbor’s Zion Lutheran Church and conductor of the Chancel Choir at the First United Methodist Church. He was the founding conductor of the Plymouth Oratorio Society and also conducted the Ann Arbor Cantata Singers. His involvement with the Youth for Understanding Chorale from 1964-73 led to 10 tours of Europe and South America, appearing in major concert halls and on radio and TV. After the chorales ended, Pratt and his wife, Mary, spent a sabbatical year in Brazil studying Brazilian culture and music and conducting and teaching. He conducted a reunion concert of the Youth for Understanding Chorale in June 2008.
He received his degrees from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and the University of Michigan School of Music. He trained Huron High choral director Richard Ingram and Pioneer High choral director Ken Westerman.
A member, song leader and past president of the Ann Arbor Rotary Club, Pratt was designated an Honorary Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary's highest award, and was recently honored with emeritus status.
Robert Pratt passed away on November 30, 2009.