Founder of Chorale Bel Canto, Stephen Gothold has been the group’s conductor and music director since 1981.  A graduate of Whittier College, Dr. Gothold was director of Choral Activities there from 1977 until his retirement in 2005.  He received his Master of Arts degree from Occidental College and Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California, where he served two years as visiting professor of choral music.  He is currently Director of Choral Activities at the University of La Verne.  Dr. Gothold is also Director of Music Ministries at the First United Methodist Church in Pasadena,  and teaches graduate level conducting at Claremont Graduate University.

Dr. Gothold studied under Helmuth Rilling at the International Bach Academy in Stuttgart, Germany and participated in the Oregon Bach Festival.  He also studied with Richard Lert,  Robert Shaw,  Frank Pooler,  and Charles Hirt.  He is  past president of the American Choral Directors Association, Southern California Chapter, and has served as an officer in other professional organizations.

For more than forty years Dr. Gothold has combined careers in concert music, music education, and musical theatre.  He has served as musical director for more than one hundred musical productions in educational, community, and professional theatre on both coasts, and was twice recipient of the Dramalogue Critics Circle Award.