Conductor
Dr. David MacKenzie
Director, Mastersingers by the Sea
Dr. David MacKenzie brings a wealth of experience and artistic vision to our community. His more than 30 years of experience as a conductor, performing artist, and educator spans the gamut of orchestral music, opera, musical theater, and ballet. His passion for choral music began at an early age, and throughout his career he has maintained an active involvement in choral music. He has trained and conducted a broad spectrum of choral groups, ranging from small church choirs, to choral forces for large scale masterpieces of the choral-orchestral repertoire, to choruses for opera and musical theater productions.
Dr. MacKenzie is also Music Director and Conductor of The New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, Resident Conductor of Rogue Opera in Oregon and a frequent guest conductor with such orchestras as the National Symphony Orchestra of Peru, the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, and the Taegu Symphony Orchestra in South Korea. Dr. MacKenzie regularly presents conducting seminars at Javeriana University in Bogotá, Colombia and the National Conservatory of Peru, in Lima.
He was the founding Music Director of the Sandy Springs Chamber Orchestra (now the Georgia Philharmonic) from 1984-1986. Of his work with the Sandy Springs Chamber Orchestra, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said: “In just one year, David MacKenzie has built the Sandy Springs Chamber Orchestra into one of the treasures of Atlanta’s musical life.” He has also held positions as Director of Orchestras at the University of Kentucky, University of Northern Colorado (where his orchestras won several national awards), and Georgia State University.
Other positions include Principal Guest Conductor of Orquesta Sinfónica del Valle in Cali, Colombia, Associate Conductor of the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, and Assistant Conductor of the Lexington Philharmonic in Kentucky. In the world of opera and musical theater, he has conducted more than 50 opera and musical theater productions.
Dr. MacKenzie is passionately devoted to education and has been developing educational programs for children for over 20 years. He has pioneered a new form of educational opera for children with Rogue Opera in Oregon which is now presented annually to more than 20,000 elementary school children.
Dr. MacKenzie completed graduate studies at the Yale University School of Music, where he received the Doctor of Musical Arts, Master of Musical Arts, and Master of Music. He received the Bachelor of Music from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Randolph James
Assistant Director and Accompanist, Mastersingers by the Sea
Mr. James has served as guest choirmaster for Diocesan Choir Festivals, accompanist for several choir festivals, served on the faculty for "The Leadership Program for Musicians Serving Small Congregations" leading to the Presiding Bishop's Diploma in Church Music in the Episcopal Church, as well as serving on The Commission for Liturgy and Music, The Episcopal Dioceses' of Atlanta, Alabama and Florida. He has toured Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Belgium, England, Scotland, the Netherlands and Italy as organist and assisting director for choirs on tour.
Professional organizations include The American Guild of Organists and The Association of Anglican Musicians.
Mr. James is currently a student at the Boston Conservatory of Music completing a joint Undergraduate Degree and Masters of Music in Organ Performance. Mr. James' teachers have included:
- Dr. John Finney, The Boston Conservatory of Music; The Handel and Haydn Society of Boston - organ
- Dr. Betty Louise Lumby, The University of Montevallo - organ and harpsichord
- Dr. Michael Corzine, Florida State University - organ
- Dr. Paul Callaway, Washington National Cathedral - organ
- Dr. Timothy Wissler, Georgia State University - organ
- Mr. Richard Morris, Clayton College and State University - organ
- Dr. George Luktenberg, Clayton College and State University - harpsichord
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