University Professor (2015-2020)
Director, Choral Studies
Conductor, Collegiate Chorale
Conductor, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus and Dayton Philharmonic Chamber Choir
Director, CELIA, the Ohio Center of Excellence for Collaborative Education, Leadership & Innovation in the Arts
Conducting, choral literature, choral techniques. CELIA Events and Programs, arts administration, arts management
Office: Creative Arts Center 229
Studio: Creative Arts Center 087C
Hank Dahlman serves as Director of Choral Studies at Wright State University, where he is principal conductor of the WSU Collegiate Chorale, the university's premiere choral ensemble. In 2015, Dahlman was appointed to the rank of University Professor, the university's highest rank, held by only three faculty members at any one time. Dr, Dahlman is also the Director of CELIA, the Ohio Center of Excellence for Collaborative Education, Leadership & Innovation in the Arts, a unit of the College of Liberal Arts, based at Wright State University.
Wright State choirs under Dr. Dahlman's direction tour regularly in the U.S. and abroad, have been invited to sing for conferences of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and other professional organizations, and competed at the Champions Level of the 2012 World Choir Games. Choirs directed by Dahlman have also appeared on stage with such notable and varied performers as Anonymous 4, Leon Bates, Simon Carrington, Marvin Hamlisch, Keith Lockhart, and Kenny Rogers. Dahlman has prepared world or regional premieres of new works by such composers as William Bolcom, Jake Runestad, Robert Xavier Rodriquez, Steven Winteregg, James McCray, Drew Collins, Robert Yeager, and others. Dahlman’s ensembles have also prepared demonstration recordings of new choral works for nationally known music publishers, and have frequently appeared with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, including performances of the Britten War Requiem, the Brahms Requiem, the Bernstein MASS, the Stravinsky Mass, and numerous Bach motets and cantatas. WSU choirs under his direction have sung in some of the world's most prestigious venues, including St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, St. Mark’s Cathedral in Venice, St. Stephan's Cathedral in Vienna, the Salzburg Cathedral, the National Cathedral, St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center.
Director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus since 1996, Dahlman has served as a guest conductor with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, and founded the Dayton Philharmonic Chamber Choir in 2000. Dr. Dahlman conducted the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus in performance with professional orchestras such as the Czech Chamber Philharmonic in Prague and at the Salzburg Cathedral celebrating Mozart's 250th birthday in 2006. He conducted in his Carnegie Hall debut in 2008, and in June 2010 conducted the DPOC and other choirs in performance at Avery Fisher Hall in New York’s Lincoln Center. Recent professional conducting engagements have included the Mozart Requiem and Handel’s Messiah with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Dr. Dahlman has frquently served as a guest conductor, clinician, or adjudicator at festivals and conferences at the international, national, and regional levels. His Choral Pronunciation Guide to Carl Orff's Carmina Burana has been called an industry standard, and used by universities, professional orchestras, and choruses on five continents. Dahlman has published numerous reviews of choral repetoire and new recordings in Choral Journal, and is included as a chapter contributor to The Use of the Interrnational Phonetic Alphabet in the Choral Rehearsal, edited by Duane Karna. Dahlman is also active as a consultant and speaker relating to a variety of topics including arts administration, arts advocacy, multidisciplinary studies, curriculum development, faculty development, and leadership. Dahlman also served for over five years as the creator, producer and host of VOICES, radio program featuring landmarks in the development of the choral art, heard weekly on the stations of Discover Classical radio. Dahlman also served for over ten years in various leadership roles within the Central Division of the ACDA and the Ohio Choral Directors Association.
As the founding Director of CELIA, Dahlman oversees an extensive state-wide center of excellence which promotes multidisciplinary studies and community engagement in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. CELIA acts in four major ways to improve the quality of life at Wright State and in our region. First, CELIA encourages ongoing programs and special projects by sponsoring innovative collaborations between WSU arts programs and external partners. CELIA also fosters a vibrant community of leaders and scholars in the arts and humanities on the WSU campus through its innovative CELIA Fellows program. CELIA’s Distinguished Visiting Artist Series brings nationally and internationally renowned artists on campus for guest lectures, exhibits and performances. Finally, CELIA promotes future leadership and innovation in the arts through its highly popular Certificate in Arts Management program.
Most importantly, Hank is the fortunate husband of Cindy, and the proud father of James and Amanda, and their wonderful spouses.
