Julian Wachner

Julian Wachner
Wachner in 2016 at the BRIC festival
Born1969
Alma materBoston University (BM, DMA)
Occupation(s)composer, conductor, choir director
Websitewww.julianwachner.com

Julian James Wachner (born September 23, 1969) is an American composer, conductor, and keyboardist. From 2011 to 2022, he served as the Director of Music and the Arts at Trinity Wall Street, conducting the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, the Trinity Baroque Orchestra, and NOVUS NY.[1] Wachner recorded five albums with these ensembles, primarily for the Musica Omnia label. From 2008 to 2017, he served as the Director of The Washington Chorus.[2][3] In March 2018, Wachner was named Artistic Director of the Grand Rapids Bach Festival, an affiliate of the Grand Rapids Symphony, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.[4]

As a guest conductor, he has led ensembles including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Juilliard Opera, and San Francisco Opera, and has participated in festivals including the Spoleto Festival USA, Glimmerglass Festival, Lincoln Center Festival, BAM Next Wave Festival, and the New York Philharmonic Biennial.[5] As a composer, he has published over 60 musical works (see below), many of which are sacred works for chorus.[6] His complete choral works to date were released in two volumes by Naxos Records in 2010 and 2014. Wachner is the author, with Kevin J. Moroney, of Psalms for All People: An Inclusive-Language Resource for Praying and Singing (Church Publishing) ISBN 9781640655614.

On March 13, 2022, The New York Times reported a sexual assault allegation against Wachner, relating to a 2014 incident.[7] Wachner had been put on leave on March 1, 2022, by Trinity Wall Street because of the allegation. He was fired on March 14. Wachner, through an attorney, denied the accusations.[8]

In 2020, Wachner became Professor of Music and the Arts at the General Theological Seminary in Chelsea, where his wife Emily Bloemker Wachner was the seminary's Lecturer in Pastoral Theology and Director of Integrative Programs until 2020.[9] On March 14, 2022, the General Theological Seminary removed all mentions of him from its website.[10] Wachner's website states that he currently resides in Indianapolis with his wife and two children.[11]

  1. ^ Trinity Wall Street. "Music & Arts." Accessed July 1, 2015.[1]
  2. ^ Anne Midgette. "Wachner to Head Washington Chorus." The Washington Post. April 1, 2008. Accessed July 1, 2015.[2]
  3. ^ Anne Midgette. "Wachner to leave Washington Chorus after 9 seasons." The Washington Post. February 24, 2016. Accessed March 14, 2022.[3]
  4. ^ Danielle Nelson. "Bach Festival hires Artistic Director." Grand Rapids Business Journal. March 16, 2018.[4] Archived 2018-04-05 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Sources:
    • David Patrick Stearns. "'Messiah' with Phila. Orchestra, Singers." Philadelphia Inquirer. December 16, 2008. Accessed August 6, 2015.[5]
    • James R. Oestreich. "Rethinking Further War." New York Times. November 21, 2013. Accessed August 7, 2015.[6]
    • Janos Gereben. "Conductor Switch for Partenope." San Francisco Classical Voice. September 23, 2014. Accessed August 6, 2015.[7]
    • Richard Dyer. "Classical Notes: Superconductor." Boston Globe. May 18, 2001. Accessed August 21, 2015. Archived[8]
    • Anthony Tommasini. "Four Trips to Hell and Back at the Opera." New York Times. August 7, 2007. Accessed August 6, 2015.[9]
    • Tommasini. "Audience Enters a Sightless World, Where Listening Becomes a Lifeline." New York Times. July 10, 2013. Accessed August 7, 2015.[10]
    • Brooklyn Academy of Music. "21c Liederabend." Accessed August 7, 2015.[11]
    • Mark Swed. "NY Phil Biennial laudable, yet in need of curatorial vision." Los Angeles Times. June 5, 2014. Accessed August 6, 2015.[12]
  6. ^ ECS Publishing. "Wachner, Julian." Accessed August 6, 2015.[13]
  7. ^ Hernández, Javier C. (March 14, 2022). "Amid Inquiry, Trinity Church's Conductor is Put on Leave". New York Times. Vol. 171, no. 59362. p. C5. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  8. ^ Hernández, Javier C. (March 15, 2022). "Trinity Church Fires Conductor". New York Times. p. C2.
  9. ^ Wachner, Julian, "An open letter to the arts community"
  10. ^ General Theological Seminary
  11. ^ Julian Wachner: Composer, Conductor