Donald Brinegar
ICCF
BIO
Donald Brinegar is a conductor, tenor soloist, voice instructor, educator and master class clinician. Professor Emeritus of Music at Pasadena City College, Brinegar directed the Choral Studies program at PCC for 36 years.
Brinegar also conducts the Donald Brinegar Singers, a community choral ensemble in Pasadena, California, Director of Choruses for the Pasadena Symphony and POPS, and adjunct professor of voice at PCC.
During the summers he is an adjunct professor of conducting and voice in the Cal State Los Angeles Master’s program in Choral conducting.
Brinegar has published five books. Among the five books are: “Pitch Perfect: A Theory and Practice of Choral Intonation,” “Conducting Primer: Seven Principles of Choral Conducting,” Conducting Primer in Practice.”
All the books have been hailed by leaders in the Choral Field as singular contributions to the field of Choral Music.
Brinegar has an extensive background as a performer both as a soloist and a conductor having performed throughout the United States, Japan, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and Canada.
Brinegar has performed as a featured soloist with Robert Shaw, Helmuth Rilling, Roger Wagner, Gerard Swartz, Murray Sidlin, Howard Swan, Charles Hirt, Rod Eichenberger, William Hall, Marvin Hamlisch, Michael Feinstein, and with numerous music festivals, orchestras and opera associations. He has collaborated artistically with Henry Mancini, Barry Manilow, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, John Delancie, and the Chieftains. His choirs have given five performances for the American Choral Directors Association Conferences, California Music Educators (MENC), Choral Conductors Guild, and have twice performed in Carnegie Hall, the Los Angeles Music Center, and the Hollywood Bowl.
Don holds degrees in music education and choral music from the University of Southern California where in 1985 he was named the Outstanding Graduate Student in the School of Music. He was named the Outstanding Teacher for Claremont Unified Schools in 1979 and has been twice nominated as the Outstanding Teacher at Pasadena City College.
In the fall of 2016, Brinegar was recognized by the Pasadena Symphony as their Artist of the Year. He has served as President and Treasurer for the Southern California Vocal Association (Awarded Life Member for Outstanding Service, 1981), Treasurer for the Western Division of the American Choral Directors Association, President of the Music Association of California Community Colleges, and Past-President of the Pasadena Sunrise Rotary Club.
Awards and Honors
Outstanding Ensemble Member – University of Southern California Chamber Singers, 1973 Teacher of the Year, Claremont Unified Schools, Claremont High School, 1979 Outstanding Graduate of the School of Music, University of Southern California MM, 1985 Outstanding Graduate Choral Music, University of Southern California 1985 Outstanding Ensemble Member, University of Southern California Chamber Singers 1985 Outstanding Teacher of the Year, Pasadena City College Nominated 1989, 2002, and 2014.
Professor Emeritus, Pasadena City College, 2015 Artist of the Year, Pasadena Symphony, 2016 Convention Honoree for ACDA Western Division, 2020 (for exceptional service to the field of Choral Music in the United States)
