
RICHARD SPARKS
conductor

Events
2025
March 28–30
Conductor
Capella Romana — Rheinberger Cantus Missae & Frank La Rocca Requiem for the Forgotten
Seattle (St. James Cathedral), Portland (St. Mary's Cathedral), Lake Oswego (Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Parish)
April 26–27
Conductor
Bach Christmas Oratorio (Parts I–III)
Amherst Bach Festival
Amherst, MA
May 17
Co-conductor with Richard Nance and Raul Dominguez
40th Anniversary of the Pacific Lutheran University Choral Union, a community based “town-gown” choir founded by me and conducted by me from 1984 until 1993.
June 3–5
Residency
Northwestern University (Andrew Megill)
Conduct Lidholm a riveder le stelle and other Swedish works; lectures, masterclasses based on The Swedish Choral Miracle
Evanston, IL
October 17
Conductor
Montana All-State Choir
2024
February 10
Conductor
Frank La Rocca — Messe des Malades
Cathedral of Christ the Light
Oakland, CA
May 11
Conductor
Ubi Caritas by Ily Matthew Maniano
Wedding of Enrico Lagasca & Jonathan Stewart
Trinity Wall Street
New York, NY
2023
February 11
Conductor
Premiere: Frank La Rocca — Messe des Malades
Benedict XVI Choir
Cathedral of Christ the Light
Oakland, CA
August 13–18
Recording Sessions
Frank La Rocca — Messe des Malades & Requiem for the Forgotten
Benedict XVI Choir & Orchestra
Pacific Lutheran University, Lagerquist Hall
For Cappella Records
October 24
Conductor
Choral Arts Northwest 30th Anniversary Concert
(Co-conducted with Robert Bode and Timothy Westerhaus)
St. Mark’s Cathedral
Seattle, WA
2022
January 2–7
Recording
Frank La Rocca — Mass of the Americas
Benedict XVI Choir & Orchestra
New York, NY
For Capella Records
March 7–9
Residency
University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign (Andrew Megill)
Masterclasses, conducting choirs, coaching conductors
Urbana/Champaign, IL
June 5–10
Teaching
Baylor University International Choral Conducting Masterclass
Work with selected high-level conductors, developing conductors, and singers
Waco, TX
July 1
Conductor
Premiere: Frank La Rocca — Missa Junípero Serra
Benedict XVI Choir & Orchestra
San Francisco, CA
November 14–15
Conductor
Great Falls Choral Festival
Great Falls, MT
2021
November 6
Conductor
Premiere: Frank La Rocca — Requiem for the Homeless Dead
Benedict XVI Choir & Orchestra
St. Mary's Cathedral
San Francisco, CA
2020
February 2–4
Conductor
High Plains Honor Choir
Chadron, Nebraska
February 12–15
Texas Music Educator's Association Conference
San Antonio, TX
2019
February 27
Session Presenter
American Choral Director’s Association, National Conference
Kansas City, MO
March 4
Conductor
UNT University Singers & Concert Orchestra
Kirsten Broberg Odes of Praise (premiere); Antonín Dvořák Te Deum
Denton, TX
March 22
Conductor
UNT Collegium Singers & Guests
Buxtehude Membra Jesu Nostri
Denton, TX
April 2
Conductor
UNT University Singers
Denton, TX
April 4–6
Residency
Ball State University
Muncie, IN
April 12
Conductor
UNT Collegium Singers & Baroque Orchestra
Denton, TX
April 14
Guest Conductor
Spring Hill UMC
Handel Messiah, parts 2 and 3
June 2–8
Workshop Leader
Baylor International Choral Conducting Masterclass & Young Artist
Waco, TX
June 9–16
Boston Early Music Festival
Boston, MA
June 11
Conductor
UNT Collegium Singers & Baroque Orchestra
Boston, MA
November 2
Conductor
All Souls Mass
Duarte Lobo Requiem
San Francisco, CA
November 7–9
National Collegiate Choral Organization Conference
University of Maryland
November 16, 10 AM
Conductor
Frank LaRocca Mass of the Americas
Extraordinary Form Mass
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Washington, D.C.
December 6
Conductor
Advent Service
O Antiphons
San Francisco, CA
2018
April 12–16
Adjudicator
Music Alberta
Calgary, AB, Canada
May 18–19
Guest Conductor
Portland Symphonic Choir
Allan Bevan Nou goth; Frank Martin Mass
Portland, OR
July 1
Conductor
Pacific Lutheran University Choir of the West Alumni Choir
Seattle, WA
October 12
UNT Collegium Singers
Kyrie & Gloria, Antoine Brumel Earthquake Mass
Denton, TX
October 13
Guest Conductor
Choral Arts Northwest
25th Anniversary Concert
Seattle, WA
October 26
Guest Speaker
Uppsala University Choral Centre
Uppsala, Sweden
November 2–3
Head Clinician
Biola University
Biola Choral Festival
La Mirada, CA
November 13
Conductor
UNT University Singers Fall Concert
Denton, TX
November 30
Conductor
UNT Collegium Singers & Baroque Orchestra
Zelenka Te Deum
Denton, TX