Nathan Payant has been involved with Colorado Bach Ensemble since its inception as a singer and administrator. He is incredibly passionate about J.S. Bach’s work and CBE’s mission of promoting and performing this magnificent music at the highest artistic level for people in Colorado and beyond.
In addition to his work with CBE, Nathan is a devoted conductor, educator, and professional singer who strives to cultivate long-lasting connections with others through the choral arts. He has choral teaching and conducting experience at the middle school, high school, college, community, and professional levels. Nathan is an Instructor of Music at Colorado State University, where he directs the Concert Choir, teaches Conducting, Voice Skills for Music Therapists, Foundations of Music Education, and Music Appreciation. He is also the Director of Music and Arts at First United Methodist Church in Fort Collins.
A dedicated advocate for choral music education, Nathan is involved in NAfME, CMEA, ACDA, and CoACDA, placing special emphasis on encouraging lifelong singing. He is frequently invited to present lectures and reading sessions at state conferences, as well as visit and clinic at local high schools throughout the Front Range in Colorado. He has served on the Colorado All-State Choir Board, the Vocal Music Council of CMEA, and the Colorado ACDA Council as the Women’s Choir R&R Chair. He fully believes in promoting standards of the choral repertoire, as well as discovering and supporting newly composed works.
Nathan is a very active member of the professional choral community in Colorado. Currently, he is the Artistic Director of the Fort Collins community choir, Laudamus Chamber Chorale, as well as the Chorus Personnel Manager and singer in Colorado Bach Ensemble. He also has a passion for composing/arranging and has several choral arrangements published through Hal Leonard Publishing.
A native of South Dakota, Nathan is a proud alumnus of Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD, where he earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree. He received his Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Colorado State University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting and Literature from University of Colorado, Boulder. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Nathan enjoys traveling and spending time with his beautiful wife, Natalie, and three daughters, Faythe, Ava, and Lilian.