amante

Joseph Amante y Zapata
Director of Choral Activities

2007 ACDA National Convention pics

(2004-2005)

April 23-26, 2004, CCRI tour to Canada and choral international festival

October 16, 2004, Higher Education Day

November 2, 2004, ACHE Conference

December 11-12, 2004, Mozart Mass in c-minor with Westford Chorus

2005 Choir pics

2005 summer recording pics

December 11, 2005 Chorus&Ch. Singers at St. Ann Art Center

Rhode Island ACDA

The kids, Deere, etc.

My great grand-uncle, Emiliano Zapata

Dr. Joseph J. Amante y Zapata began musical studies as a piano major at Westminster Choir College, where he became interested in choral and church music. He holds a B.A. in Church Music from Point Loma Nazarene University, an M.M. in Choral Conducting from New England Conservatory of Music, and a D.M.A. in Choral Music from the University of Southern California. He has studied with Daniel Pinkham, John Glenn Paton, Joseph Flummerfelt, Lorna Cooke deVaron, Rodney Eichenberger, Gustav Meier, and the late Leonard Bernstein at Seranak, Tanglewood Music Center.

Originally from California, Mr. Amante directed several church music programs and community choirs in San Diego and Los Angeles, one choir appearing on the CBS show 48 Hours. He taught high school and elementary school music in Los Angeles, and served as music director for a popular 100+ member chorus known in Hollywood circles. After moving to the east coast, Mr. Amante served as assistant conductor for the Harvard Musical Association Orchestra and guest conductor for Saxa Versantia, an early music group in Boston.

From 1995-2001, Mr. Amante directed a parish choir and several community choirs in Massachusetts—The Westford Chorus, The Towne Singers, a group he founded, and The Merrimack Valley Chorale, which was honored to be invited to perform for a crowd of over 7,000 during the Lowell All-America City of Lights festival in 1999. Mr. Amante re-joined Westford Chorus to perform the bass solo for a CD recording of Mozart's Requiem.

Mr. Amante now resides in South Kingstown, Rhode Island where he is assistant professor of music and Director of Choral Activities at Community College of Rhode Island. In the few years he has been at CCRI, his choirs have performed the Beethoven 9th Symphony before the Music Educators National Conference, recorded Vivaldi's "Gloria" both under the direction of Ann Danis, and was awarded a plaque at an international music festival in Montreal, Canada. He was chosen Harvard University Library Scholar (2002) by the Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, and the following year he was selected Choir Director for the 2003 U.S. Scholar-Athlete Games. He was named to the board of directors of Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra (RICCO) in 2006. And he has just been listed in Who's Who in American Education (2007). Mr. Amante's memberships include Mu Phi Epsilon, MENC, National Association of Schools of Music, the Administrative Fellowship of Harvard University, National Council of La Raza, and Vice President for Rhode Island American Choral Directors Association. He directs the community choir West Bay Chorale, is music director at St. Francis de Sales Parish and his hobbies include viola, antique tractors and, of course, his two young children.