Steven Lorenz - Musical Director & Conductor

Steven Lorenz began working with Measure for Measure in 2003 as the assistant conductor, and in 2007 began serving as music director and conductor. Mr. Lorenz is director of vocal music at South Lyon High School in the South Lyon Community School District, where he directs four curricular choirs, two extra-curricular choirs, and teaches advanced placement music theory.  During the summer, Mr. Lorenz is on the conducting faculty at the Interlochen Arts Camp.

 

Mr. Lorenz earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Carleton College and his Masters of Music from Michigan State University, studying conducting with Jonathan Reed and Lawrence Burnett.  Choirs prepared by Mr. Lorenz have appeared at the ACDA state convention and the Michigan Music Conference, and have sung under the batons of Enrique Diemecke, Arie Lipsky, David Rayl, and Leonard Riccinto.

 
Mr. Lorenz is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, Michigan School Vocal Music Association, and the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, Inc.  Past positions include Co-District Manager of MSVMA District IV, Assistant Conductor for the Grammy award-winning University Musical Society Choral Union, and on the adjunct music faculty at Oakland Community College.

 

Marcus LaPratt - Assistant Conductor

Marcus LaPratt became Measure for Measure's Assistant Director in September 2008. Working full-time from home as the Founder and Director of the nonprofit organization Singers Of United Lands , Marcus finds time to also serve as Minister of Music at First United Methodist Church of Dearborn. In addition, Marcus has found time for a number of special opportunities, including Tour Manager for the Jerusalem Academy Chamber Choir's 2-week USA tour, Recitalist and Lecturer with concerts in Indonesia, Adjunct Music Professor at Spring Arbor University, and Singer at Greenfield Village and The Tipping Point Theatre.

 

Immediately after finishing a Music Education degree at Albion College, Marcus moved to Florida and completed a M.M. degree in Voice Performance from the University of Florida. He began a 3-year teaching career in Florida before starting his own music business in 2002.

 

Marcus has toured with several music organizations to more than 20 countries on 5 continents. He can be found on page 103 of the 2009 Guinness Book of World Records™ for holding the record of “Longest Singing Marathon by an Individual” (75 hours). He and his wife Sylvia live in Dearborn.

 

Dr. Leonard Riccinto - Founding Conductor

Until his untimely death on December 11, 2006, Dr. Leonard L. Riccinto served as Professor of Music at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He directed the University and Chamber Choirs, supervised student teachers, and taught choral conducting and secondary school vocal methods. He has directed Measure for Measure from its founding in 1988.

Dr. Riccinto earned his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the University of Michigan School of Music. He was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree by Michigan State University in 1985. He is also a veteran of twenty years of public school teaching at the secondary level, holding positions in the Grosse Pointe and Battle Creek school systems in Michigan.

He was past president of the American Choral Directors Association - Michigan, and a member of the Michigan School Vocal Music Association. Dr. Riccinto was also the director of the Plymouth Oratorio Society, and served as a guest clinician and adjudicator.

On January 13, 2007, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to male choral singing in America, Dr. Leonard Riccinto was posthumously awarded the 2007 Marshall Bartholomew Award by the Intercollegiate Men's Choruses, a national association of male choruses.