Minnetonka Choral Society

Jere Lantz has served as the Music Director of Minnetonka Choral Society since 1993. During his career, he has earned a national reputation as both a choral and orchestral conductor. He is known for keeping the arts alive for audiences and performers alike, drawing music lovers of every taste while challenging and satisfying his musical collaborators.

After thirty-six  seasons as Music Director of the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra Maestro Lantz retired in 2022. Later that year, he conducted his final concerts with the Rochester Symphony Orchestra, where he conducted for 42 years, and St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra. In 2015 he stepped down after sixteen years as Choir Director of Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis.  He has been Music Director of the Minneapolis Chamber Symphony, and Kenwood Chamber Orchestra and has conducted such diverse ensembles as the Minnesota Orchestra, Minnesota Opera Company, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Chorale, Bach Society of Minnesota, Oratorio Society, Mankato Symphony, and Winona Symphony.

As a guest conductor, Lantz has appeared from coast to coast with, to name a few, the St. Louis Symphony, Syracuse Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Indianapolis Symphony, New Hampshire Music Festival and Tucson Symphony. Maestro Lantz has conducted internationally in Europe, South America, and Asia; in 1995 he was appointed honorary permanent guest conductor of the Wuhan Symphony in China.

Dedicated to breaking down the artificial barrier that divides audiences and performers, Jere Lantz is a master communicator, writing his own program notes and bringing the story behind the music to his audiences through his magnetic personality and engaging speaking style. Maestro Lantz is a graduate of Yale University, from which he holds the doctorate in conducting.  MCS is thrilled to be under his direction.