From the Board of Directors of Deo Cantamus

 

Dear Friends of Deo Cantamus,

 

As you may have noticed, Deo Cantamus will not be presenting our usual Give We Thanks concert this fall. Following the retirement of our Artistic and Executive Director, Al Hawkins, we recognized the need to pause and take time to prayerfully and thoughtfully plan for the future of the organization. We are deeply grateful for Al’s vision, leadership, and love for this ministry—without him, Deo Cantamus would not exist. While we step back this fall, we are committed to the ongoing health and success of Deo Cantamus of Minnesota. In the interim, we have been working to update our structure and have plans to resume our usual schedule with a spectacular spring performance. 

 

New Leadership

• Executive Director: Richard Joseph has been appointed as our Executive Director and will serve as the organization’s head operational manager and spokesperson. If you’ve attended a Deo Cantamus concert in recent years, you’ll know Richard as a gifted soloist—now he brings his talents to leadership as well.

• Artistic Directors: The role of Artistic Director will be shared by Josh Bauder and Raymond Graybar. Josh, a composer whose works have been a hallmark of Deo’s repertoire, continues to bring creativity and excellence. Raymond, well-known to our audiences as a soloist, contributes his expertise in pedagogy and program design.

 

Special Event This Fall

 

Several Deo Cantamus singers and board members are joining the choir for the premiere of Newton, a new oratorio by Artistic Director Josh Bauder. The work tells the story of John Newton and will benefit the ministry LimbFit.

• Performance: Saturday, October 25, at Bethel University

• Newtonconcert.com

 

Winter Program: Let the Children Praise

 

We are grateful that Al Hawkins will continue to lead Let the Children Praise, a beloved part of our annual rhythm. His heart for teaching children to sing to the Lord shines through in this program. Please mark your calendars for January 17, 2026.

 

Looking Ahead to Spring

 

Richard, Josh, and Raymond are collaborating on programming and logistics, and we cannot wait to share it with you. Save the date: Saturday, April 11, 2026.

 

We are thankful for each of you—singers, musicians, supporters, audience members, and friends—who have been part of Deo Cantamus through the years. Your encouragement and involvement ensure that our mission and vision will continue for many years to come. We look forward to walking into this new season together.

 

With gratitude,

The Board of Directors

Deo Cantamus