Al Hawkins, Artistic Director

James Anderson, Executive Director
James Anderson holds a B.S. in Sacred Music from Faith Baptist Bible College, Ankeny, IA, and a M.M. in Choral Conducting from the University of Minnesota. He has also done additional study in theology at Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Plymouth, MN. He has served as a music pastor and is currently a member of Fourth Baptist Church in Plymouth, MN, where he is involved in both music and teaching ministries. He and his wife Marisa have two daughters, Noelle and Karina, and live in Crystal, MN. James’s musical interests include piano, conducting, and composition, and he has written and arranged several pieces for Deo Cantamus. James works as a courier for FedEx, and enjoys reading and spending time with his family.
Caleb Sandahl, Secretary
Caleb graduated from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in 2004 with a B.S. in Music, B.S. in Bible and a minor in Pastoral Studies. He also holds a M.S. Business Management from Colorado Technical University. During his college career, he sang with the traveling ensembles Hallelujah Voices and Singing His Praise. The Sandahls have served in music ministry at First Baptist Church in Faribault, MN for a period of  seven years. Caleb had been the choral director, and his wife, Sara, the accompanist for choir, congregation and special music. They are now members of First Baptist of Waterville, MN. Currently, Caleb teaches voice lessons and music theory, while Sara teaches private piano lessons. Together,they own and operate Expression Music Studio in Owatonna, MN. They have three children, Hope, Oliver and Chloe, two cats and their dog, Freddy.
Charlene Macalus, Treasurer
Charlene serves as secretary and treasurer of Deo Cantamus.  She earned a B.S. in business with concentrations in both management and marketing from Pensacola Christian College and is currently working on an MBA from Bethel University.  She is employed as a strategic sourcing manager at Cliffs Natural Resources in Duluth, MN and is a member of Faith Baptist Church in Hermantown, where she serves in the music ministry and in other areas.  In addition to the arts, her interests include reading, cooking, knitting, traveling, and drinking over-priced, sugar-packed coffee with friends.
Jeff Erickson, Director
Jeff graduated from Crown College in 2006 with B.S. in Music Education. While attending, he had the privilege of touring Europe twice with the Crown College Choir. He has been involved in music in a variety of venues including public and private school music and church worship music. Presently, Jeff enjoys teaching private piano lessons at Holy Spirit School in St. Paul, MN and substitute teaching. In his spare time, Jeff likes to compose music. He and his wife, Leah, live in White Bear Lake, MN. They have one son, Joseph, who was born into arms of Jesus in June 2011. Currently, they attend Bethlehem Baptist in Mounds View, MN.
Richard Jansma, Director
Richard graduated from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College with a BA in Secondary Music Education. He has directed several school and church choirs and is currently a member of the Gracepoint Church Choir, Deo Cantamus and Evangelion. Richard has also been a member of the Faithful Men Quartet for the past 14 years. He lives in North St Paul with his wife Chris. They have two grown children, Laura and Leah, and two growing grandchildren, Abi (12) and Amelia (7).
Brenda Johnson, Director
Brenda Johnson has loved music from the time she was a toddler. She received Bachelor's degrees in Elementary Education, Secondary English Education and Bible from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College and is finishing a M.A. in K-12 education at Bethel University. While serving on the faculty at Pillsbury, Brenda was excited to complete Music Theory courses as well as direct the handbell choir and participate in the college band which further broadened her musical knowledge and experience. Brenda teaches English, Math and Music at Prior Lake Christian Academy. After school, Brenda enjoys teaching private voice and piano lessons as well coaching volleyball. Music is an integral part of her life as she directs school choirs, teaches lessons, participates in vocal and instrumental music at church and sings with Deo Cantamus. In the summer of  2011, Brenda was privileged to be part of a missions team to Brazil where she led workshops as part of a music conference as well as ministered in concerts to the mission churches in the Sao Paulo area.
Sarah Joseph, Director
Sarah Joseph graduated from Clearwater Christian College with an associates degree in arts. While attending Clearwater she enjoyed performing in both the dramatic and musical productions and traveling with the concert choir. Currently, Sarah is employed by Wells Fargo Bank where she works as an investment consultant. She lives in Isanti, MN with her husband Richard. She enjoys opera, theatre, dance, traveling and spending time with family.  Sarah is a member of First Baptist Church in Saint Francis, MN where she and Richard are actively involved in the music ministry.
Dr. Dean Kurtz, Director
Dean holds a B.S. in Music Education and a B.S. in Bible from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College, in Owatonna MN, a M.Sac. Mus. from Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, FL, and a D. Min. from Calvary Baptist Seminary in Lansdale, PA. After 25 years in Lansdale as music pastor, teacher, and adjunct seminary professor Dean resigned from full time music ministry and spent a year writing the book God's Word, the Final Word on Worship and Music. Dean now lives in Watertown WI with his wife Brenda and two girls, Sarah and Colette. He is serving as adjunct professor at Maranatha Baptist Bible College and assistant Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Watertown. He speaks often on worship and church music here and abroad and enjoys the outdoors.
Jennifer Markgraf, Director
Jennifer graduated from Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Watertown, WI, with a Church Ministry/Music Major. She has taught elementary music and piano at Schaumburg Christian School in Schaumburg, IL, and Fourth Baptist Christian School in Plymouth, MN. In addition, she has taught piano privately for the past 15 years. She is currently a member of Fourth Baptist Church, where she is involved in the music ministry as a piano accompanist and director of the Junior Children's Choir. She lives in Plymouth, MN, with husband Eric and their three children, Morgen, Carsten, and Ethan.
Terry Veth, Director
Terry, has served as the executive director of Deo Cantamus, and holds a B.A. in Classics and a M.A. in Library Science from the University of Minnesota. He is a retired librarian and former department head at Minneapolis Public Library. He and his wife Ann live in Plymouth, MN, and have one married daughter. Terry has many years of musical training in piano and organ, but he has experience in brass, strings, and percussion as well.