Meet the Directors

Dr. Richard Joseph, Executive Director

Richard Lawrence Joseph, tenor, is an artist in the Twin Cities, having sung with the Minnesota Opera, Minnesota Chorale, Metropolitan Symphony, and the Lyra Baroque Orchestra.

Richard completed his D.M.A. in vocal performance at the University of Minnesota where he studied with Adriana Zabala. He holds a M.M. in Voice Performance from Florida State University and a B.A. in Music from Clearwater Christian College.

Over the last several years, Richard debuted with Vocal Essence in the role of Johnny Inkslinger in their revival production of Paul Bunyan. He sang Beethoven’s 9th symphony in his debut with the Minnesota Chorale and Metropolitan Symphony, St. Kate’s Choral society, and Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony. Richard sang with Mill City Summer Opera as a studio artist for two years and performed the role of Spoletta in Puccini’s Tosca during his third season with the company. He also sang the role of Fenton in the University Opera Theater’s production of Falstaff, and has sung several comprimario roles for Minnesota Opera.

Richard has sung with Deo Cantamus for over a decade and recently served on the Board of Directors. Now serving as the executive director, he is looking forward to helping Deo Cantamus grow and continue in its mission to serve, educate and promote worship through quality music.

soli deo gloria

Dr. Josh Bauder, Artistic Director

Josh Bauder is a Minneapolis-based composer, arranger, and music educator. His choral music has been performed by church, university, and community choirs across the United States and abroad. He has written for professional and semi-professional ensembles, including Indånde (flute, oboe, & piano) and Deo Cantamus of Minnesota (which premiered his 2014 oratorio Abraham and his 2017 oratorio Tyndale under conductor Al Hawkins). Bauder was awarded the 2010 Jerome Grant for New Music from the American Composers Forum, and his carol "Sleep Softly, Lullaby" won the 2015 VocalEssence Carol Contest. In 2017 Bauder completed two years as composer-in-residence at Grace University Lutheran Church, and he has recently fulfilled commissions from Fuller Seminary, the Twin Cities Master Chorale, the University of Minnesota Foundation, the Oratorio Society of Minnesota, the University of St. Thomas, and LimbFit International; the latter commissioned his third oratorio, Newton (2025).

Bauder holds a B.A. in music and philosophy from the University of St. Thomas, and he earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in music composition from the University of Minnesota. He has studied piano under Katherine Faricy; conducting under Angela Broeker, Matthew Mehaffey, and Kathy Romey; theory under David Damschroder; and composition under James Callahan and Alex Lubet. Bauder has conducted the annual MMTA Piano Honors Concert since 2022. He currently teaches theory and composition at the University of St. Thomas and the University of Northwestern - St. Paul.

Several of Bauder’s sacred choral octavos are published by the Fred Bock Company, and he self-publishes choral/orchestral and instrumental works. He has engraved scores for the Oratorio Society of Minnesota (Randall Thompson's Requiem), the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh (Haydn's "Insanae et vanae curae") and Religious Affections Ministries (Hymns to the Living God).

In his free time Bauder pursues interests in aesthetics, architecture, and fiction. He also serves as worship director at his church, Grace Bible Church of Monticello, Minnesota.

Raymond Graybar, Artistic Director

Al Hawkins, Conductor

Al Hawkins has been involved in music as a performer, conductor, and educator for over 40 years.He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in instrumental and vocal music education from Gustavus Adolphus College and a Master of Science degree in music education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Currently he teaches voice privately and is the Artistic Director for Deo Cantamus of Minnesota.

His teaching experience includes vocal and instrumental music for grades K-12, college, as well as community and church work with adults. He has served on the faculty for North Central University, Crown College, St. Cloud State University, the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University, and he has held high school positions at Armstrong High School (Robbinsdale, MN), fourteen years in New Ulm, MN, and similar positions in Ceylon & Gaylord MN and Lafayette, Indiana.

Choirs under his direction have performed for conventions of the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA), the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA), and the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP). They have also toured throughout the United States and Central Europe. In addition, he has been active as conductor and singer with several adult semi-professional choral ensembles including the Sibley County Choral Society, the Al Zinter Chorale, the Minnesota Valley Chorale, Nova Cantabile, the Minnesota Chorale, and most recently Deo Cantamus of Minnesota.

Al and his wife, Kay, are active members of Fourth Baptist Church in Plymouth, MN. They have three children and fourteen grandchildren.

“...God has blessed us in so many ways. It is my greatest joy to use the gifts and circumstances

He has provided to further glorify Him. To use music as a tool for teaching and encouraging holiness

is what I enjoy doing most. This takes a commitment to high standards that is often absent in the music

that contemporary society promotes. It is my goal to teach and conduct in a way that encourages

individuals to pursue the standards needed to perform at a level that inspires others and glorifies God...”