Ep. 52 - Immersing Yourself in the Music of a New Culture - John W Mathre

"The choir totally operates in Estonian. Luckily I think my musicianship is good enough that I can fall back on those skills even when I don't understand most of what the conductor says in rehearsals. When we start singing again, I can pick it up and improve on what we're doing. Sometimes I get what's happening based on context, and I'm also learning the language enough to pick up on what's going on."John William (or JW) Mathre is a full-time professional singer living in Tallinn, Estonia. Originally from Taylorsville, KY, he completed a dual emphasis Bachelor of Music degree in Music Theory/Composition and Music Industry from Eastern Kentucky University in 2017, and then continued on to complete a dual emphasis Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from The University of Southern Mississippi, finishing in the spring of 2020. Before coming to Europe, John worked as a freelance chorister and soloist for churches and project ensembles around Louisville, KY and sang with the city’s premier professional ensemble, the Louisville Chamber Choir. At the start of 2023 he moved abroad, accepting a position singing with the Estonian National Male Choir, the largest full-time professional men’s choir in the world. In university and professional choirs John has toured across the US and in several different countries around the world. He has experience in all forms of vocal ensembles and enjoys performing across many genres, eras, styles, and languages.Outside of music, John is an avid rock climber and fitness enthusiast, and loves spending time outdoors and visiting new places.To get in touch with John, you can email him at john_mathre@outlook.com or follow him on Instagram: @jw_mathre.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 2 episode from May 22, 2023, to hear how to share your story with us. Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson from Pexels