David A. Seitz

David A. Seitz was born into a singing family in 1943. He showed early interest in leading hymns and conducting choirs in the Mennonite churches of his youth. After graduating from Eastern Mennonite College (now University) at Harrisonburg, Virginia, he earned a master's degree in choral conducting at Indiana University. At Bloomington he studied conducting and choral literature under Charles Webb, Fiora Contino, and Julius Herford, one of Robert Shaw's primary mentors.

In 1968 David joined the faculty of Eastern Mennonite College teaching voice and conducting the touring choir. At this time he also was active singing, arranging, conducting, and recording for Mennonite Broadcasts (now Mennonite Media). He was closely involved with the production of three LPs that have since been reissued as CDs. In addition wrote, directed, and performed music for the summer stage productions of Good Enterprises in Lancaster County, PA.

Since moving to Indiana in 1971, David has served as music director at Prairie Street Mennonite and Trinity United Methodist Churches in Elkhart. In 1999 he began his current position as music director at First United Methodist Church in Mishawaka where he shares the music leadership with his wife, organist/pianist Christine Larson Seitz.

David composed and directed music for the outdoor drama Firemakers that opened in the summer of 1975. Later in 1975 David started the community chamber choir Camerata Singers based in Elkhart County, Indiana. He and Christine have collaborated in the group's artistic leadership since 1978. In 2003 Camerata Singers reorganized as the current St. Joseph Valley Camerata, a professional level chamber choir of eighteen singers.

A strong area of David's music activities has been choral composition and arranging. Over the past forty-five years he has written more than 125 pieces for his choirs.