Kenneth Seitz has served as Music Director of Cantilena since 1978. Mr. Seitz is a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music with a degree in piano performance. While in the United States Air Force, Mr. Seitz served as assistant director, arranger and accompanist of the 17th Air Force Men's Chorus in Germany, where his talents in these roles were regularly recognized by the German press. In 1970, Mr. Seitz was selected to be the official accompanist for the premiere season of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.

From 1980 to 1983, Mr. Seitz conducted the Mystic Valley Chamber Orchestra (later known as the New England Philharmonic Orchestra) together with Allen Olsen. From 1984 to 2002, Mr. Seitz served as Music Director of First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, MA. He has also held positions as Director of the MIT Summer Music Ensemble and conductor of several musical theatre productions at Boston University. In addition, Mr. Seitz has performed as a pianist and accompanist throughout the Boston area. Upon occasion, he takes a respite from his directorial duties to be featured at the piano during our concerts.

Kenneth Seitz has served as Music/Artistic Director of Cantilena since 1978, and has been instrumental in Cantilena's advancement as a leading performer of women's music in the local choral community. Mr. Seitz is an outstanding composer of both choral and instrumental works. In 1996, he wrote Voices of Remembrance, commissioned in celebration of the 350th anniversary of the founding of the town of Andover, MA. His setting of Immortal Love was the winning entry in the 1999 Unitarian Universalist Musician's Network's General Assembly Hymn Competition.

Mr. Seitz's has written a large number works specifically for Cantilena. Most recently, in May 2002, Cantilena commissioned and premiered Three Heartfelt Songs, a setting of text by three women poets. We have also performed his Velvet Shoes, Vocalise, Alleluia, Some Keep the Sabbath, Sing We Noel, The Coventry Carol, The Golden Carol, The Grass, There is No Rose, and Brightest and Best. Mr. Seitz's talents as a composer and arranger have provided Cantilena with some of the most popular music in our repertoire.