New Artisitic Director at Cal Bach

Less than a year after Paul Flight's departure from Cal Bach, the venerable chorus has appointed a new Artistic Director, Nate Widelitz. Here's the press release:

We are thrilled to announce that Nate Widelitz has been appointed as the new Artistic Director of the California Bach Society.

After a nationwide search, we were delighted to identify Nate from a field of highly qualified candidates. His infectious energy, genuine warmth, and musician’s heart made us smile—and made us think, “Yep, he’s our guy.”

Nate brings to CBS a deep passion for early music, a collaborative spirit, and an artistic sensibility grounded in both scholarship and performance. His values resonate fully with CBS’s long-standing identity—where our core focus on Baroque repertoire blends with adventures in Renaissance, Romantic, and modern works, brought to life with care and curiosity.

Before joining CBS, Nate served as the Associate Director of Choral Activities and Visiting Instructor of Choral Music Education at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, where he directed both the Collegiate Chorale and Treble Choir. He is also the Founding Director of the Five Cities Baroque Foundation & Festival, which he launched to create immersive early music experiences that unite musicians and audiences in regional communities.

His previous appointments include Assistant Conductor of both the Yale Glee Club and the Pacific Chorale, along with extensive performing and educational work with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, where he sang as both a soloist and core ensemble member in partnership with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Nate holds degrees in Choral Conducting from Yale University (MM) and the University of Southern California (BM, Vocal Arts, summa cum laude), and he was a Fulbright Scholar at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. He is currently completing his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at Yale and is expected to receive the degree in October of this year.

We are proud to welcome Nate to the CBS family. His appointment affirms our commitment to artistic excellence and thoughtful programming—and opens a new chapter in our shared musical journey.

We look forward to introducing you to Nate’s leadership in the 2025–2026 season and beyond.

The Cal Bach web site also has the dates and general themes of their four 2025-26 concerts.