Neal Woodruff

Dr. Woodruff joined the ONU faculty in 2000. He is the conductor of the University Orchestra and Concert Singers. His teaching responsibilities include applied voice/pedagogy (both classical and contemporary), opera/music theatre, applied conducting, and church music.

Prior to his appointment at Olivet, he served on the faculties of Malone College, Southern Nazarene University, and the Herscher, Ill., school district. In addition, he has maintained numerous full- and part-time church positions in Illinois, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.

Current and former students of Dr. Woodruff have performed leading roles with the Santa Fe Opera, Des Moines Opera, Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, Indianapolis Opera, Marriott Theatre (Chicago), Sugar Creek Symphony and Song, and Concora.

While completing his doctorate degree, he was a student of Dennis Shrock and Alan Ross. He has also studied with David Jones, Deborah Dalton, Jeannette LoVetri and Terry Eder; and participated in master classes with Richard Miller, Fiora Contino, Paul Kiesgen and John Keenan. He is a certified instructor of Somatic Voicework™ — The LoVetri Method.

Dr. Woodruff serves on the Central Region Board of Directors for the National Association of Teachers of Singing, also serving as the NATS Illinois Governor. He is the chorus master for the Sugar Creek Opera. With the Chicago Symphony, he performed under the batons of Sir Georg Solti, Maragret Hillis, James Levine and Zubin Mehta. He maintains an active schedule as performer, clinician/pedagogy and adjudicator. Recent performances include Valjean in Les Miserables, Goro in Madame Butterfly, Jim Casy in The Grapes of Wrath and Mayor in the critically acclaimed Cold Sassy Tree by Carlisle Floyd.

He and his wife, Shannon, have three children, Ryan, Kayelyn and Kellea.