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Artistic Staff
EVAN MILES | ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Evan Miles joins Modern Men with a deep commitment to artistic excellence, community-building, and inclusive storytelling. He brings a bold, inspiring vision to Modern Men’s future as Coachella Valley Men’s Chorus’ Artistic Director for its 13th season.
Miles is known as a dynamic conductor, educator, and arts leader. He is the founding Artistic Director of the Eugene Gay Men’s Chorus (EGMC) which he started alongside his fellow gay men in 2018. Under his leadership EGMC experienced artistic growth by expanding its
membership, commissioning new works and presented uplifting and moving performances throughout the Pacific Northwest. Most recently, Miles was named as Founding Artistic Director Emeritus by EGMC cementing his long-term role as an enduring and respected leader in the community.
Evan joined Willamette University as Director of the VOX Tenor-Bass Choir becoming Professor of Applied Voice Lessons and University Artist Associate. He also served as Director of Worship Music at Moreland Presbyterian Church in Portland where he created the Portland Just-Add-Water Choir and conducted community sing-along events featuring Vivaldi’s Gloria and Fauré’s Requiem.
Miles is a sought-after clinician, voice teacher, and conducting coach. He worked with ensembles at Portland State University, Western Oregon University, Linfield University, Portland Community College, and the University of Oregon. He earned a Master of Music in conducting with an emphasis on LGBTQIA+ music and vocal performance from the University of Oregon.
Evan is also a featured soloist with the award-winning choir Chor Anno and frequently sings professionally with the Choral Masterworks at Hope series in Palm Springs. This fall Miles will step onto the podium of Choral Masterworks alongside esteemed fellow Palm Springs conductors Bob Mensel and Linda Mack to conduct Randall Thompson’s Testament of Freedom.
Evan Miles received the Dennis Coleman Choral Music Scholarship through the Pride Foundation in 2007. This scholarship is named for the eponymous Artistic Director Emeritus of the Seattle Men’s Chorus.
KURT JORDAN | PRINCIPAL ACCOMPANIST
Kurt developed an intense interest in learning the piano after having seen The Phantom of the Opera with his parents at age 10. He studied under the guidance of Joann Algier throughout middle and high school, during which time he discovered a love of music using multiple pianos. This passion was further explored at Azusa Pacific University while studying with Dr. Robert Sage.
Kurt performed several recitals of material he arranged for two and three pianos, the recordings of which have received radio play in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Boston, Austin and Beirut. In 2009, Kurt had the honor of performing the West Coast premiere of Alvin Curran’s 7.5
hour long piano song cycle, Inner Cities 1-13, as well as the U.S. premiere of movement 14 at Burning Man in 2013.
Kurt graduated from Azusa Pacific University in 2010 with a BA in Music Theory and Composition. Kurt has composed several large-scale works for piano solo, a song cycle for piano and soprano and most recently, a piano sonata. He is also the music director of Billy L'Amour and the Love Notes.
TOM McGILLIS | SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER
Tom McGillis has been an American Sign Language interpreter with a focus on interpreting artistic performances for more than 40 years. He is the founder and principal of StageHands Interpreting, LLC, a referral agency for interpreters for arts and cultural events in the Coachella Valley. This season marks Tom’s eighth with Modern Men. From 1988 until 2016, he served as the principal American Sign Language interpreter for the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus.
His theater credits include Come From Away, Eureka Day, Mr Parker (Dezart Performs); Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, Other Desert Cities,
Jesus Christ Superstar, The Light in the Piazza, Next to Normal (CV Rep); The Mouse Trap, Nunsense Amen, Escape to Margaritaville, The Last Five Years (Desert Theater Works); The Rocky Horror Show, Those Musclebound Cowboys of Snake Pit Gulch (Desert Rose Playhouse); Forever Plaid (Paper Mill Playhouse), The Christmas Revels (Symphony Space); Progress (Hudson Guild); and Anna and Danilo (Handstone Productions). Tom has also interpreted concerts at Palm Springs Pride, Rock the Park (Palm Springs), Concerts in the Park (Palm Desert), and Voices of Kentuckiana.
Tom is a graduate of the interpreter training program at the New York Society for the Deaf and completed the Interpreting for Theatre program for artistic interpreting at The Juilliard School. Tom also holds a Master’s in Business Administration degree from Baruch College of the City University of New York. A New Jersey native, he lived in New York City for more than 30 years before moving to Palm Springs with his husband, Donald Gardenier (MM Baritone), in 2016.
RON WHEELER | PRODUCER
Ron has been involved in singing, acting and production since he was a child. He started in the world of theater as a child in productions for Junior University in San Bernardino performing in The Wizard of Oz and Pinocchio. As a teenager he became involved with San Bernardino Civic Light Opera learning from professionals in the back of the house as well as front of house. As an adult he has played many leading roles such as Harry Roat in Wait Until Dark, Garry Lejeune in Noises Off, Jed in Fifth of July, Charlie Brown in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Mayor Shinn in The Music Man, the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, Angie in Gypsy as well as credits for choreography and direction in Fiddler on The Roof, A Christmas Carol and Gypsy. Ron was previously the producer for the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus as well as Harmonic Voices of Palm Springs. He has been the producer for Modern Men since 2016.