Our Staff
MEET OUR DIRECTOR
Now in his second season with EWON, director Monte Mason has conducted choirs since he was a junior at Mounds view High School, Arden Hills, MN. He is also organist at St. Martin's by the Lake, Minnetonka Beach, MN, and founding director of The Gregorian Singers, a choral ensemble he has directed for 51 years. Additionally, he is a composer, and teaches piano with The St. Paul Conservatory of Music. Beginning in October of 2023, he will start a middleschool / highschool choir with the Conservatory, called Noteheads. For eleven years, Mason directed theatrical productions at Orono Middle School. Recordings of his compositions have been made under the Sonus Luxque, RCA, MPR land TGS abels. Recordings directed by Mason include *Advent*, and *By a wondrous mystery*. Some of this music as well as concerts by EWON and The Gregorian Singers may be heard online. When not involved with music, Mason reads field guides, bits on Minnesota archaeology, and writes articles for the Clearwater Lake Area Association, of which he is a board member.
MEET OUR PIANIST
Robert S. Ragoonanan is a graduate of Luther College (B.A. in Music) and Bowling Green State University (M.M. in Orchestral Conducting). He has found success as a conductor across the United States and Europe, conducting orchestras, choirs, new music groups, and wind ensembles. Robert is also a sought-after collaborative pianist and voice coach, collaborating with various solo artists and ensembles. In addition, he has worked as a church music director and organist throughout the Midwest. Robert is currently the Music Director at Oak Knoll Lutheran Church in Minnetonka, MN, the Chamber Orchestra Director at the Performing Institute of Minnesota in Eden Prairie, MN. Ask to subscribe to Robert’s mailing list to learn about upcoming projects at b.ragoonanan@gmail.com.