Staff

Jack Brown

Artistic Director

​Jack Brown brings a wide range of musical experience to the entire Berkshire Lyric organization. He is renowned for the energy and passion of his musicianship and the interpretative insight he brings to repertoire of the widest stylistic and historical breadth. His authoritative performances are founded on uncompromising drive and vision, alongside a hunger for new challenges.

He has conducted the Berkshire Lyric Chorus since 2007 in concerts ranging from Stravinsky and Rachmaninoff to Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana and Karl Jenkins’ Requiem. His recent journey with the Berkshire Lyric Chorus through the classical masters of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and Bruckner at Tanglewood’s Seiji Ozawa Hall were broadcast on WMHT-FM. Maintaining predecessor Bob Blafield’s tradition, he continues to do important year-round work with our own Lyric Children’s Chorus. He enjoys working closely with young singers and choruses, and continues to add fresh educational outreaches to Berkshire Lyric. ​

Well known to area audiences as a bass soloist in oratorios of Bach, Handel, Mozart, Mendelssohn and Brahms, Jack has sung professionally in the wider region. He has been a frequent recitalist and has given premiere performances by a number of contemporary American composers. Jack is currently on the faculty of the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Ct., where he teaches voice and directs the choral program. Jack is also on the staff of the nationally known Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge where he explores the healing power of music with the patient community. He also enjoyed long running relationships directing choruses at Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, the Buxton School and was the founding conductor of the B’Shalom Chorale of the Berkshires. Jack was recently honored by Berkshire Magazine as a member of The Berkshire 25: Most Dedicated, Most Creative and Most Influential.

Joe Rose

Accompanist

Joe Rose served as the accompanist for his high school choir in the 1960’s and since then has been continuously involved in many aspects of musical performance, composition and direction. He is the Music Director at St. Charles Church in Pittsfield where he leads three choirs and a full program. The accompanist for all the choirs of the Berkshire Lyric for many years. He continues to support the choirs as an outstanding pianist, organist and arranger.

He is also heavily involved as a jazz pianist, arranger and producer. He has won the Telly award twice for outstanding achievement in musical composition and sound design. He records and produces local artists, and also performs regionally in jazz and pop venues. In the summer, he serves as the music director for our successful Cabaret fundraiser for The Lyric Children’s Chorus featuring a jazz trio and several outstanding young singers at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts.

John Demler

Resident Vocal Artist

John Demler (Bass/Baritone) is Berkshire Lyric’s Resident Vocal Artist in recognition of his significant and ongoing contributions to Berkshire Lyric as a professional bass singer over the past decade. He has been a soloist with Berkshire Lyric in not only in a wide range of oratorio from Stravinsky to our recent Mozart Requiem at Seiji Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood, but in countless Christmas concerts and Kick the Winter Blues popular concerts. John relocated to the Berkshires from Philadelphia, where he enjoyed a number of seasons with the Philadelphia Opera Company and the Philadelphia Singers. He has performed operatic roles from Italy to Alaska. Always a busy soloist in the wider Berkshire region, he has sung dozens of oratorio performances. John lives in Pittsfield with his wife and two daughters. He teaches Spanish and French at Nessacus Middle School in Dalton, and directs the school chorus.