John William Trotter

John William Trotter has conducted more than a dozen professional choirs and orchestras throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. In 2013 he began working with the professional ensemble Chicago a cappella, described by the Chicago Tribune as "the city's liveliest, most versatile vocal ensemble", and Chicago Magazine as "the area's best unaccompanied group." He was named principal music director of Chicago a cappella in 2015. Trotter is also associate professor at the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, where he has led the select Concert Choir and conducting students to national recognition.

Following graduate studies at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), Trotter served the Vancouver Chamber Choir (Canada’s most active professional choir) as a full-time conductor, conducting a national CBC broadcast and more than twenty-five performances throughout Taiwan, Japan, and Canada. His performance of the Vivaldi Magnificat was hailed by the Vancouver Sun as "a radiant performance of this work that overstated nothing and brought out all of its freshness and charm.”

Trotter is well-known for his ability to connect with audiences and for his interest in building bridges between the professional music world, music training institutions, and the wider community. He is recognized for having developed original techniques in choral improvisation and audience participation, and for his pre-concert talks and concert demonstrations, in which he enjoys convincing self-described non-musicians of their innate musicality.

Trotter is now active throughout North America as a consultant, clinician, conducting teacher, writer, speaker, composer/arranger, and leader of improvisation workshops.