Janet MacDonald

Choir Director and Worship Planning

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Janet began music studies at the age of 8 with Dr. Ardath Paul in Morrison, Illinois and started playing for church services at the age of 12.  She has been involved in church music ever since and considers it her calling.

Janet attended Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, as a Horace Alden Miller Scholar. There she earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal and Instrumental Education with a Major in piano and minors in voice and clarinet . She graduated cum laude and was inducted into the Mortar Board National Honor Society. She pursued post graduate work in education through St. Catherine University.  Janet completed her 37-year teaching career in 2016 in various public  school settings, private studios and as adjunct professor in voice and piano at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

MacDonald remained active in professional organizations, was appointed to serve on various MN State boards, and served as clinician, judge and administrator for various music exams and festivals — elementary through college level — in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  She remains a member in good standing of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA.)

Janet is blessed and truly grateful to have served as choir director/organist in Iowa and Minnesota most recently at Concordia Lutheran Church in Duluth, MN, with the Revered Dr. David Tryggestaad.  In addition to her present duties at American Lutheran (Choir and Ah-Men Singers Director) Janet sings with the Arizona MusicFest Chorus in Scottsdale and the newly formed Lyric Opera of the North core chorus in Duluth, Minnesota.