Artistic Director

S. Mark Aliapoulios is in his twentieth season as the thirteenth Artistic Director of The Choral Society of the Palm Beaches.

S. Mark Aliapoulios, is Professor of Voice at PALM BEACH ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY in West Palm Beach, Florida where he also serves as Associate Dean and Coordinator of Voice Studies in the newly formed College of the Arts. In the fall of 2018 he created the role of “Stumpy” in the world premiere of the musical, The Luck of Roaring Camp at PBAU. Since 2004 he has been the Artistic Director of THE CHORAL SOCIETY OF THE PALM BEACHES. From 2011-2015 he served on the faculty at FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY directing the Concert Choir (winning a 2015 Latin Grammy nomination for their recording of: Auschwitz; Nunca Se Olvidarán, by Orlando García,) the Women’s Chorus and serving as Coordinator of Vocal Studies. Formerly he served as an Associate Professor on the voice and opera faculties of FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY (2010-2012), The UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MUSIC (2001-2002 and 2010-2011), PALM BEACH ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND FINE ARTS (2002-2006) and the BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND FINE ARTS (1984-2001). Prior to this he taught on the faculties of the UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS (Boston) and the NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC. He is also Director of Music Ministries at Lakeside Presbyterian Church in West Palm Beach, Florida. Between 2009 and 2022, he spent his summers teaching on the faculty of the New England Music Camp in Sidney, Maine.
A baritone, Mr. Aliapoulios made his concert debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the age of 25 along with internationally acclaimed cellist, Yo Yo Ma. He has since appeared as guest soloist with such other highly acclaimed organizations as THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA, THE PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY, THE SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA OF BELGRADE RADIO/TELEVISION (Yugoslavia), THE SHINSEI NIPPON SYMPHONY (JAPAN), THE PORTLAND SYMPHONY, THE VERMONT SYMPHONY, THE HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY, THE MARK MORRIS DANCE COMPANY, THE TANGLEWOOD FESTIVAL CHORUS, THE BOSTON BALLET ORCHESTRA, THE LONGWOOD SYMPHONY, as well as THE OPERA COMPANY OF BOSTON, THE BOSTON LYRIC OPERA, PALM BEACH OPERA, THE MIAMI BACH SOCIETY, THE FLORIDA PHILHARMONIC CHORUS, and THE MASTERWORKS CHORALE among others. As a soloist he has sung under the batons of leading international conductors Leonard Slatkin, Seiji Ozawa, Kurt Mazur, Eric Leinsdorf, Lucas Foss, Sarah Caldwell, Jonathan McPhee, Jaime Laredo and Robert Shaw.
An advocate of new music, Mr. Aliapoulios has premiered works composed expressly for him by Boston’s Daniel Pinkham and New York’s Kenneth Fuchs. He created the role of “Cadmos” in the 1995 world premiere of The Bacchae by Theodore Antoniou at the Athens Festival in Greece. He also sang the role of “The Father” in the world premiere of The Juniper Tree by Phillip Glass at the American Repertory Theatre at Harvard University and created the role of “Creon” in the world premiere of Medea by Ray Luke.
Mr. Aliapoulios continues to sing professionally and serves as a clinician and adjudicator for voice and choral festivals held around the country by such organizations as WORLDSTRIDES HERITAGE FESTIVALS and THE FLORIDA VOCAL ASSOCIATION. For a number of years, he was represented by Artists International Management in New York City. For almost twenty years he was the baritone for THE AMERICAN VOCALARTS QUINTET, Second Prize Winners in The Concert Artist Guild Auditions (NYC) and recorded with them on the Titanic Label. His recording of the title role in the World Premiere of Ethan Fromm by Douglas Allanbrook was released on the MAPLESHADE CLASSIC LABEL. He currently lives in Lake Worth Beach, Florida with his wife Kimberlee, a professional flutist and Band Director.