Mark Sheldon Conducting Internship
History and Program description
In 2003, after a long battle with cancer, beloved KVOD radio host, St. Martin’s singer and assistant conductor and all-around music educator Mark Sheldon passed away. A legacy was established in his memory to be used in part for educational outreach. The Mark Sheldon Conducting Internship was established to fulfill this part of his legacy.
The conducting internship is one of the few, perhaps the only one of its kind in the US. It provides this unique opportunity for college conducting students to conduct a professional choir on an ongoing basis during a concert season. Potential interns go through an application process and the intern is selected by St. Martin’s Artistic Director, Tim Krueger. The intern is expected to attend all rehearsals, assist in rehearsals and conduct when Mr. Krueger is unavailable. Perhaps most unusually, the intern is also assigned at least one piece to conduct in nearly every concert. The intern is warmly welcomed into the St. Martin’s family and builds a rapport with singers and staff. With all these duties also comes an internship stipend. The expectations are rigorous, but the rewards are immeasurable (see quotes below.)
2026-27 Mark Sheldon Conducting Intern
Benjamin Johnson is a first-year master’s student in choral conducting at the University of Denver Lamont School of Music. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in music education. Prior to beginning his graduate studies, he spent three years as Associate Choir Director at Lewisville High School in Lewisville, Texas, where ensembles under his direction earned superior ratings at UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Evaluation. His students were also selected for TMEA Region Choir and TMEA All-State Choir.
As a singer, Benjamin has performed as an ensemble member and tenor soloist with several professional choral ensembles in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including the Highland Park Chorale, Verdigris Ensemble, Saint Michael and All Angels’ Episcopal Church, and the Church of the Incarnation. He currently serves as a tenor staff singer at Wellshire Presbyterian Church in Denver, Colorado.
Outside of music, Benjamin enjoys spending time outdoors with his fiancée, swimming, and spoiling his two cats. He is grateful for the opportunity to join St Martin’s Chamber Choir and looks forward to an exciting season of music-making with the ensemble.
Past Conducting Interns
- 2025 – 2026 :: Nora Cullinan, University of Denver
- 2024 – 2025 :: Anthony Wirtz, University of Denver
- 2023 – 2024 :: Sara Garza, University of Denver
- 2022 – 2023 :: Samuel Sherman, University of Denver
- 2021 – 2022 :: Sheila Melendez, University of Denver
- 2020 – 2021 :: Drew Ritchie, University of Denver
- 2019 – 2020 :: Michael Ballard, University of Denver
- 2018 – 2019 :: Blake Nawa’a, University of Denver
- 2017 – 2018 :: Michael Johnson, University of Denver
- 2016 – 2017 :: Ana Spadoni, University of Denver
- 2015 – 2016 :: Matt Stewart, University of Denver
- 2014 – 2015 :: K. James Howe, University of Colorado, Boulder
- 2013 – 2014 :: Brett Kostrzewski, University of Denver
- 2012 – 2013 :: Taylor Martin, University of Denver
- 2011 – 2012 :: Hannah Wunsch, University of Colorado
- 2010 – 2011 :: Adam Kluck, University of Northern Colorado
- 2009 – 2010 :: Brian Stone, University of Colorado
- 2008 – 2009 :: Jill Schroeder, University of Denver
- 2007 – 2008 :: Ace Edewards, University of Denver
- 2006 – 2007 :: Gabrielle Dietrich, University of Colorado
- 2005 – 2006 :: Heather Kohl, University of Denver
Future Opportunities
The Mark Sheldon conducting internship is ongoing. If you are a conducting graduate student in Colorado, please consider applying for this program. If you are a college choral music professor, or if you know of Colorado conducting students who would be interested, please let them know about this internship.
All inquiries and applications should be directed to St. Martin’s Artistic Director, Tim Krueger.
