Work with Choirs
Dr. Zhanna Lehmann has worked with choirs at all levels and a variety of choral organizations for over 30 years. She began her training and work as a choral conductor with the Music College Choir and the Kazan Conservatory Choir in Russia. This experience prepared her to take on the challenge of conducting the youth choirs of the School of Music in her hometown of Dimitrovgrad, Russia.Under her guidance, training, and direction these choirs earned both local and international recognition to include First Places in the Children’s Regional Choral Competitions (1999, 2002), Four Certificates of Appreciation for excellence in teaching, creative initiative, and aesthetic education in the preparation of students for participation in contests for Gifted Young Children (2003, 2004), and culminating in International Recognition with a Certificate for Best Performance in Classical Music (2004).
The work with the choirs continued in the United States. In 2004, Zhanna began working with local choirs and musicians at the secondary level assisting them in their preparation for competing in the Illinois State Music contests, with many of them achieving the highest honors. She became the choir director for the Varsity choir of Countryside School in Champaign, Illinois and began her work with the choir of St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church in Urbana, Illinois. While working with these choirs, Zhanna completed her studies and work towards a doctorate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Choral Conducting and Piano Pedagogy. Zhanna expanded her experience by being a conductor for The Oratorio Society, Choragos, and the University of Illinois Singers of the University of Illinois. Additionally, she was appointed as assistant conductor for the Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana (BACH), Champaign, Illinois.
The Illinois Orthodox Choir
In 2015, Zhanna fulfilled one of her goals by founding a Christian choir dedicated to the performance of Orthodox Christian Music, and The Illinois Orthodox Choir was born. This remarkable choir of dedicated local singers has performed under her direction in a variety of venues and community organizations. In 2021, their first CD was produced and included some of the works by Abbess Katherine Weston being performed for the very first time.
Zhanna’s work within the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America includes work as an instructor for choral conductors at all levels. She is an active clinician and presenter at the Sacred Music Institutes of the Archdiocese. In 2022, Zhanna was appointed as a board member of The Department of Sacred Music of the Antiochian Archdiocese. In July of 2023, Zhanna participated as a member of the National Antiochian Archdiocese Choir at the Archdiocese’s Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. In July of 2024, she sang in two the National Antiochian Choirs, 4-part choir and Byzantine Choir at St. George Antiochian Cathedral, Pittsburgh, PA.
St. Moses The Black Fellowship Choir
Dr. Zhanna Lehmann is the very first Conductor of The St. Moses the Black Fellowship Choir in the history of the FSMB.
In 2021, Zhanna began one of the most professional rewarding experiences of her career, working in collaboration with Abbess Katherine Weston. Zhanna was introduced to Mother Katherine and asked if her Illinois Orthodox choir was interested in performing some of her pieces. Abbess Katherine’s work was in the application of the texts of traditional Orthodox hymns to the melodies of the African-American spirituals. This collaboration resulted in the recording of the previously mentioned CD. In 2022, Zhanna started working as the music editor of the Jubilee Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom by Abbess Katherine. The debut of this composition took place in October of 2023 at the National Conference of the St. Moses the Black Fellowship in Houston, Texas.
The work on the Liturgy was continued and more hymns were added in 2024. The FSMB Choir sings the Jubilee Liturgy at the National Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana in October of 2024.