The Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester has named Donald Nally as visiting professor of conducting and ensembles and interim director of choral activities for the 2026-2027 academic year.

In his interim position, Nally, who is the founder of Grammy Award-winning The Crossing, will lead the Eastman Chorale and Eastman-Rochester Chorus while working with graduate students in the choral conducting program. He succeeds Bill Weinert, who is retiring after more than three decades leading Eastman’s choral programs.

“It is an honor to be invited to join the Eastman community as interim, to share my ideas while learning from everyone there, and to make communal music together,” Nally said per an official press statement.

Nally holds the John W. Beattie Chair of Music Emeritus at Northwestern University and currently serves as visiting professor at both Westminster Choir College of Rider University and the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. Previously, he has held tenures as chorus master for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Welsh National Opera, and Opera Philadelphia, as well as many seasons at Il Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy.

He has also prepared choruses for the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Boston Symphony Orchestra, among others.