When Donald Nally joined the faculty at Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music in 2012, he wanted to help shape a new generation of conductors and choral singers. Nally now uses his role as conductor of both The Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble (BCE) and the Grammy-winning, Philadelphia-based professional choir, The Crossing, to commission and perform new choral music with an eye towards social advocacy. 

Donald Nally is the John W. Beattie Chair of Music and Director of Choral Organizations. He is the co-founder and conductor of The Crossing, the professional chamber choir in Philadelphia focused on new music. The Crossing won the 2018 Grammy for Best Choral Performance for their recording of Gavin Bryars’ “The Fifth Century.” Professor Nally has served as chorus master in many prestigious international positions including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Welsh National Opera, Opera Philadelphia, and for many seasons at the Spoleto Festival in Italy.

He has also served as music director of Cincinnati's Vocal Arts Ensemble, chorus master of The Chicago Bach Project, and has guest conducted throughout Europe and the United States. Professor Nally is the 2017 American Composers Forum Champion of New Music and received the 2017 Michael Korn Founders Award from Chorus America.  He is the only conductor to have two ensembles receive the Margaret Hillis Award for Excellence in Choral Music: in 2002 with the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia and in 2015 with The Crossing. He is also the founder and conductor of a student choir, the Bienen Contemporary/Early Music Ensemble, which has a highly specialized, virtuosic repertoire for advanced choral singers, concentrating on music of the 21st century and drawing relationships to its polyphonic roots in early music, primarily that of the Renaissance.