Christopher Fettig graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bemidji State University in 1986. After teaching one year in Benson, Minnesota, he returned to Bemidji and has spent the past 20+ years teaching vocal music at the senior high school. After receiving the Outstanding Young Choral Director award from the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota in 1991, he served two years as the Northwest District Chair. In 1993, he earned his M.A. degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Illinois. In 1999, Mr. Fettig was named Teacher of the Year for ISD #31 and selected as one of eight Honor Roll Teachers in the Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program. In 2000 he was elected Regional Representative for the Minnesota Music Educators Association, region VII-VIII AA. In 2007 he was named Choral Director Of The Year by the American Choral Directors Association Of Minnesota. He was inducted into the East Grand Forks Senior High School Hall Of Fame. The Bemidji High School A Cappella Choir has performed under Mr. Fettig’s direction on four separate occasions at State ACDA and MMEA conventions. In addition to these performances, the choir was featured in 1997 at the Central Division Music Educators National Conference in Peoria, Illinois and they performed twice at the American Choral Directors Association North Central Division Convention: first in 2000 in Madison, Wisconsin and then in 2010 at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, Minn. The choir has also performed two other times on stage at Orchestra Hall, first in 1993 at the Northstar Choral Festival and again in 2007 at the Choral Finale. Mr. Fettig also conducts the high school’s Varsity Choir, Bel Canto Choir, and Lumberjack Men’s Chorus.
In 1995 Mr. Fettig introduced Show Choir to the Bemidji area and continues to direct and arrange music for Bemidji High School's award winning show choir Vocalmotive. Under his direction, Vocalmotive has won numerous Grand Champion awards along with caption awards for best vocals, choreography, and instrumental combo. Mr. Fettig’s groups have also been recognized for their innovative programming and creative themes. In the summer of 2006 he started the Bemidji Area Summer Show Choir Camp, which hosted over one hundred 5th – 8th grade students from around the region this year.
Along with his work at the high school, Mr. Fettig is very active with music in the community. He was conductor of the Bemidji Chorale for five years. He is co-founder and director of the Bemidji Boychoir, now in its eleventh season of performance. Mr. Fettig is also a co-founder and president of Show Choirs Of Bemidji, Inc. where he has been instrumental in laying the ground work for innovative programs to introduce kids to choral music and develop their vocal skills through parallel programming with the Bemidji School District.
Chris and his wife, Tiffany enjoy living in the beautiful northland of Minnesota on Lake Swenson, where they are proud parents of three wonderful children: Christian, Conner, and Abigail.
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Chris Fettig