Dr. Dwight Jilek

Dwight Jilek was named Artistic Director of Magnum Chorum in 2018. He was recently appointed Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at North Dakota State University where he conducts the NDSU Concert Choir, and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting, literature, and pedagogy.

Prior to NDSU, he was the Director of Choral Activities and Chair of the Music Department at Bemidji State University where he conducted The Bemidji Choir and the Bemidji Chamber Singers, and taught choral conducting, choral literature, and choral methods. Dwight led The Bemidji Choir in multiple regional, national, and international performances; dedicated the Bemidji Chamber Singers to early music performance with featured collaborations with the Bach Society of Minnesota; and served as opera conductor for Speed Dating Tonight and Pirates of Penzance.

Dwight also served as the Northwest District Chair and Collegiate Repertoire and Resources Coordinator for the Minnesota chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. Dr. Jilek has also been active as a festival conductor, most recently at the 2024 Kenai Peninsula High School Choral Festival in Alaska, 2022-2023 MN All-State Tenor-Bass Choir and Big 9 Festival in southern Minnesota.

Dwight earned his D.M.A. in Choral Conducting at University of North Texas with studies in Vocal Pedagogy, where he conducted the Concert Choir and received the Outstanding Graduate Conductor award in 2016. He earned his Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University and Bachelor of Music in Vocal Music Education from Concordia College.

Dwight and his wife Alyssa and their children reside in Fargo, North Dakota.