Currently Artistic Director of the Onion River Chorus, Richard Riley was also Artistic Director of the Burlington Choral Society for 14 years. His last sold-out concert with the BCS was this past April and included works by Bach and the World Premiere of “Qohelet,” by Michael Schachter.
Riley has directed the premiere performances of two works by Don Jamison. “Raine Songs” was first performed with the Onion River Chorus and Mary Bonhag in 2014 (2013?... I can't remember the year). “There Is a Day,” for chorus and strings to poems by Wendell Berry, was premiered by the Burlington Choral Society in 2022.
Riley has also guest conducted programs with Capital City Concerts and the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra, and was director of music at the Unitarian Church of Montpelier for six years.
From 1996–2005 he served on the performance faculty at Cornell University where, as director of the Sage Chapel Choir, he conducted over 200 works. As director of the Cornell Concert Series, he presented in concert Yo-Yo Ma, Murray Perahia, Lang Lang, Hilary Hahn and Joshua Bell, among many others.
From 2005-2010 Riley served as Executive Director of the Brattleboro Music Center.
Since 2012, Riley and his wife, painter Susan Bull Riley, have lived in a former one-room schoolhouse in East Montpelier Center.
