Dr. Rebecca Raber was born in 1971, and grew up on the Lovcik Family Farm in Pisek, North Dakota. In 1994 she graduated Summa Cum Laude with Departmental Honors from Jamestown College, where she studied with Dr. Richard Harrison Smith, and earned degrees in Vocal/Instrumental Music Education, History/Political Science and Asian Studies. She was awarded College Fellow Awards in both Music and History. She has been a dedicated vocal and instrumental music educator since that time. Dr. Raber’s choir was designated the 2005 ND Governor’s Choir, and she was recently named “Outstanding Music Educator” through the National High School Activities Association.  In 2019, Dr. Raber was awarded "Choral Director of the Year" by the North Dakota chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.

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Dr. Raber graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting, studying with Dr. James Rodde and Dr. Susan McMane. Ms. Raber then served on the UND faculty as conductor of their popular men's choir, the Varsity Bards, until 2005. She served as the director of the ND Girls State Chorus for nine years, and in 2007, she conducted the Northern Ambassadors of Music Mixed Chorus which toured in England, France, Italy, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Dr. Raber directed choral ensembles at Shanley High School for 14 years, growing the program into two large mixed choirs totaling over half the entire student body and traveling on performance tours throughout the United States.  

 

A mezzo-soprano, she has been a featured soloist in Mozart's Requiem as well as several shorter choral works. Dr. Raber is an active adjudicator and guest clinician and has taught private voice for years.  She was the 2015 MTNA Commissioned Composer of the year and premiered her newest work, "Jesu dulcis memoria" at the University of North Dakota.  She served on the Executive Board of the International Music Camp for several years in addition to being a member of the teaching faculty.  Dr. Raber is very active in the American Choral Director's Association, previously having served as State President, ND Repertoire & Standards Chair for Male Choirs, and Membership Chair. She has presided and presented at state and regional ACDA conferences, in addition to organizing and facilitating them. She revamped and innovated the NDACDA website and  also served as editor/ publisher of the NDACDA professional journal, The Chorister.  ​Dr. Raber is currently a National Board Member for the National Collegiate Choral Organization.

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Dr. Raber earned her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at North Dakota State University in 2018, and studied with Dr. Jo Ann Miller, Dr. Michael Weber and Dr. Charlette Moe.  In 2018, shedelivered her lecture-recital entitled, ""Conducting the Coded Message Songs of Slavery:  Context, Connotations, and Performance Preparation" at the University of Mary.  She has also delivered lecture-recitals regarding African American Spirituals, including a performance lecture in cooperation with the Bismarck Mandan Symphony Orchestra in 2020.  Dr. Raber is a co-founder of the Prairie Jubilee Singers, a choral ensemble dedicated to building community through singing spirituals.

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Rebecca serves as Director of Choral Studies at the University of Mary, where she directs Cappella (our nationally-acclaimed chapel choir) and the UMary Concert Choir.  Assistant Professor of Music and Catholic Studies, she has also taught Music History, Experiencing the Sacred in Music, Secondary Choral Methods, Advanced Choral Conducting, Voice Class to undergrads and Music History, Conducting, Choral Literature, and Capstones to graduate students.