Jon Warfel – Assistant Director and Accompanist

In addition to his choral conducting activities, Jon Warfel maintains an active performing schedule as both a piano soloist and an accompanist. He received the Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from Northern Illinois University where his teacher was Donald Walker, and continued his studies at Northwestern University and by participating in Master Classes at the Ravinia Music Festival. In 1992 he was chosen Outstanding Young Alumnus of Northern Illinois University. Under Mr. Warfel’s direction, the Fox Valley Festival Chorus made tours to the 1983 World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee and also to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. In addition to serving as guest choral clinician for Junior High and High School festivals, Mr. Warfel was the featured clinician at the 1996 Fellowship of United Methodists in Worship Music and Other Arts summer workshop in Deland, Florida.

As a pianist, Mr. Warfel has appeared as a guest soloist with the Chicago Grant Park Orchestra as well as other local orchestras. As a member of the Buffalo Shufflers, a “Roaring 20’s” show band, Mr. Warfel has toured throughout the United States performing in symphonic pops concerts with forty-seven American orchestras. He performs regularly with flutist Carlyn Lloyd (right) and they can be heard on their most recent CD, American Made.

From 1977 through 2007, Mr. Warfel was on the faculty of Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, Illinois, where he directed the choral music program and taught classes in music and the humanities. In 1995 he received the Faculty of the Year Award from the College. Besides his duties as the Assistant Director and Accompanist for the Naperville Chorus, he also currently serves as Minister of Music & Chancel Choir Director for New England Congregational Church in Aurora, Illinois, accompanist for the Elgin Master Chorale, is an accompanist for the North Central College Cardinal Chorus and many of the college musical events, and maintains a full schedule of piano students at the college.