Edward Straub, baritone, grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and remembers first experiencing the artistry of Simon Carrington when he heard a group of University of Kansas students under his direction at a Maundy Thursday Mass at the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows.  Their performance of Victoria’s Missa Dum Complerentur left him with chills down his back.

Mr. Straub has been fortunate to be exposed to and deepened by an abundance of fine choral and instrumental music traditions all of his life, beginning with the exceptional music program at his home church of St. Patrick in Kansas City, and the rich German Catholic liturgical heritage he experienced as a child in his father’s rural hometown of Flush, Kansas.

As a student at North Kansas City High School, Mr. Straub participated in the 1999 Missouri All-State Choir, under the direction of Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe.  He later sang for Dr. Harrison "Bud" Boughton during his studies at the University of Missouri – Columbia.  He was a member of the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists Schola Cantorum choral ensemble 2005 – 2008, led by Professor Dale Shetler, and is now a member of the University of Missouri – Kansas City Collegium Vocale chamber ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Ryan Board.

Mr. Straub has studied voice with Janice Ragland, the late Madame Thilde Beuing, Professor Emerita, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance – concentrating on German Lieder, and currently studies with Robert Lamar Sims – concentrating on Baroque solo literature, especially the baritone solo roles in the cantatas of J.S. Bach.

Mr. Straub is a graduate of the University of Missouri – Columbia, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Summa Cum Laude, 2004.  He is employed as a professional Design Engineer in the Aviation division of Garmin International in Olathe, Kansas.  From 2005 – 2009 he served a chief hardware designer for the Garmin GTS ^TM family of Traffic Advisory (TAS) and Traffic Collision Avoidance (TCAS I) Systems, and he currently serves as the Project Engineer for a new product in development.

In addition to his activities as a singer and an engineer, Mr. Straub is an accomplished pianist and organist, and is a member of the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, where he has served in a number of roles.

Mr. Straub is honored to be singing with the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers and to have the wonderful opportunity to now work with Simon Carrington himself.