Max Mendez, is currently a music instructor and Director of Choirs at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He has been an active part of the Inland Northwest music community for the last fifteen years. He divides his time between conducting, teaching and performing. For the last twelve years at North Idaho College he has conducted the NIC Cardinal Chorale, Chamber Singers, and Vocal Jazz Ensemble.
Choirs under his direction have performed concerts in Mexico, San Francisco, and Seattle and most recently in Carnegie Hall. Max has also served as director of music at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes in Spokane, Washington from 2002-2012. He has been a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for festivals and workshops throughout Idaho and Washington including the Spokane School District’s Festival of the Arts, the Idaho All-State Elementary Choir, the Gem State Mixed Honor Choir, the Canyon Country Mixed Honor Choir, and Twin Falls Middle School Honor Choir. Max has served as a conductor and musical director for Eastern Washington University, Spokane Civic Theater, and Coeur d’Alene Summer Theater.
He has sung to critical success in the Northwest Bach Festival, the Spokane Symphony, and Spokane Opera. As an opera artist, he has performed with Los Angeles Music Center Opera, Opera Pacific, Spokane Symphony Orchestra, Spokane Opera, Opera Idaho, and Opera Coeur d’Alene. He has performed with many of the finest concert ensembles in the Inland Northwest including; the Spokane Symphony Orchestra, Mozart in the Park, Coeur d’Alene Symphony Orchestra, Westminster Chamber Orchestra, Allegro: Baroque and Beyond, Zephyr, Clarion Brass and the Northwest Bach Festival. His versatility as a singer ranges from opera and oratorio to musical theatre, cabaret, and popular styles. Max is a founding member and artistic director of Spokane Choral Artists and a proud member of Male Ensemble Northwest (MEN).
Max is a strong advocate for community involvement in arts and music programs. His goals for the Idaho state chapter of ACDA is to continue the great momentum of the current and past-presidents and continue to extend resources and opportunities to new music educators, student chapters, and educators in more remote areas of the state.
His involvement in the American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA) include Chair for the Northwest Region Men’s Honor Choir (2012 & 2014) and the Community College Repertoire & Standards Chair for the Idaho chapter. He has presented reading (Sacred, TTBB, and Community College) and interest sessions (iPad technology) at Washington and Idaho state ACDA conferences. He currently lives in Hayden, Idaho with his wife and four children.