Dominique Christian Dale Gonzales

Dominique Christian Dale Gonzales is an accomplished pianist, choral conductor, and music scholar. Prior to his appointment at Virginia Tech, Gonzales has served as the artistic director of the Reno World Singers, and music director of the Nevada Gay Men’s Chorus, and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada. Previously, he held positions as assistant director of the Nevada Chamber Singers, Boise State’s Meistersingers, and Vox Angelis.

As ensemble musician, Gonzales has collaborated with prestigious figures such as Chanticleer, premiering Majel Connery’s choral arrangement of “The Rivers Are Our Brothers.” He has also partnered with two-time Grammy and Emmy award-winning composer and producer Michael Patterson, debuting Patterson’s composition “Canciones” for SSAATB, harp, and vocal soloists.

As a soloist, Gonzales recently featured with the Nevada Concert Winds playing Grieg’s Piano Concerto and has previously performed piano masterworks including Liszt’s B minor sonata, Schumann’s Carnaval, Brahm’s Variation and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, and Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto among many others. His scholarly pursuits encompass diverse subjects, from Islamic music and African American Spirituals to Arvo Pärt’s "Tintinnabulation." Gonzales’ doctoral dissertation delves into centuries of musical rhetoric as applied to J.S. Bach’s Das Wohltemperierte Klavier I & II, reflecting his deep engagement with musicology and performance studies.

Academically, Gonzales has amassed multiple awards and prize competitions, namely, as 1^st Prize Winner of the UST piano competitions (Chopin 2011, Mozart 2013, Beethoven 2013), Ivan Sessions Smith Scholarship, Dr. Boa Ding Cheng Memorial Scholarship, Loretta Beckman-Carr Piano Scholarship, Barringere Music Scholarship, including full-tuition waivers in all of his graduate studies.

Beyond his academic and performance achievements, Gonzales is deeply engaged in community outreach and leadership. He has served as President of the collegiate chapter, UNR MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) and held leadership roles as Vice-President and Secretary of Reno ACDA (American Choral Conductors Association) demonstrating his commitment to fostering musical development and continuing educational enrichment within his community.

Gonzales holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, a Master of Music in piano performance from Illinois State University, and dual Master of Music degrees in choral conducting from Boise State University. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Nevada, Reno, in 2023. He has worked with world-renowned musicians, including, Raul Sunico, Paul Torkelson

He resides happily with his husband, Conner, and their two dogs, Klaus and Franny.

What attracted you to Virginia Tech?
The prospect of utilizing my capabilities as a choral director, a pianist and as a music scholar has attracted me to Virginia tech the most, but alongside that is the potential in building the choral program, which ultimately is the most fulfilling aspect in my new position as the assistant director of choirs.  I also love that Virginia Tech is given an R-1 Carnegie Classification, meaning there is very high research activity in campus across disciplines. VT also sits at the top 20 best public universities in the USA, making it a prestigious university.  I am teaching a full load but with enough time to do some research on the side as well. Virginia Tech offers so much for me as an academic and as a musician in practice, coupled with its prestige and the natural opportunities that comes along with my new position. Of course, I must mention that I am beyond excited to meet the students and the faculty at VT, and I very much look forward to the great work we will be accomplishing together

What are you most excited about?
To meet, work, and collaborate with VT’s faculty and students. I know that like-minded people have a way of finding themselves together, and I can’t wait to join my future family! I like to think that whatever significance we do in this lifetime, whether in work, play or anything under the sunshine and moonlight, it always finds its way to how we interact as human beings.

As the song goes, “525,600 minutes, how do you measure a year in the life?”

We measure it in love! Be that in our relationships--private or professional, and simply in all things we do. As much as possible, that is!