Meet Conductor Danny Wallenberg: The MIC Chorale Celebrates 40 Years
October 16th, 2026
Not having the opportunity to participate in choirs or instrumental ensembles as a child in Bogotá, Colombia, didn’t stop Danny Wallenberg from making music a part of his life. From asking his parents to sing rounds with him at an early age to spending nearly 40 years conducting the MIC Chorale at the Music Institute of Chicago, music has remained a constant.
Although his parents were not professionals, Danny notes that they “were good amateurs.”
He began studying piano as a child, and as a teenager began playing trumpet and eventually cello, which he still plays today. By the time he finished high school, he knew he wanted a career in music. His interest in choral conducting took shape during his years as a student at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem.
Danny's introduction to the Music Institute of Chicago came when he became a music teacher at North Shore Country Day School, located next to the Winnetka campus of MIC which was then known as the Music Center of the North Shore. His wife, Nina Wallenberg, also began teaching cello at MIC at this time. The two institutions shared a community choir called The Diller Street Chorale, which Danny conducted. When the Chorale became affiliated solely with MIC, he continued to lead the group while also conducting the Chicago Children’s Choir, one of the many choirs he has been involved with throughout his career.
“I’ve had community choirs in several parts of the world (Colombia, Israel, Utah) and I’ve found common trends in all of these groups of people: they are friendly, eager to work hard to achieve the highest musical standards, and most importantly, they share my love of music,” he says. “I find it very rewarding to be able to work with people who like to make music together as an enrichment to their lives.”
As the MIC Chorale celebrates its 40th anniversary, Danny reflects on what has kept the group going. “Our chorale has provided the singers the opportunity to perform all types of music, from small ensemble songs to large choral orchestral works for which we have joined forces with various choirs and regional orchestras. This flexibility in choice of repertoire is appealing to people. And obviously, there are friendships created that have continued for all these years.”
One of his favorite memories came with the purchase of MIC’s Evanston campus building. Before the purchase, the Chorale had to find performance spaces for its concerts. “Having the privilege of performing in our wonderful Nichols Hall was an important moment in our trajectory,” he says.
Danny also reflects on what makes being part of the MIC Chorale especially meaningful. “Making music together is magical and people enjoy it at every stage of their lives,” he says. “Many of our members have had musical lives years ago and stopped because of other obligations in life. They are now happy to return to making music.”
Drawing on his experiences as a singer, a cellist playing chamber music, and a conductor, Danny shares what music has taught him over the years. “Music connects people and I learned early on in my life as a singer how relationships through music are long lasting,” he says. “It is well known that playing and singing with other people is good for the soul.”
Learn more about the MIC Chorale
See an upcoming MIC Chorale Concert!
Concerts are free and open to the public and take place on
Sundays at 3:00 PM
Nichols Concert Hall | 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston
"AMERICA!" - Sunday, November 22, 2026
"ACTUS TRAGICUS" - Sunday, March 14, 2027
"FRENCH CONNECTION" - Sunday, June 6, 2027
