American conductor Jeff Mosher held his first rehearsal with the Murray Conservatorium Choir on Monday evening and will guide the group through to its autumn concert.

Mosher, 23, has been teaching singing at the Murray Conservatorium since October and takes over the choir role from previous musical director Hugh Fullarton.

Raised in Maine, Mosher’s musical training can be traced to his grandparents spotting a heavy electric Hammond organ at an auction.

“Nobody else wanted to buy it or move it so they got it for a dollar and they brought it home,” he said.

“That’s how it started.”

Singing tuition came later and Mosher, a baritone, completed his music degree at the University of Southern Maine in 2016.

His teachers included soprano Ellen Chickering and choral conductor Robert Russell.

At university he sang with both the Opera Workshop and the Chorale, performing as a soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with the latter.

He also completed a concert tour of Croatia while a member of the USM Chamber Singers.

After time in Germany, Mosher sought a change and a friend from Gerogery suggested Australia as a place to work and travel.

“I came here with the full intention of getting a bar job or something pick-up,” he said.

But walking down Albury’s Dean Street, he saw the Murray Conservatorium building, made inquiries and ended up on the teaching staff.

“It was pure chance, I had a friend outside the area, just came on a whim and eventually just settled in,” Mosher said.

The Murray Conservatorium Choir’s autumn concert will feature repertoire for choir and organ from the 1800s, with Border organist James Flores to accompany the group.

Mosher said the performance would include works by Samuel S. Wesley, Brahms, Faure and Louis Vierne’s Messe Solennelle.

“It’s an ambitious program, definitely,” he said.

“I would say the first half is much of the favourites, you know, the nice, beautiful, sustained singing.

“(Messe Solennelle – Solemn Mass) is very polyphonic, it’s going to be much more involved.”