Daniel Risgaard

Dan Risgaard is enjoying his retirement. Previously, he was the choral director for 12 years at Cross Longfellow Middle School and 29 years at La Crosse Logan High School. Mr. Risgaard received a Bachelor of Music from UW-Madison and his Master of Music Education from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. He is celebrating over 50 consecutive years of show choir this season. He began as a founding member of the Wisconsin Singers at UW-Madison in 1967, continued to become a music director, and is now still celebrating show choir while being an adjudicator. His choirs have performed for the Wisconsin Choral Director’s Association and the Wisconsin School Music Association, as well as at numerous local, state, and national conventions. In addition to directing academic choirs, he established the Longfellow Show Kids, Logan The Class Act, and Logan Classy Ladies show choirs. Under his leadership, Dan and his choir parents started the region’s first show choir invitational, Logan Showcase, in 1986. He also established a regional summer show choir workshop, the Great River Festival of the Arts (GRFA). He has guest-directed and adjudicated choirs in Wisconsin, Iowa, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, and New Mexico. Mr. Risgaard was Teacher of the Year for Longfellow Middle School, the La Crosse School District, and the State of Wisconsin. Under Mr. Risgaard’s direction, The Class Act was selected as Grand Champions in numerous competitions and was awarded vocal choreography and band awards. Dan has been a Minister of Music at La Crosse’s Our Redeemer Lutheran Church since 1970. Mr. Risgaard collects Santa’s, snowmen, and Micky Mouse memorabilia. He also spends as much time as possible in his favorite vacation spot, Door County.