KIBSAIM ESCÁRCEGA is the Assistant Conductor for Pacific Chorale, as well as the Chancel Choir Director at Tustin Presbyterian Church. Born and raised in Southern California, he continues to be an active member of the choral community as both a teacher, conductor, and singer. Kibsaim holds degrees in Vocal Performance and Choral Conducting from the University of California, Irvine, and California State University, Fullerton. He studied voice with Dr. Darryl Taylor and Dubravka Zubovic, and conducting with Seth Houston, Stephen Tucker, Robert Istad, and Kimo Furumoto. While at UC Irvine, Kibsaim served as conductor for the student-run BATS choir, assistant conductor for the Chamber Singers and Concert Choir, and chorus master for numerous UCI opera productions. As a graduate student at CSUF, Kibsaim served as the Graduate Assistant Conductor for the Titan Voices, Concert Choir, Opera Theatre, and University Singers. Kibsaim has also recently served as Chorus Master for Lyric Opera of Orange County, Orange County’s only professional opera company, and has prepared choirs for conductors in and around the SoCal area.