Randy Pagel, conductor of the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society, is a native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He embarked on his career directing the Peace Lutheran Church choir at age 13. He earned Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a Master of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, then moved to Las Vegas. After two years at Madison 6th Grade Center, he opened Thurman White Middle School in Henderson, Nevada, where the choirs were nationally renowned, performing several times under his direction at Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D. C., Orchestra Hall in Chicago, and at several state, division, and national conventions for both the American Choral Directors Association and the National Association for Music Education.