Clif has served as music director for many opera and music theatre productions through the years. More importantly, he started working as Music Director at River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation in 1983, thinking it would be steady employment until his “real job” came along. Gradually, River Road became his main focus. There, he works with the adult choir and three youth choirs. He regularly arranges and composes for those groups as well as composing piano music for services. His choral and piano compositions are valued mainstays in the repertoire of Unitarian Universalist congregations throughout the U.S. More information about River Road UU Congregation and the music program there can be found at www.rruuc.org.

Clif’s compositions include major works for chorus and orchestra, arrangements of folk, traditional, and contemporary songs, original choral anthems, and keyboard compositions.

Clif has lived in the Washington, DC area most of his life. He and his wife, Jan Elicker, are the proud parents of three daughters. Jan has also collaborated as lyricist for many of his choral works.

Clif holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory (BM in piano and theory), the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University (MM in conducting), and the University of Maryland (DMA in choral performance).