grew up in the Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church, Kalona Iowa, where four generations of his family attended before him. From a very young age he participated in Sunday School and Bible School singing activities, often being called upon to sing with his twin brother. At Iowa Mennonite School Arlen first led singing in the daily chapel services and sang in several men's quartets. Arlen attended Hesston College and, as a music major specializing in choral literature and conducting under Daniel Moe at the University of Iowa, he developed the first choir in the nearly one hundred year history of Lower Deer Creek Church. While living in Chicago in the early seventies, he formed, led, and accompanied the Lawndale Choir, an inner city choir that traveled extensively throughout the mid-western and eastern Mennonite Churches. Arlen currently directs choral activities at First Mennonite Church of Denver and conducts the Front Range Mennonite Choir. He is also a member of the steering committee for The Spirituals Project and directs the Spirituals Project Choir.