Brandon T. Cash, DMA
Director of Choral Activities
Assistant Professor of Music
Mississippi Valley State University
Itta Bena, MS
Dr. Brandon T. Cash is recognized for his dedication to artistic excellence and student success. Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music at Mississippi Valley State University, a Historically Black College and University, he conducts the University Choir, Valley Singers, Men’s Glee Club, and Women’s Chorale. Since 2019, Dr. Cash has revitalized the choral program. Under his leadership, the Valley Singers earned their first-ever invitation to perform at the 2025 Mississippi Music Educators Association and Mississippi American Choral Directors Association State Conference. The University Choir also gained national recognition with a performance at the 2022 National Collegiate Choral Organization Conference. An active guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and presenter, Dr. Cash led the 2025 Mississippi All-State JH Treble Choir and has prepared ensembles for regional, national, and international performances. In March 2025, the Valley Singers competed in the 33rd International Verona Choral Competition in Italy and earned 2nd place (Silver Cup) in the mixed choir category. Dr. Cash’s experience spans both K–12 and higher education, and he is known for guiding ensembles to high levels of artistry and performance. He currently serves on the National Board of the National Collegiate Choral Organization, Phi Mu Alpha, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and sings with The Greenwood Chorale.
Kristina MacMullen, DMA
Director of Choral Activities
Mary Gibbs Jones Chair in Music
Baylor University
Waco, TX
Kristina Caswell MacMullen serves as the Mary Gibbs Jones Chair of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Baylor University. She conducts the Baylor A Cappella Choir, Chamber Singers, and leads the graduate program in choral conducting. Prior to her appointment at BU, MacMullen served on the faculties of the University of North Texas and The Ohio State University. Her interdisciplinary work earned her the Sir William Osler Award at OSU and the President’s Special Recognition Award at UNT. MacMullen has also been recognized by TCDA for her innovation in programming. As an active adjudicator and clinician, MacMullen has conducted All-State and honors choirs throughout the United States. She has presented and co-presented interest sessions at state, regional, national, and international conferences. Her teaching and conducting is featured on the recording Conducting-Teaching: Real World Strategies for Success published by GIA (2009). MacMullen has enjoyed a diverse career as a public-school teacher, interacting with students in rural, suburban, and urban settings, elementary through high school. She also sings with the professional ensemble mirabai. Creative projects include interdisciplinary performances addressing human trafficking, the Kubler-Ross stages of grief, play theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, archetype exploration, belonging, American song, civic engagement, and the nature of tears.
John Ratledge, DMA
Professor Emeritus
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
Dr. John Ratledge is Professor Emeritus of the University of Alabama where he was the conductor of University Singers, Area Coordinator of Graduate Choral Conducting, Director of Choral Activities, and he also taught graduate conducting, literature, and pedagogy. Ratledge made his European conducting debut in 1996 with the Filharmonia Sudecka of Walbryzychu, Poland, and since that time, he has conducted orchestras in France, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Spain, and South Korea. His choirs have given the premiere of the full orchestral version of the Duruflé Requiem in Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Greece, the organ version premiere of same in Bulgaria, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms premiere in Poland, and the St. Petersburg, Russia’s premiere of Handel’s Messiah in English. Ratledge’s compositions are published by Alliance Music Publications and Carl Fischer Music Publishers.
1st Annual Celebration of Excellence – Central Texas Results
An American Classic Choral Artistry Experience
April 07, 2025 – Menchaca United Methodist Church, Menchaca
First Place and 2026 Honor Choir, Mixed Division
Midway Meistersigners: Jeff Rice, Director
1st Runner-up
Churchill Cambridge Chorale: Allison Cavazos & Rob Saldana, Directors
2nd Runner-Up
Georgetown A Cappella: Joey Lowrance, Director
3rd Runner-Up
Reagan Kantorei: Gavin McGee, Director
First Place and Treble Honor Choir, Treble/Tenor Bass Division
Churchill Cambridge Chorale Women: Allison Cavazos & Rob Saldana, Directors
1st Runner-Up
Roosevelt Treble Choir: Lindsey Johnson, Director
2nd Runner-up
Wagner Scarlet Voce: Antionette Harris, Director
3rd Runner-up
Westlake Chamber Signers: Chris Vineis, Director
Performance of Distinction, Mixed and Treble/Tenor Bass Divisions
(in alphabetical order)
Great Hearts Northern Oaks The Anthropos Men’s Choir: Nicholas Hauger, Director
Great Hearts Northern Oaks The Feather and Talon Chamber Choir: Kevin Austin, Director
McNeil Chamber Singers: Wendi Burwinkel & Sheridan White, Directors
Seguin Varsity Treble Choir: Perry Dean, Director
Westlake Madrigals: Brandon Baker, Director
Eduardo Garcia-Novelli, DMA
Professor of Music
Director of Choral Activities
University of Kansas Lawrence, KS
Eduardo García-Novelli, born in Argentina, served as Choir Director at Belgrano Day School in Buenos Aires and as Assistant Conductor, National Youth Choir. Former Assistant Director, Houston Symphony Chorus, and Director, Symphony of Southeast Texas Chorus, he received the Faculty Merit Award for distinguished teaching as Director of Choral Activities, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX. Two undergraduate degrees from state conservatories, Argentina. MM: Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ. DMA: University of Houston. His choirs performed for TMEA, WMEA, KMEA, WCDA, NCCO National Conference, the International Choral Festival in Panama City, Panama, and on several National, European, and South American tours. He had his conducting debut at Carnegie Hall in 2011, returning in 2015 and 2017. In 2016 he was in residence at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, Slovenia, lecturing and conducting the award-winning AVE Chamber Choir. Other international engagements include MidAm Festival, conducting Mozart at the historical Peterskirche in Vienna, the Coro Nacional de Jóvenes (in residence), Madryn Canta Festival (clinician), Tous Ensemble (guest conductor) all in Argentina, Tamara Brooks summer course in Galicia, Spain, and leading Carthage Choir to win First Prize at the prestigious Spittal International Choir Competition in Spittal, Austria, in July 2019. In July of 2023 he led The University of Kansas Chamber Choir to win First Prize at the Preveza International Competition in Greece, where he also received the best program award and the best conductor award. He had the honor of serving as conductor of the Texas Small School All-State Choir in 2024.
Gary Packwood
Freelance Conductor
Pedagogue, Lecturer
Baton Rouge, LA
Recognized as an inspirational and motivational conductor, pedagogue, and lecturer, Gary Packwood has appeared throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia, and has conducted all-state and honor choirs in over 40 states. Dr. Packwood has served as professor of music and director of choral studies at universities throughout the southeast and his choirs have performed at The White House, throughout Europe, and at State and Regional Conferences sponsored by the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). In 2017 Santa Barbara Music Publishing began the Gary Packwood Choral Series, which features compositions that specialize in music for developing and advanced young voices. He also has additional music publications through MusicSpoke, Alliance Music, and a new choral series Gentry Music. Dr. Packwood has published articles in the Choral Journal, Teaching Music, the 2nd Edition of the AmeriGrove Dictionary, and a book chapter in GIA’s Publication of Conducting Men’s Choirs, and the book Choral Reflections: Insights From American Choral Conductor-Teachers published by Hal Leonard. He is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Pi Kappa Lambda.
Jennifer Sengin, DMA
Visiting Assistant Professor of Choral Studies
University of Missouri – Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
Jennifer Sengin serves on the choral faculty at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where she serves as the Visiting Assistant Professor of Choral Studies. There, she leads the graduate choral conducting program and conducts the flagship ensemble, Conservatory Singers, and the Choral Union. In addition to ensembles, Dr. Sengin teaches graduate choral conducting and choral literature. She most recently served as the Associate Director of Choral Activities at Georgia State University (GSU). Under her direction, the GSU Treble Choir won first place in The American Prize and Dr. Sengin received 2nd place in conducting. The Treble Choir has been invited to perform at the National Collegiate Choral Organization Conference (2023) and twice at the Georgia Music Educators Association Conference (2020 and 2023). An active guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and presenter, Dr. Sengin has conducted honor choirs throughout the country and recently conducted the 2024 South Carolina American Choral Director’s Association TTB Honor Choir, 2023 Texas All-State Treble Choir, and others. Future engagements include guest conducting along with Dr. Sandra Snow in Carnegie Hall with National Concerts. Dr. Sengin currently serves on the National Board of the National Collegiate Choral Organization and sings in the award-winning professional ensemble, mirabai.
