Music Selection:
Two selections are performed from the choir’s UIL repertoire during the allotted 20 minute time slot. All three pieces may be performed. In keeping with the educational nature of the event, it is acceptable to perform portions of a longer work, or to perform on solfege or neutral syllables according to each choir’s stage of development in perfecting the repertoire. Each piece may be sung in its entirety at the discretion of the director.
Evaluation:
A two person panel will provide detailed, written comments designed to facilitate the continuing preparations for a satisfying and successful UIL experience.
Clinic:
Following the performance, each choir will receive a 40 minute clinic.
Scores:
Three sets of original scores, two for the evaluators and one for the clinician, are necessary.
Recording:
A CD recording will be prepared for each performing group.
Dress:
Concert attire is encouraged but not required.
Clinicians
Dianne Brumley
Director of Choral Studies Emerita
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – Brownsville
Canyon Lake, TX
Dianne Brumley is Director of Choral Music Studies and Professor of Music Education, Emerita at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – Brownsville. She was appointed in 2003 and was the first person to hold the position of Director of Choral Studies at the University. Brumley was the founding conductor of the University Master Chorale. During her ten-year tenure at UTRGV, the Master Chorale was selected to perform at the 2011 Texas Music Educators Association Convention and toured internationally. Brumley also served for 20 years as the founding Conductor and Artistic Director of the South Texas Chorale and Orchestra.
Brumley is a frequent guest conductor, clinician, motivational speaker and adjudicator throughout Texas and the United States. Currently, she serves as a choral music education consultant. Before her time with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brumley was a successful choral music educator in public schools. Choirs under her direction were selected for honor performances at Texas Music Educators Association conventions, American Choral Directors Association regional and national conventions and a featured performance at the Texas Choral Directors Association convention.
Active in Texas choral music endeavors for many years, in 2011 Brumley was honored to receive the Texas Choral Excellence Award from the Texas Choral Director’s Association. In 2018 TCDA named her the 18th recipient of the Texas Choir Master Award, reserved for TCDA members with superior choral conducting and musicianship skill with many years of performance success.
Eduardo Garcia-Novelli
Director of Choral Studies
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
Eduardo García-Novelli was born in Argentina, where he served 8 years as Choir Director at Belgrano Day School in Buenos Aires and as Assistant Conductor of the Coro Nacional de Jóvenes. 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. He has two undergraduate degrees from state conservatories, Argentina; MM: Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ. and DMA: University of Houston. His choirs performed for TMEA, WMEA, WCDA, NCCO National Conference, the International Choral Festival in Panama City, Panama and on several National, European, and South American tours.
He made 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, and leading Carthage Choir to win First Prize at the prestigious Spittal International Choir Competition in Spittal, Austria, in July 2019.
Allen Hightower
Professor of Music
Director of Choral Studies
University of North Texas
Allen Hightower serves as the Director of Choral Studies at the University of North Texas, where he conducts the A Cappella Choir, leads the master’s and doctoral programs in choral conducting, and oversees a comprehensive choral program of eight ensembles. Since arriving at UNT in 2016, the A Cappella Choir has performed by invitation for both the Texas Music Educators Association and the national conference of the American Choral Directors Association.
Prior to UNT, Dr. Hightower held the Weston Noble Endowed Chair in Music at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, serving as conductor of the Nordic Choir and artistic director of Christmas at Luther. He gave leadership to a choral program that included four conductors, six choirs, and over 530 singers. Under Dr. Hightower’s direction, the Nordic Choir performed at the 2014 North Central Division of ACDA and toured throughout the United States and Europe.
From 2000-2010, Dr. Hightower was Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at Sam Houston State University. During his tenure, the SHSU Chorale toured Europe, performed for the 2007 National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association, the 2010 Southwestern Division of ACDA, and the 2003, 2006, and 2010 conventions of the TMEA.
Evaluators
Keith Dixon
Choral Conductor / Teacher
Bossier City, LA
Keith Dixon’s teaching career spanned 44 years in Louisiana and Houston area. His choirs from Westchester, Hastings, and Kingwood presented concerts for TMEA. Collaborating with Houston friends, the Kingwood choirs launched in succeeding years the annual FACE concert series with international conductors Robert Sund and Maria Guinand. Craig Jessop, Jerry Blackstone, Sigrid Johnson, Robert Ray, and Charles Bruffy conduct concerts that continue to this day. When not conducting school, church, and the Bay Area Chorus, Dixon sang in the Bev Henson Chorale, Concert Chorale of Houston, Houston Symphony Chorus, and the Robert Shaw Festival Singers. With Mr. Shaw he sang on the recordings Amazing Grace, Evocation of the Spirit, and Appear and Inspire. These summer workshops took place in the scenic Dordogne River Valley in southwestern France. Each January the choir convened in NYC to present works of Brahms, Verdi, Berlioz, Britten, and Hindemith in the famed Carnegie Hall. After retiring in 2012 and receiving the 2013 TCDA Choral Excellence Award, he returned to teaching first at LSU , then six years at Spring Woods High School until the pandemic brought an end to public school teaching. He now resides in Bossier City, Louisiana.
Bethany Stuard
Artistic Director
First Colony Homeschool Ensemble Choirs
Katy, TX
Bethany Green Stuard is a choral conductor, vocal performer, and music educator. She is the new Artistic Director of the First Colony Homeschool Ensemble Choirs, a thriving musical organization in Sugar Land. Mrs. Stuard spent nine years directing the choral program at Lovejoy High School, growing the organization from thirteen singers to 190 singers in five choirs. Choirs under her direction received exclusively Sweepstakes Trophies in UIL Competition. Her Varsity Women’s Choir was an Invited Choir at the 2013 Texas Music Educators’ Association Convention. The choirs of Lovejoy won many Overall Outstanding trophies at both state and national choral festivals. Mrs. Stuard received the Texas Choral Directors’ Association “Young Director of Distinction” Award in 2012. Stuard holds a master’s degree in choral conducting from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and undergraduate degrees in music education and vocal performance from Texas Tech University, graduating Suma Cum Laude in Honors studies. Mrs. Stuard remains active as a judge, clinician, and vocal coach, leading clinics and conducting honor choirs in TMEA. An involved member of TMEA, TCDA, and TMAA, she particularly enjoys her work leading choral professional development sessions on cultivating creativity, using foreign language to enhance vocal technique, and fostering team spirit.
Reginal Wright
Composer, Conductor, Educator
Reginal Wright is a clinician, composer, conductor, and educator from Arlington, Texas. He currently teaches at Mansfield High School in Mansfield Texas. As a 20-year educator, Reginal’s choirs frequently earn Sweepstakes and Best of Class Awards at Local, State and National Festivals. His choirs have also been featured at the Texas Music Educators and Southwest ACDA Conventions. As a conductor, Reginal enjoys conducting choirs and ensembles across the United States. In 2012 the Mansfield High School A Cappella Women’s choir was honored as SWACDA honor choir. In 2018 the Mansfield Varsity Men’s Choir performed at the prestigious Texas Music Educators Association Convention in San Antonio. He is a member of Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Texas Choral Directors Association, American Choral Directors Association Reginal is also a highly sought after adjudicator / clinician on the Middle and High School levels. Reginal has published compositions with several major choral music publishers. Reginal resides in Arlington with his wife Renetta, son Gabrien, daughter Reece and Yorkie Cooper.
Clinicians
Dianne Brumley
Director of Choral Studies Emerita
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – Brownsville
Canyon Lake, TX
Dianne Brumley is Director of Choral Music Studies and Professor of Music Education, Emerita at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – Brownsville. She was appointed in 2003 and was the first person to hold the position of Director of Choral Studies at the University. Brumley was the founding conductor of the University Master Chorale. During her ten-year tenure at UTRGV, the Master Chorale was selected to perform at the 2011 Texas Music Educators Association Convention and toured internationally. Brumley also served for 20 years as the founding Conductor and Artistic Director of the South Texas Chorale and Orchestra.
Brumley is a frequent guest conductor, clinician, motivational speaker and adjudicator throughout Texas and the United States. Currently, she serves as a choral music education consultant. Before her time with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brumley was a successful choral music educator in public schools. Choirs under her direction were selected for honor performances at Texas Music Educators Association conventions, American Choral Directors Association regional and national conventions and a featured performance at the Texas Choral Directors Association convention.
Active in Texas choral music endeavors for many years, in 2011 Brumley was honored to receive the Texas Choral Excellence Award from the Texas Choral Director’s Association. In 2018 TCDA named her the 18th recipient of the Texas Choir Master Award, reserved for TCDA members with superior choral conducting and musicianship skill with many years of performance success.
Ben May
Director of Choral Studies
Brazosport College
Lake Jackson, TX
Ben May is the Director of Choral Activities at Brazosport College in Lake Jackson, TX. He is currently pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Houston. Before moving to the Houston area, Ben directed the choirs and music theory program at James Bowie High School in Austin, TX, where his students earned consistent UIL Sweepstakes awards and superior passing rates on the AP Music Theory exam. His work on Evita with the Starlight Theatre Company led to the ‘Best Musical Direction’ award from the Greater Austin High School Musical Theatre Awards in 2014-15. Ben holds degrees from Vanderbilt University and Westminster Choir College. In 2008, Ben won the Raymond W. Brock Memorial Student Composition Contest, a national competition sponsored by the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and the winning piece Absalon, Fili Mi was performed during the 2009 National Convention in Oklahoma City. He has performed as part of elite choral ensembles, including the Westminster Choir, Westminster Kantorei, Chorus Austin Chamber Ensemble, Conspirare Symphonic Choir, Houston Symphony Chorus, and the University of Houston Concert Chorale.
Michael Murphy
Director of Choral Activities
Associate Professor of Music
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, TX
Michael Muphy, Director of Choral Activities, Associate Professor of Music, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX. Prior to his appointment to SFA, Michael was Director of Choral Activities and Associate Professor at University of Idaho where he was Founder and Artistic Director of the Idaho Bach Festival and was recognized with the UI Faculty Award for outstanding scholarship, teaching, and engagement.
Dr. Murphy is an active clinician, adjudicator, author, and composer. His international conducting experiences include Austria, China, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Germany. In 2016, Michael was awarded the Confucius Institute Understanding China Fellowship and served as Visiting Scholar in Choral Music in Guangzhou, China. In the summer and fall of 2019, Michael will travel to South and Central America and give conducting masterclasses in Ecuador and Panama. Murphy has been published several times in Choral Journal and is a contributing author to volume 4 of Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir, published by GIA. As a passionate champion of music for all, he has experience teaching all ages and levels and several auditioned and non-auditioned collegiate, community, school, and church choirs. Michael has held several state and national leadership positions in ACDA, NAfME, and NCCO.
Evaluators
Brenda Varvoutis Renadner
Head Choral Director
South Houston High School
South Houston, TX
Artistic Director, Bay Area Youth Singers
Brenda Varvoutis Renander is the artistic director of the Bay Area Youth Singers. She holds a bachelor of music from the University of Houston and a performance certificate in flute from the International Academie in Nice, France. Her teaching and conducting experience spans 32 years in public and private schools at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. She currently serves as choral director at South Houston High School in Pasadena Independent School District, Director of Music at Lakeside Lutheran Church, is a Teaching Artist with the Humphrey School at Theater Under the Stars, and is a frequent clinician and adjudicator for UIL contests and choral festivals throughout the state. Awards include Pasadena Independent School District and Region IV High School Teacher of the Year, 2017.
Reginal Wright
Head Choral Director
Mansfield High School
Mansfield, TX
Reginal Wright was born in Henderson, Texas. His life as a musician began in his middle school band as a trombonist. This is his 19th year of public school teaching. As an educator Reginal has earned many awards including Outstanding Teacher, Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and a nomination for the UIL Sponsor Excellence Award. Reginal also earned the Educator of the Year Award for the Mansfield School District.
Reginal has performed music in Vienna and Salzburg, Austria as well as Munich, Germany and throughout the United States. As a conductor, he is a sought after clinician in both Gospel and Classical genres. He has enjoyed the opportunity to conduct Honor Choirs for many school districts throughout Texas and Oklahoma. He also serves as a clinician in many Texas All State Choir camps. Reginal is also an aspiring composer, writing music that caters to school and church choirs.
Reginal received both his Bachelor and Masters of Music Education Degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He is currently the head choral director at Mansfield High School. His choirs are consistent Sweepstakes winners in both concert and sight reading contests. Choirs under his direction also earn “Outstanding in Class” awards at National Music Festivals. In 2012 the Mansfield High School A Cappella Women’s choir was honored as SWACDA honor choir. This year the Mansfield Varsity Men’s Choir performed at the prestigious Texas Music Educators Association Convention in San Antonio. He is a member of Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Texas Choral Directors Association, American Choral Directors Association and served as Vocal Chair for TMEA Region 5 from 2014-2017.
Neena Taylor
Head Choral Director
Jersey Village High School (ret)
Jersey Village, TX
Neena Taylor is a graduate of the University of Texas at Pan American with a Bachelor of Arts in Voice. She has done post-graduate work in voice and conducting at the University of Houston. During the 24 years that Ms. Taylor has been teaching at Jersey Village High School her choirs have received consistent Sweepstakes awards at Concert and Sight-reading Contest as well as Best in Class at state and national festivals. She has presented three workshops at the Texas Choral Directors Convention and conducted numerous Region Clinics in the state. The Jersey Village Varsity Women under Ms. Taylor’s direction performed at the 2003 Texas Music Educators Association Convention. Outside of teaching, she has been active in the community as a director of church choirs, singing with the Houston Symphony, the former professional Concert Chorale of Houston and Houston Chamber Choir. Her professional affiliations include TCDA, ACDA, TMAA and TMEA. Ms. Taylor conducts workshops and directs region clinics around the state.
Clinicians
Michael Murphy
Director of Choral Activities
Associate Professor of Music
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, TX
Michael Murphy, Director of Choral Activities, Associate Professor of Music, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX. Prior to his appointment to SFA, Michael was Director of Choral Activities and Associate Professor at University of Idaho where he was Founder and Artistic Director of the Idaho Bach Festival and was recognized with the UI Faculty Award for outstanding scholarship, teaching, and engagement.
Dr. Murphy is an active clinician, adjudicator, author, and composer. His international conducting experiences include Austria, China, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Germany. In 2016, Michael was awarded the Confucius Institute Understanding China Fellowship and served as Visiting Scholar in Choral Music in Guangzhou, China. In the summer and fall of 2019, Michael will travel to South and Central America and give conducting masterclasses in Ecuador and Panama. Murphy has been published several times in Choral Journal and is a contributing author to volume 4 of Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir, published by GIA. As a passionate champion of music for all, he has experience teaching all ages and levels and several auditioned and non-auditioned collegiate, community, school, and church choirs. Michael has held several state and national leadership positions in ACDA, NAfME, and NCCO.
Jerry McCoy
Regent’s Professor & Director of Choral Studies Emeritus
College of Music, University of North Texas
Jerry McCoy, Author of the forth-coming book Becoming the Choral Poet, winner of the Texas Choral Directors Association’s prestigious 2013 Choirmaster Award, and Chief Consultant for Digital Publishing Inc., Jerry McCoy is also Regents Professor of Music Emeritus for the University of North Texas, where between 2000 and 2015 he led the UNT choral program to national and international acclaim while serving as Director of Choral Studies and conductor of the A Cappella Choir. His graduates have been named to faculty positions in choral music at forty-one universities in the U.S., Mexico, and South Korea, and currently lead thirteen professional choirs in the U.S. and South Korea. In addition to his work at UNT, he served on the faculties of Baylor University, Oklahoma State University, and the University of Arizona. His civic and professional choir work includes eleven years as Artistic Director/Conductor for the Fort Worth Chorale and Chamber Choir, six years as Founder/Conductor of the Texas Choral Artists, and five seasons as a member of the Robert Shaw Festival Singers. His work in the international choral community includes appearances in Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Cuba, France, England, Ireland, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Venezuela, and Wales. Guest engagements for 2018/2019 include appearances in California (twice), Florida, Kansas, Oregon, Missouri (twice),and Texas (eleven events). His commercial recordings include releases by Klavier Records and GIA Music Publications, as well as the premiere recording of Jake Heggie’s Ahab Symphony, released on CD Baby. From 2009-2011, he served as national president of the 20,000-member American Choral Directors Association.
Erin E. Plisco
Associate Director of Choral Studies
Assistant Professor of Music
Missouri State
Erin Plisco is the Associate Director of Choral Studies at Missouri State University, where she helps lead a comprehensive choral program, conducts multiple choirs, and teaches undergraduate and graduate choral conducting and literature. She is completing a Doctor of Musical Arts in choral conducting from the University of Arizona, where she studied conducting with Bruce Chamberlain and voice with Elizabeth Futral. She completed the Master of Music in Choral Studies at Trinity College, University of Cambridge (United Kingdom), where she was a recipient of the prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship and studied with Grammy-nominated conductor Stephen Layton. Erin has conducted choirs of all ages across the United States and Europe, receiving numerous awards at national festivals and competitions, performing by invitation at State Conferences, and winning The American Prize for high school choral ensemble performance in 2013. She is a past recipient of the Colleen Kirk Award, given by the ACDA Southern Division in recognition of her outstanding achievements as a young conductor, and has spent three summers as a choral fellow with the Yale School of Music -Norfolk Chamber Music Festival in Connecticut, under the direction of Simon Carrington.
Evaluators
Heather Orr
Head Choir Director
Montgomery High School
Artistic Director, Montgomery County Choral Society
Montgomery, TX
Heather Orr, Conductor and Innovative teacher of 24 years. Heather Orr is currently the Director of Choral Activities at Montgomery High School and the Artistic Director of the Montgomery County Choral Society. Choirs under Orr’s direction have been seen at several conventions including, ACDA Chicago, TMEA and SWACDA Oklahoma City. Orr’s choirs consistently earn Sweepstakes at UIL Competitions and choirs under her direction have been recognized with Best in Class awards at several festivals in Texas, Florida and New York.
Orr is a member of “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” “Who’s Who Among American Women” and was awarded a TMEA scholarship towards doctoral studies. Orr has been recognized with the UIL Sponsor Excellence Award and Fine Arts Teacher of the Year Award for Montgomery County. She has also served TMEA and TCDA as Conductor, Clinician and Presenter as well as competition host and adjudicator. Orr’s professional affiliations include TMEA, TCDA, ACDA, Nafme, and TMAA.
Bethany Green Stuard
Choral Consultant
Vocal Specialist
Katy, TX
Bethany Green Stuard is a choral conductor, vocal performer, and music educator. Mrs. Stuard began the choral program at Lovejoy High School, growing the organization from thirteen singers to 190 singers in five choirs. Choirs under her direction received exclusively Sweepstakes Trophies at UIL Concert and Sightreading Competition. Her Varsity Women’s Choir was an Invited Choir at the 2013 Texas Music Educators’ Association Convention. The choirs of Lovejoy won many Overall Outstanding trophies at both state and national choral festivals.
Stuard holds a master’s degree in choral conducting from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and undergraduate degrees in music education and vocal performance from Texas Tech University, graduating Summa Cum Laude in Honors studies.
Mrs. Stuard is currently a vocal coach at Seven Lakes High School and remains active in the music community as a judge, clinician, and singer, leading clinics and conducting honor choirs in TMEA regions around the state. Mrs. Stuard is an involved member of TMEA, TCDA, and TMAA and particularly enjoys her work leading choral professional development sessions on cultivating creativity, using foreign language to enhance vocal technique, and fostering team spirit.
Joe Weir
Atascocita Presbyterian Church
Music Director
Texas Music Educators Association
Past-President
Joe Weir is a retired teacher. He spent 34 years teaching music and choir in the Humble Independent School District and is currently serving his 19th year as director of music for Atascocita Presbyterian Church. During his tenure as a public school educator, Joe served as the State Vocal Chairman and the President of the Texas Music Educators Association. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of North Texas in 1984 and his Master of Music in Choral Con-ducting from the University of Houston in 1999.
In addition to his work in public education and at APC, Joe is the founder and Artistic Director of the Lake Houston Cham-ber Singers, a community ensemble that performs locally and tours abroad.
Clinicians
Jerry McCoy
Regent’s Professor & Director of Choral Studies Emeritus
College of Music, University of North Texas
Artistic Director, Fort Worth Chorale & Chamber Choir
Dallas, TX
Jerry McCoy is a Visiting Professor of Music at Baylor University and Artistic Director/Conductor of the Fort Worth Chorale and Chamber Choir. The 2013 winner of the Texas Choral Directors Association’s prestigious Choirmaster Award, he is also Regents Professor of Music Emeritus for the University of North Texas, where between 2000 and 2015 he led the UNT choral program to national and international acclaim while serving as Director of Choral Studies and conductor of the A Cappella Choir. His graduates have been named to faculty positions in choral music at forty universities in the U.S., Mexico, and South Korea, and currently lead thirteen professional choirs in the U.S. and South Korea. From 2007 to 2015 he served as a member of the National Executive Committee for the 20,000-member ACDA, serving as the organization’s national president from 2009 to 2011. His work in the international choral community includes appearances in Austria, Canada, China, Cuba, France, Great Britain, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, and Venezuela. Guest engagements for 2016/17 include appearances in Canada, Alabama, California, New York City, and Texas.
Dr. Joshua Oppenheim
Associate Professor of Music
Co-Director of Choral Studies
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS
Dr. Joshua Oppenheim received his B.M. from Western Michigan University, his M.M. at the University of Mississippi, and his D.M.A. in Choral Conducting at the University of North Texas. His choirs have been selected to perform at state conferences (2009 Concert Choir; 2012 Men’s Choir); regional conferences (2012 Concert Choir; 2016 In A Chord); 2018 Concert Choir) national conferences (2104 Men’s Choir; 2015 In A Chord; 2017 Concert Choir) and international conferences (2018 Concert Choir) He has been engaged as guest conductor and clinician in Carnegie Hall (2014, 2016) ) the National Cathedral (2018) Singapore (2015), and Dubai (2015); and had done additional study at Trinity College Cambridge, England.
He has been engaged as presenter, judge, and conductor in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Western and Southwestern division ACDA conferences.
California, New York City, and Texas.
John Ratledge
Professor Emeritus
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
John Ratledge (b. 1954), Professor Emeritus of The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, was the Conductor of University Singers, Area Coordinator of Graduate Choral Conducting, and Director of Choral Activities during his twelve-year tenure at The University. Ratledge made his European orchestral conducting debut in 1996 with the Filharmonia Sudecka of Walbrzych and Wroclaw, and Poland, and since then, he has conducted orchestras in France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania, and Spain. During his tenure at Shorter College of Rome, Georgia, the Shorter Chorale distinguished itself nationally and internationally by giving the world premiere of the full orchestral version of the Duruflé Requiem in Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Greece and the organ version premiere of the same work in Bulgaria; the world premiere of Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms in Poland, and the St. Petersburg, Russia world premieres of Handel’s Messiah in English and Corigliano’s Fern Hill. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Bassi Brugnatelli International Conducting and Singing Symposium held annually in Robbiate, Italy, and he is the editor of the new Javier Busto Choral Series of Carl Fischer Music Publishers. Ratledge currently is the Director of Music at First United Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa.
Evaluators
Dr. Joshua Bronfman
Director of Choral Activities
Associate Professor
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX
Dr. Joshua Bronfman is Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities at Sam Houston State University, where he directs the SHSU Chorale and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in choral conducting and choral literature. He is also creator and host of Choral History, a podcast dedicated to conversations with choral conductors from around the world. Prior to his appointment at SHSU, Joshua spent a decade as Director of Choral Activities at the University of North Dakota, Artistic Director of the Grand Forks Chorales, and conductor of the Grand Forks Master Chorale. He is an active clinician nationally, directing honor choir festivals at the middle, high school, and collegiate levels. His published articles and presentations on choral music and choral music education have reached state, regional, and national audiences.
Joshua studies conducting under noted conductors such as Anton Armstrong, Bruce Brown, Rodney Eichenberger, Simon Halsey, and André Thomas. Joshua received his PH.D. in Choral Music Education and Choral Conducting at Florida State University. Prior to pursuing his graduate degrees, Joshua was a music specialist in Oregon where he taught at the elementary and middle levels.
Amy Lewis
Choral Consultant
Houston, TX
Amy M. Lewis has worked independently as a choral consultant and clinician, as a business owner and partner with her husband, and as a MOM for the last seven years. From 1995-2010 Amy served as the associate choral director at Spring High School, in Spring, Texas. Choirs under her direction consistently received superior ratings at UIL Concert and Sight-reading competitions in addition to local and regional competitions.
During her tenure at Spring High School Amy co-conducted the Chorale at their 1997 and 2004 TMEA performances and their 1998 Southwestern ACDA performance. Additionally, she co-conducted the Chamber Choir’s four Honor Choir performances at the American Classic Chamber Choir Festival.
Amy has been invited and honored to serve as the region choir clinician for High School and Middle School Treble and Honor Choirs throughout Texas. Amy has also presented workshops and teacher in-services on topics ranging from choral teaching and rehearsal techniques, to classroom management and vertical alignment.
Amy received a Bachelor of Music degree in Education from Louisiana State University where she was a member of the Chamber and A Capella choirs under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Fulton. Her professional affiliations include TCDA, TMAA, TMEA, and Pi Kapa Lambda. Amy resides in The Woodlands with her husband Greg and their eleven year old twin daughters Abby and Ella.
Tammy Patterson
Greater Houston Choral Consultant
Retired Fine Arts Administrator
Cypress Fairbanks & Fort Bend ISD
Houston, TX
Tammy Patterson holds her B.M.E. and M.A. degrees from Sam Houston State University where her principal teachers were Dr. Walter Foster, Alvis Autrey, and the legendary choral master, Dr. B.R. “Bev” Henson. Ms. Patterson spent most of her career in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, where she taught secondary choir as an assistant middle school director, head middle school director and head high school director. Her last fourteen years in the district, she held the position of Coordinator of Secondary Music before taking a two-year position in Fort Bend Independent School District as the Assistant Director of Fine Arts.
In her tenure as the head choral director at Jersey Village High School, the program grew quickly from an enrollment of 61 to over 200 students. Accolades included an invitation for the A Cappella Choir to perform for the membership of Texas Music Educators Association Convention and the Chamber Choir winning the prestigious San Antonio Madrigal and Chamber Choir Festival. In 2016, Ms. Patterson was awarded the Texas Choral Directors Association Choral Excellence award based on her contributions to choral music in Texas, mentorship and inspiration to colleagues and students, and continued advocacy for the future of choral singing.
Ms. Patterson currently maintains an active schedule and is in demand throughout the state as a mentor teacher, choral consultant, and clinician. She is frequently called upon as a guest conductor for Region Choirs, workshop presenter for colleges, school districts and state conferences, and adjudicator for TMEA and UIL competitions. She maintains a private voice studio and is a staff singer at First Methodist Houston.
Ms. Patterson is a member of Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Choral Directors Association, National Association of Teachers of Singing, Greater Houston NATS, and Texas Music Adjudicators Association.
Clinicians
Richard Bjella
Director of Choral Studies Emeritus
Texas Tech University
Artistic Director for the San Antonio Chamber Choir
Appleton, WI
Richard Bjella, Professor Emeritus from Texas Tech University, and former choral conductor at Lawrence University, Bjella has distinguished himself as a conductor, clinician, choral pedagogue and choral arranger. He has been honored to have his choirs appear at the 2009 and 2013 National ACDA Conventions, as well as performances at Carnegie Hall, Orchestra Hall, and at TMEA conventions. In addition, Bjella’s graduate conductors also received finalist recognition in conducting competitions at two of the most recent National ACDA Conventions and one was awarded the Julius Herford Dissertation Prize.
It has also been his honor to conduct and present masterclasses throughout the world and over 400 festivals and workshops in 32 states. He is also active in the promotion of creative choral programming and is a contributing writer for the book, The Oxford Handbook of Choral Pedagogy(2017) with his chapter, The Art of Successful Programming: Study, Selection, and Synthesis.
Bjella also served as President of the WCDA (Wisconsin) and was awarded the prestigious Lawrence Excellence in Teaching Award (2007) and the Morris Hayes Lifetime Achievement Award (2013) from WCDA. Most recently, Bjella was the recipient of a 2017 Professing Excellence Award at Texas Tech University. Presently, he is the Artistic Director for the San Antonio Chamber Choir.
Dr. Joshua Oppenheim
Associate Professor of Music
Co-Director of Choral Studies
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS
Dr. Joshua Oppenheim received his B.M. from Western Michigan University, his M.M. at the University of Mississippi, and his D.M.A. in Choral Conducting at the University of North Texas. His choirs have been selected to perform at state conferences (2009 Concert Choir; 2012 Men’s Choir); regional conferences (2012 Concert Choir; 2016 In A Chord); 2018 Concert Choir) national conferences (2104 Men’s Choir; 2015 In A Chord; 2017 Concert Choir) and international conferences (2018 Concert Choir) He has been engaged as guest conductor and clinician in Carnegie Hall (2014, 2016) ) the National Cathedral (2018) Singapore (2015), and Dubai (2015); and had done additional study at Trinity College Cambridge, England.
He has been engaged as presenter, judge, and conductor in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Western and Southwestern division ACDA conferences.
Dr. Julie Yu
Associate Professor of Music
Co-Director of Choral Studies
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS
Dr. Julie Yu is Co-Director of Choral Studies at Kansas State University where she is part of a team that oversees eight choral ensembles and teaches undergraduate and graduate choral conducting.
She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in music education from the University of Central Oklahoma, Master of Music degree in choral conducting from Oklahoma State University, and the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting from the University of North Texas.
Before joining the Kansas State faculty, she taught at Norman North High School in Norman, Oklahoma and San José State University.
She has given presentations and her choirs have performed for the Kansas Music Educators Association, Missouri Music Educators Association, Oklahoma Choral Directors Association, the American Choral Directors Association and the European Music Educators Association Conventions. She is the Southwest American Choral Directors Association President Elect designate and a 2018 ACDA-ICEP Conducting Fellow (to Kenya). She also serves as Artistic Director of the Flint Hills Masterworks Chorale and the Vice President of the Flint Hills Children’s Choir.
Evaluators
Ben May
Director of Choral Studies
Brazosport College
Lake Jackson, TX
Ben May is the Director of Choral Activities at Brazosport College in Lake Jackson, TX. He is currently pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Houston. Before moving to the Houston area, Ben directed the choirs and music theory program at James Bowie High School in Austin, TX, where his students earned consistent UIL Sweepstakes awards and superior passing rates on the AP Music Theory exam. His work on Evita with the Starlight Theatre Company led to the ‘Best Musical Direction’ award from the Greater Austin High School Musical Theatre Awards in 2014-15. Ben holds degrees from Vanderbilt University and Westminster Choir College. In 2008, Ben won the Raymond W. Brock Memorial Student Composition Contest, a national competition sponsored by the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and the winning piece Absalon, Fili Mi was performed during the 2009 National Convention in Oklahoma City. He has performed as part of elite choral ensembles, including the Westminster Choir, Westminster Kantorei, Chorus Austin Chamber Ensemble, Conspirare Symphonic Choir, Houston Symphony Chorus, and the University of Houston Concert Chorale.
Jeb Mueller
Associate Director of Choral Studies
University of Houston Moores School of Music
Katherine G. McGovern College of the Arts
Houston, TX
Jeb Mueller serves as Associate Director of Choral Studies at the University of Houston Moores School of Music where he conducts three choirs, teaches choral music education courses, and maintains a graduate conducting studio. In addition to his academic duties, Mueller is an active clinician, conference presenter, and adjudicator with engagements throughout the United States and Europe.
Mueller’s choirs have been described as “stellar,” “inspired,” and singing with “mature line and a beautiful, vibrant tone.” Under his direction, UH’s Concert Women’s Chorus performed at the 2016 American Choral Directors Association Southwest Division Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
Mueller taught high school choral music in the Houston area for six years. His choirs consistently earned superior ratings at contests and were twice chosen the Overall Best Choir at state and national choral festivals.
Dr. Mueller’s training includes master classes and/or lessons with such choral luminaries as Joseph Flummerfelt, Craig Hella Johnson, Ragnar Bohlin, Robert Porco, Vance George, Patrick Dupré Quigley, and Weston Noble. He holds degrees from the University of Miami, the University of Texas, and Texas Tech University.
Clinicians
Eduardo García-Novelli, D.M.A.
Director of Choral Activities, Chair, Music Dept.
Carthage College
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Dr. Eduardo García-Novelli, serves as Director of Choral Activities and Chair of the Music Department at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI. He is also Artistic Director of Master Singers of Milwaukee. Born in Argentina, Eduardo served 8 years as Choir Director at Belgrano Day School in Buenos Aires, and as Assistant Conductor of the 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 in Argentina. MM: Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ. DMA: University of Houston, TX. His choirs performed at TMEA, WMEA, WCDA, NCCO National Conference, and the International Choral Festival in Panama City, Panama. Several National, European and South American tours to his credit. In January of 2016 he was in residence at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, Slovenia, lecturing and conducting the award-winning AVE Chamber Choir. In June of 2016 he conducted Mozart’s Missa brevis in F K 192 at the historical Peterskirche in Vienna. Last March he returned to Carnegie Hall to conduct Mozart’s Coronation Mass with the New England Symphonic Ensemble and festival choir.
Kristina Caswell MacMullen
Assistant Director of Choral Studies
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio
Kristina Caswell MacMullen serves as Assistant Professor of Music and Associate Director of Choral Studies at The Ohio State University, where she conducts the Symphonic Choir, the Women’s Glee Club, and instructs both undergraduate and graduate students in choral conducting, repertoire, and rehearsal pedagogy.
As an active adjudicator and clinician, Professor Caswell MacMullen has conducted All-State and honor choirs throughout the United States. Recent and future engagements involve students in Colorado, Texas, Alaska, Virginia, Ohio, and Nebraska. In 2011, she was runner-up in the National American Choral Director’s Association graduate level conducting competition. She was also selected as a Fulbright Fellowship Alternate to Slovenia. Her teaching and conducting is featured on the DVD “Conducting-Teaching: Real World Strategies for Success” published by GIA (2009), and her editions for treble choir are published by Musicatus Press, Boosey & Hawkes, and MusicSpoke.
Caswell MacMullen is a graduate of Michigan State University and Texas Tech University. Prior to her appointment at The Ohio State University, she enjoyed a diverse career as a public-school teacher, interacting with students in rural, suburban, and urban settings, elementary through high school. She has presented and co-presented interest sessions at state, regional, national, and international conferences.
Brian A. Schmidt
Associate Professor of Choral Music
Conductor of the A Cappella Choir and Chamber Singers
Baylor University
Waco, Texas
Brian A. Schmidt is Associate Professor of Choral Music at Baylor University and conductor of the Baylor A Cappella Choir and Chamber Singers. He also teaches the graduate choral conducting and literature courses and guides graduate conducting recitals. Schmidt is founder and Artistic Director of the South Dakota Chorale, a professional choir based in Sioux Falls, SD and has grown the ensemble’s artistic presence through commercial recordings and the signing of an international recording contract in 2014 with PENTATONE, a Dutch classical label.
Previously Schmidt served at Duke University Chapel where he conducted the Duke Vespers Ensemble and founded several new ventures including the monthly Bach Cantata Series and Cappella Baroque (a professional period-instrument orchestra) along with publishing recordings on the MSR Classics label.
He is a frequent guest conductor and his choirs have appeared on Division and National ACDA Conferences and Boston Early Music Festival. He was selected by ACDA to represent America in the International Conductor Exchange Program with Sweden, resulting in study and guest conducting opportunities in Sweden during the fall of 2015.
Schmidt graduated from the University of North Texas, where he completed MM and DMA degrees under Jerry McCoy and Richard Sparks, along with early music studies under Lyle Nordstrom and Lenora McCroskey.
Evaluators
Janwin Overstreet-Goode
Friendswood High School, (ret)
Choral Music Consultant
Friendswood, TX
Janwin Overstreet-Goode recently retired after 36 years in music education. In 2008, the Friendswood High School Campus Singers were a TMEA Invited Performing Choir. Ms. Goode also served as music director of the school’s annual musical. The school’s production of “South Pacific” received the Tommy Tune Award for Best Musical in 2006, and the award for Best Musical Direction for “Oklahoma” in 2010 and “Les Miserables” in 2017.
Prior to joining the faculty at FHS, she taught at Sam Rayburn High School in Pasadena, TX; the SRHS Chorale Women were selected to perform for the Texas Music Educators Association in 2001. Her choirs have been consistent Sweepstakes and superior ratings recipients at the University Interscholastic League contests, and have been named Best in Class at contests in Florida, Louisiana, California and Texas.
Ms. Goode received the FISD “Making a Difference” Award in 2009 and 2017. She was also honored by the Houston Symphony Orchestra and Fidelity FutureStage as the 2008 Outstanding Music Educator in the field of Choral Music. She is a Past-President of the Texas Music Educators Association. In February of 2006, Ms. Goode was honored to conduct the Kentucky All-State Women’s Choir.
Cheryl Wilson
Director of Choirs
Garland High School
Garland, Texas
Cheryl Wilson holds a BMEd. from Sam Houston State University, where her mentors included Bev Henson and Carol Smith. 31 of her 36 years of experience are in the Garland ISD. She is now in twenty third year of teaching at Garland High School, where she has been for seventeen years.
High performance levels, music literacy, and musical artistry are top priorities for the choral department at GHS. Cheryl’s choir has been invited to sing at TMEA in 2003, 2006, 2011, and 2014. Under Ms. Wilson’s direction, the Acappella Choir has toured England, Scotland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and France. Concert venues include St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, St. Paul’s Church in Covent Garden, St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, Prague Castle, Prague, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, La Madeleine Church, Paris, and the American Cemetery and Memorial in Normandy, France.
Cheryl has held offices in the Texas Choral Directors’ Association and has served TMEA in various capacities. She is a frequent clinician and adjudicator.
In 2015, the Texas Choral Directors’ Association presented Ms. Wilson with the Texas Choral Excellence Award. This award recognizes her contributions to music education, mentorship, inspiration to colleagues and students, and advocacy for the future of choral singing.
