- April 15 South Main Baptist Church (Houston, TX)
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5th Annual Celebration of Excellence Results
An American Classic Choral Artistry Experience
April 15, 2024 – South Main Baptist Church, Houston
First Place and 2025 Honor Choir, Mixed Division
Montgomery Madrigals: Heather Orr and Emma Cockerham, Directors
1st Runner-up
Summer Creek Chorale: Amanda Robison, Director
2nd Runner-Up
Deer Park Chorale: Anita Ladd, Director
3rd Runner-Up
Jordan Warrior Chorale: Reagan Grantham and Audrey de la Cruz, Directors
First Place and Treble Honor Choir, Treble/Tenor Bass Division
Deer Park Chorale Women: Anita Ladd, Director
1st Runner-Up and Tenor Bass Honor Choir
Shadow Creek Varsity Tenor Bass: Frankie Espinoza and Jennifer Gallagher, Directors
2nd Runner-up
Montgomery Chorale Men: Heather Orr and Emma Cockerham, Directors
3rd Runner-up
Lake Creek Chorale Women: Cameron Carnley and Melanie McCreary, Directors
Performance of Distinction, Mixed and Treble/Tenor Bass Divisions
(in alphabetical order)
Cinco Ranch Cantiamo: Dorothy Wilson, Director
Clements Concert Chorale: Jade Blakey and Justin Shen, Directors
Elkins Mixed Choir: John Richardson, Director
Klein Cain Chorale: Austin Dean, Director
Klein Chorale: Sean Stultz, Director
Lake Creek Chamber Choir: Cameron Carnley and Melanie McCreary, Directors
North Shore Chorale: Anthony Rodriguez, Adam Bendorf, and Jade Panares, Directors
Porter Spartan Chamber Choir: Greg Goedecke, Director
Porter Spartan Women: Greg Goedecke, Director
St. John’s School Chorale: Scott Bonasso, Director
Tompkins Chorale: Christian de la Cruz and Kristin Killingsworth, Directors
Richard Bjella
Director of Chorus Studies Emeritus
Texas Tech University
Artistic Director
San Antonio Chamber Choir
Appleton, WI
Richard Bjella, Director of Choral Studies Emeritus, Texas Tech University, has distinguished himself as a conductor, clinician, choral pedagogue, and choral arranger. He was honored to have his choirs appear at the 2009 and 2013 National ACDA Conventions, as well as performances at Carnegie Hall, Orchestra Hall, and TMEA conventions. In addition, Bjella’s graduate conductors received finalist recognition in conducting competitions at tworecent National ACDA Conventions and one was awarded the Julius Herford Dissertation Prize.
He has conducted and presented master classes throughout the world and at over 400 festivals and workshops in 34 states with workshops at 17 major universities in the last several years. He has also presented workshops and conducted in South Korea, England, Sweden, France, Switzerland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Columbia, Haiti, and Italy.
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). Bjella also served as President of the WCDA (Wisconsin) and was awarded the prestigious Lawrence Excellence in Teaching Award (2007) and the Lifetime Achievement Award (2013) from WCDA. Bjella was the recipient of the 2017 Professing Excellence Award at Texas Tech University. He has served as the Artistic Director for the San Antonio Chamber Choir since 2014.
Charlotte Botha
Director of Choral Activities
Assistant Professor of Music
Hamilton College
Clinton, NY
Charlotte Botha is an Assistant Professor of Music and the Director of Choral Activities at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, where she conducts the College Choir and the Hamilton Voices choral theater ensemble. She teaches courses in Music Theory and Musicology. While at the University of North Texas, she served as conductor of the Women’s Chorus, assistant conductor of the University Singers, and assistant conductor of the Dallas Symphony Chorus. Charlotte’s tenure as conductor of the Drakensberg Boys Choir solidified her passion for making music with and composing for young singers. She has performed and presented workshops around the globe, most notably as a member of the World Youth
Choir alumni group TIME Ensemble. Her research interests include phonetics, choral text-painting, and equitable practices for including the music of and by marginalized members of the music community in choral programs. Charlotte earned a DMA in Choral Conducting with Music Theory as a related field at the University of North Texas. Her Master of Music degree is from Nelson Mandela University and her Bachelor of Music degree is from the University of Pretoria.
Yoojin Muhn
Director of Choral Activities
The University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
Music Director
San Antonio Mastersingers
Yoojin Muhn is the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she oversees a comprehensive choral program, conducts the UTSA Chamber Singers, and teaches undergraduate and graduate choral conducting. Additionally, she serves as the Music Director of the San Antonio Mastersingers (formerly known as the San Antonio Symphony Chorus) and the SSAA Repertoire & Resource Chair for the Southwestern American Choral Director’s Association (SWACDA).
Prior to her appointment at UTSA, Dr. Muhn served as the Artistic Director of the Tucson Masterworks Chorale in Tucson, Arizona, co-directed the Oriana Women’s Chorus, and assisted in leading the Concert Choir at the University of Southern California. Furthermore, she was selected as a conducting fellow at both the Yale Summer School of Music-Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and the Oregon Bach Festival.
Dr. Muhn received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Music with honors from the University of Southern California, a Master of Music
degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Cincinnati, a Master of Music degree in Sacred Music from Westminster Choir College (where she graduated with distinction), and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Composition from SookMyung Women’s University in Seoul, Korea.
4th Annual Celebration of Excellence Results
An American Classic Choral Artistry Experience
April 17, 2023 – South Main Baptist Church, Houston
*First Place Winner, Mixed Choir Division
Kinder HSPVA Chorale: Julia Hall, Director
*(ineligible for Honor Concert due to director’s retirement)
First Runner Up and 2024 Honor Choir
Bridgeland Chorale: Christopher Fiorini, Dolores Noel & Aubrey Nelson, Directors
Second Runner Up
Klein Cain Chorale: Austin Dean & Michele Hank, Directors
Third Runner Up
Deer Park Chorale: Anita Ladd, Director
First Place Winner, Treble – Tenor Bass Division & Mini-Honor Concert Presenter
Montgomery Chorale Women: Heather Orr, Director
First Runner Up
Bridgeland Varsity Tenor Bass Choir
Christopher Fiorini, Dolores Noel, & Aubrey Nelson, Directors
Second Runner Up
Deer Park Chorale Women, Anita Ladd, Director
Third Runner Up
Cy Fair Sonos, Mica Bull, Director
Performance of Distinction Awards (in alphabetical order)
Cinco Ranch Chorale: Dorothy Wilson, Director
Clements Concert Chorale: Janet Menzie & Ryan Bogner, Directors
Clements Kapelle: Janey Menzie & Ryan Bogner, Directors
Cypress Falls Chamber Choir: Deidre Douglas, Director
Elkins Varsity Mixed Choir: John Richardson, Director
Jordan Warrior Chorale: Raegan Grantham & Audrey De la Cruz, Directors
Magnolia Varsity Women’s Choir: Jennifer Franz-Melady, Director
St. John’s School Kantorei: Scott Bonasso, Director
Summer Creek Chorale: Amanda Robison, Director
Tompkins Chorale: Christian De la Cruz & Kristin Killingsworth, Directors
Vandegrift Chorale: Emily Chandler & Michael Zook, Directors
Brad Holmes, DMA
Visiting Professor of Choral Music
Baylor University
Waco, TX
Brad Holmes joins the Baylor University choral faculty after tenures at Luther College and Millikin University. His 31-year appointment at Millikin was marked by an expansion of the choral program to a multi-tiered structure of choirs and vocal ensembles led by a nationally recognized choral staff. Importantly, the program fostered extensive concert development on the local level including the growth of their annual Vespers at Millikin, now drawing 6500 patrons annually.
An ambitious touring schedule has taken choirs under Dr. Holmes’ direction to every state but Alaska and to thirty-six countries. During their annual two-week tours, the Millikin University Choir became a familiar presence in concert series across the United States. Additionally, seven coveted invitations to perform before conferences of the American Choral Directors Association brought national attention to the choir’s approach to tonal variety and programing.
A Visiting Fellow at Cambridge University, Dr. Holmes has returned to the UK for multiple guest-conducting engagements. Other international invitations have taken him to Continental Europe, China, Korea and Japan. Domestically, he has led more than three-hundred choir festivals including twenty-nine All-State choirs, regional ACDA honor choirs and church music clinics. He owns five Carnegie Hall conducting appearances.
Erin E. Plisco, DMA
Associate Director of Choral Studies
Assistant Professor of Music
Missouri State University
Springfield, MO
Erin Plisco is the Associate Director of Choral Studies at Missouri State University, where she conducts multiple choirs and teaches undergraduate/graduate choral conducting and literature. She is a frequent guest clinician across the United States and abroad, and currently serves as the Youth/Student Activities R&R Chair for Missouri ACDA. Choirs under her direction have recently performed at the southwestern ACDA conference and the Missouri Music Educators Association conference.
Dr. Plisco completed her DMA in choral conducting from the University of Arizona with Bruce Chamberlain. She also studied at Trinity College, University of Cambridge, where she was a recipient of the prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship and studied with Stephen Layton
Dr. Plisco has conducted choirs of all ages, most notably serving as Director of Choral Studies at Pinecrest High School (NC). Under her direction, the choirs received numerous awards at national festivals and competitions, and her chamber choir was the winner of The American Prize for high school choral performance. She has also held positions at the University of Arizona, East Carolina University and Simpson College. Dr. Plisco is a past recipient of the Colleen Kirk Award, given by southern ACDA in recognition of her outstanding achievements as a young conductor.
Richard Robbins, DMA
Director of Choral Activities
University of Minnesota Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota
Richard Robbins is director of choral activities at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where he oversees a program of six ensembles, conducts the UMD University Singers and Chamber Singers, and teaches an array of choral conducting and methods courses. He also serves as chorus master of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, regularly broadcast on Minnesota Public Television and Wisconsin Public Radio.
He travels extensively as a conductor for choral festivals, with recent engagements in Los Angeles, Baltimore, New York City, Boston, Miami, San Francisco, and Chicago. Internationally, he has directed residencies at the Krakow Academy of Music and Warsaw’s Chopin Conservatory of Music. His performances are featured on American Public Media’s Pipedreams, and his choirs have appeared at ACDA conferences and on national and international tours. He also serves as a festival conductor for the Federation Pueri Cantores, the Vatican’s youth music organization.
Past positions include the University of Wisconsin-Superior (director of choral activities), Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (2013 Teacher of the Year), the University of Houston (Concert Women’s and University Men’s Choruses), Houston Symphony Chorus (assistant director), Houston Ballet (chorus master), St. Paul’s Choral Scholars (founding director), and South Houston High School. He has served on the executive boards for both Southwestern and Minnesota ACDA.
April 28, 2022 – South Main Baptist Church
First Place and 2023 Honor Choir, Mixed Choir Division
Montgomery Varsity Mixed Choir: Heather Orr, Director
First Runner Up
Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts: Julia Hall, Director
Second Runner Up
Deer Park Varsity Mixed Choir: Anita Ladd, Director
Third Runner Up
Lake Creek Varsity Mixed Choir: Cameron Carnley, Director
Best in Class, Treble Choir Division
Montgomery Varsity Treble Choir: Heather Orr, Director
First Runner Up
Lake Creek Varsity Treble Choir: Cameron Carnley, Director
Second Runner Up
Deer Park Varsity Treble Choir: Anita Ladd, Director
Third Runner Up
Porter Varsity Treble Choir: Cara Cavenaugh Woodard, Director
Best in Class, Tenor Bass Choir Division
Travis Varsity Tenor Bass Choir: Debbie Siebert, Director
Performance of Distinction Awards
Bridgeland Varsity Mixed Choir: Christopher Fiorini, Director
Clements Varsity Treble Choir: Janet Menzie, Director
Cy-Fair Varsity Treble Choir: Mica Bull, Director
Elkins Varsity Mixed Choir: John Richardson, Director
Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Varsity Treble Choir: Julia Hall, Director
Klein Cain Varsity Mixed Choir: Austin Dean, Director
Magnolia Varsity Treble Choir: Jennifer Franz-Melady, Director
Porter Varsity Mixed Choir, Cara Cavenaugh Woodard, Director
Reagan Varsity Mixed Choir, Mary Cowart, Christian de la Cruz, Directors
Round Rock Varsity Treble Choir: Anarra Whitcher, Director
Shadow Creek Varsity Mixed Choir: Jennifer Gallagher and Frankie Espinoza, Director
Summer Creek Varsity Mixed Choir: Amanda Robison, Director
Tomball Memorial Varsity Mixed, Jed Ragsdale, Director
Eduardo Garcia-Novelli, DMA
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.
Cameron F. LaBarr, DMA
Director of Choral Studies
Associate Professor of Music
Missouri State University
Springfield, MO
Cameron F. LaBarr is director of choral studies at Missouri State University where he leads a comprehensive choral program. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Missouri State University and he earned the M.M. and D.M.A. from the University of North Texas where he studied with Jerry McCoy and Richard Sparks. He has completed further study with Simon Carrington and Alice Parker. Choirs under his direction have been selected for performance at the American Choral Directors Association National Conference, Southwest ACDA Conference, Tennessee Music Education Association Conference, Tennessee ACDA Conference, Missouri Music Educators Association Conference, Piccolo Spoleto Festival, National Collegiate Choral Organization, Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses National Seminar, the China International Chorus Festival and the International Federation for Choral Music World Voices Conference. Dr. LaBarr has worked as guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator across North America, Europe, Africa and Asia, recently presenting and conducting at the China International Chorus Festival (2016 and 2018). Current include serving on jury panel for the Makassar (Indonesia) International Choir Festival, leading the MSU Chorale at the Tolosa Choral Contest (Spain), guest conducting at the Kodaly Academy Music in Singapore, and serving as artistic director and conductor for the Normandy Choral Festival (France, 2023).
Julie Yu, DMA
Professor of Music
Co-Director of Choral Studies
School of Music, Theatre and Dance
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS
Dr. Julie Yu is Professor of Music and Co-Director of Choral Studies at Kansas State University where she oversees and conducts the undergraduate choral ensembles and the masters in music choral program. Her choirs have performed in Carnegie Hall, in Hawaii, the National Cathedral in Washington DC, as well as in Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Ireland, and Italy.
She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in music education from the University of Central Oklahoma, a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from Oklahoma State University, and a 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, conducted, and/or her choirs have performed for state and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, and the European Music Educators Association Conferences. She is the past-president of the Southwestern Region of the American Choral Directors Association. She serves as a member of the Kansas State University Faculty Senate. She was an International Conducting Exchange Fellow for the American Choral Directors Association to Kenya in 2019
Julie Yu, D. M. A.
Professor of Music
Co-Director of Choral Studies
School of Music, Theatre and Dance
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS
Dr. Julie Yu is Professor of Music and Co-Director of Choral Studies at Kansas State University where she oversees and conducts the undergraduate choral ensembles and the masters in music choral program. Her choirs have performed in Carnegie Hall, in Hawaii, the National Cathedral in Washington DC, as well as in Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Ireland, and Italy.
She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in music education from the University of Central Oklahoma, a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from Oklahoma State University, and a 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, conducted, and/or her choirs have performed for state and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, and the European Music Educators Association Conferences. She is the past-president of the Southwestern Region of the American Choral Directors Association. She serves as a member of the Kansas State University Faculty Senate. She was an International Conducting Exchange Fellow for the American Choral Directors Association to Kenya in 2019.
Ryan W. Sullivan, D. M. A.
Director of Choral Activities
Arkansas State University
Jonesboro, AR
Ryan W. Sullivan is the Director of Choral Activities and Vocal Studies Coordinator at Arkansas State University where he directs the Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, the Jonesboro Chorale, and teaches courses in conducting and music education. Sullivan holds degrees from the University of North Texas (D.M.A.), Texas Tech University (M.M.), and the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory (B.M.E., B.M.). During his career, he has led singers of all ages in academic, community, and church settings including as the Associate Conductor for the Dallas Symphony Chorus. Prior to graduate studies, he taught at Lee’s Summit West High School, and in 2014 he was named the Kansas City Metro Director of the Year and Prelude Award winner from the Missouri Choral Directors Association.
Sullivan is an active soloist and performer in professional choral ensembles such as the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, San Antonio Chamber Choir, Cecilia Ensemble (GA), and Spire Chamber Ensemble. Guest conductor invitations in the 2020-21 season include the Eastern Arizona Honor Festival, the Arkansas ACDA 9-10 Honor Choir, and a performance at Carnegie Hall with music by Dvorak and Mendelssohn. Sullivan currently serves as President of the Southwestern American Choral Directors Association.
Eduardo García-Novelli, D.M.A.
Director of Choral Activities & Music Department Chair
Carthage College
Artistic Director, Master Singers of Milwaukee
Kenosha, WI
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 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, 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.
April 23, 2019 – South Main Baptist Church
2019 Winner and 2021 Honor Choir
Tompkins Varsity Mixed, Christin Reinartz, Director
1st Runner Up
Montgomery Varsity Chorale, Heather Orr & Andre Trahan, Directors
2nd Runner Up
Seven Lakes Varsity Mixed, Emily Chandler, Director
3rd Runner Up
Bowie Concert Chorale, Cody Parrott, Director
Best in Class, Tenor Bass Choir
Montgomery Chorale Men, Heather Orr & Andre Trahan, Directors
Deer Park Men’s Choir, Jason Dove, Stacy Nisson & Tommy Van Sickle, Directors
Best in Class Treble Choir
Montgomery Chorale Women, Heather Orr & Andre Trahan, Directors
1st Runner Up
Bowie Concert Chorale Women, Cody Parrott, Director
2nd Runner Up
Deer Park Women’s Choir, Jason Dove, Director
3rd Runner Up
Clements Chorale Women, Janet Menzie & Ryan Bogner, Directors
Performance of Distinction Awards
Clements Concert Chorale, Janet Menzie and Ryan Bogner, Directors
Deer Park Mixed Choir, Jason Dove, Director
Cinco Ranch Chorale, Dorothy Wilson, Director
Elkins Knight Beats, John Richardson, Director
Porter Spartan Chorale, Cara Cavenaugh Woodard, Director
St. John’s School Kantorei, Scott Bonasso, Director
Summer Creek Varsity Mixed, Amanda Robison, Director
Kristina Caswell MacMullen Assistant Professor of Choral Studies The Ohio State University Columbus, OH
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.
Dr. 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.
Z. Randall Stroope Director of Choral and Vocal Studies Doug and Nickie Burns Endowed Chair of Choral Music Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK
Z. Randall Stroope is an American conductor, composer. He is also the Doug and Nickie Burns Chair of Choral Music at Oklahoma State University, where he coordinates the vocal and choral conducting program. In the United States, he has conducted at most of the major concert halls, including Chicago Orchestra Hall, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Carnegie Hall (where he has conducted every year since 2001). He has conducted 45 all-state choirs and numerous festival choirs in the United States. Internationally, Randall has directed in Hong Kong, Barcelona, Nova Scotia, Dublin, and Rome in the past year. He has 165 published musical works, including Four Spanish Sonnets of Garcilaso de la Vega, Conversion of Saul, Amor de mi alma, Christi Mutter (Stabat Mater), Go Lovely Rose. His composition teachers were Normand Lockwood and Cecil Effinger, both students of Nadia Boulanger, the famous French teacher (and student of Gabriel Fauré.) In the final analysis, Randall loves working with students and making a difference – that is the greatest contribution.
A Celebration of Excellence
A Choral Artistry Experience April 23, 2018 South Main Baptist Church
Winner and 2019 Honor Choir Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Shannon Carter, Director
1st Runner Up Tompkins Chorale, Christin Reinartz, Director
2nd Runner Up North Shore Chorale, Enrique Collazo, Director
3rd Runner Up Porter High School, Cara Cavenaugh Woodard, Director
Best in Class, Tenor Bass Choir Oak Ridge Varsity Tenor Bass Choir, J. R. Smith, Director
Best in Class Treble Choir Kingwood Kapelle, Jason Watt, Director Benjamin O. Davis Varsity Women, Daryle Freeman, Director
Performance of Distinction Awards Cinco Ranch Chorale, Dorothy Wilson and Melanie Piche, Directors Conroe Varsity Tenor Bass Choir, Clay West, Director Dekaney Chorale, Melissa Cox, Director Elkins Knight Beats, John Richardson, Director Kingwood Park Ariso, Ben Fahnders, Director Magnolia Varsity Men, Jennifer Franz-Melady and Bonnie Hernandez, Directors St. John’s School Les Chanteuses, Brendan Emig, Director Summer Creek Chorale, Amanda Robison, Director James E. Taylor Varsity Chorale, Kevin Riehle, Director
Richard Bjella Director of Choral Studies Emeritus Texas Tech University Artistic Director, San Antonio Chamber Choir Appleton, WI 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 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 the 2017 Professing Excellence Award at Texas Tech University. Presently, he is the Artistic Director for the San Antonio Chamber Choir.
Dianne Brumley Director of Choral Studies, Emerita University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – Brownsville Canyon Lake, Texas 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 Directors Association.
Dr. 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, Texas 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.
