About the choirs & director

The Abington Middle School 6th, 7th and 8th Grade choirs and the AMS VOICES include close to 400 talented young singers.   Our choirs are well known for their excellence, their varied and often complex repertoire and the welcoming nature of the program.  Any student in grades 6, 7 and 8 in Abington Middle School can participate in the choir classes.  We are especially proud of our non-auditioned 9th grade choirs that have annually performed in local festivals and won excellent and superior ratings consistently.  In 2022, the 9th grade chorus won not only its sixth  consecutive "Superior" rating, but its fourth "Over All Choir" award at the Music in the Parks Festival in Hershey. 

The choirs perform two concerts per year and perform outside the school day as well.  They have performed at Phillies Baseball games and Temple University Basketball & Football games.  In 2014, the 9th Grade Choir gave an extensive concert in the rotunda of the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building and were honored with a citation from Rep. Madelaine Dean. 

The choirs are known for their charitable work through their program "Music on a Mission."  The students raise funds for selected charities through bake sales, concert collections, and winter caroling.  Since 2004, Music on a Mission has raised several thousand dollars for Susan G Komen, Kevin from Heaven, Sara's Smiles, Pencils of Promise, Philabundance, the Trevor Project and many other charitable causes. 

In addition to our annual events this year, the choirs will be seen singing the National Anthem at Temple and Phillies games, and will participate in the Vocal Thunder, PMEA and other ACDA/PMEA Festivals.  We are proud of our school's support of the arts and proud of the students who fill the school with the joyful sounds of singing!

Our Director-Ms. Walker holds a Bachelor's of Music Degree in Music Education with a vocal concentration from Temple University.  She also holds a Masters of Education with theater concentration from Arcadia University in Glenside, PA.  She has earned 30 credits above her Masters at such schools as Villanova, University of the Arts and Westminster Choir College.  Ms. Walker has studied voice with Elizabeth Baker, Lawrence Indik, Holly Phares and Elizabeth Cook.  She holds certifications in both Music Education K-12 and English 7-12 and has served as Middle School Professional Development Chair for Pennsylvania Music Educator's Association (PMEA) District 11.   She has also served as associate Conductor for the Pennsylvania Girl Choir and currently directs the M4 Middle School Modern Music Makers at Abington Middle School.

In 2001, Ms. Walker was the recipient of a "Caring Community" award from the Bucks County Intermediate unit and in 2013 was nominated for a Yale University Distinguished Music Educator Award.   Ms. Walker was awarded the PMEA District 11 Middle School "Citation of Excellence," and was recognized at the 2017 PMEA Conference in Erie, PA.  In August of 2017, Ms. Walker was awarded the Eileen Hower Memorial Award by the American Choral Directors Association at Elizabethtown College.  The award is given to a Pennsylvania choral music educator who has been teaching for more than 15 years; has a proven record of commitment to developing voices, particularly at the middle school level; maintains high artistic standards;  models a passionate, positive, energetic, and joyful approach to their work.  She was the recipient of the 2019 "Outstanding Choral Educator Award" from the Commonwealth Youth Choirs and was honored at the opening festivities of Choir America in Philadelphia in June 2019.   This past Spring,  Ms. Walker was honored to be selected to conduct the Philadelphia Archdiocese Honor Choir.

Ms. Walker regularly offers professional development to music teachers and workshops for singers and actors of all ages.  She has performed local theater productions and sings whenever the opportunity arises! She directs summer theater workshops and music classes and plays flute in the Abington Symphony Orchestra.