Angelique graduated with a Masters Degree in Music Education with a choral emphasis in 2020 and has been teaching middle school choir and drama at Heritage Academy Gateway for the past 3 years. Prior to this, she had been teaching private voice, piano, flute, and guitar lessons to all ages and had directed choirs and led children's music groups on a volunteer basis. As a teacher, she finds it important to keep up with her own interests as an artist as well. She has written and performed music for a local theater production for Tempe Arts in the Parks initiative, has been in many local choirs, performed in local theater productions, and performed as a singer-songwriter and with a cover band in local venues. She has also dabbled in recording and recently released an EP on all streaming platforms. With a strong passion for writing and creating music, Angelique includes arranging and songwriting as a big part of her choir curriculum and strives to allow student choice and buy in to drive her classroom policies. She is lucky to have an extremely supportive partner and 4 beautiful children to share her professional journey with.

Dane Alexander Carten (he/him) is a musician, performer, and composer with a diverse background in Metal and Classical music. He has served as a vocal coach, co-owned the High-Octane Concert Lounge in Romeo, MI, and promoted local bands throughout Metro Detroit. Dane also led music theatre productions and children’s choirs in Michigan. He holds degrees in Music Theory and Composition (Oakland Community College), Music Education (Wayne State University), and a Master’s in Choral Conducting (University of Arizona). Pursuing a Doctorate in Choral Conducting at the UofA, Dane directs multiple choirs in Tucson, including the University of Arizona’s Faculty/Staff Choir and the Neoteric Chamber Choir.

Camilyn (Cami) Clausen has been the director of choirs at Casteel High School in the Chandler district since its opening in July of 2015. Under her direction, the program grew from two choirs to eight! Her choirs have consistently received Superior with

Distinction at state and national festivals in New York City, Anaheim, Nashville, Hollywood, and around the great state of Arizona. Many of her students make the All-Region and All-State choirs and other honor choirs throughout the state and country. She is honored to have mentored several student teachers and interns as they prepare to become a music educator. Her philosophy is that choir is a safe place where students of different backgrounds can come together to create beautiful music together.

Choir is a place where students learn that, just like in life, leaning on each other’s strengths and valuing differences makes us stronger.

Cami graduated from Dobson High School in Mesa and was privileged to be a student of Bart Evans. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Music in Choral Music Education and from Northern Arizona University with a Master of Education in Counseling-Human Relations. She has taught choir at Gilbert High School and Santan Jr High School before opening Casteel. Mrs Clausen currently serves as the membership chair for AZACDA.

Cami is happily married to her husband, Matt, of 28 years. They have four adult children who are scattered throughout the western US. In her free time, Cami enjoys reading, watching movies, traveling, musical theatre, and spending time with family.

Lindsay Decoste is the current director of choirs at Red Mountain High School in Mesa. She graduated with a BME in Choral Music from NAU, and previously attended Mt. San Antonio College in Southern California. Under her direction, Red Mountain’s vocal jazz group JazzKatz has performed at both AzACDA and AMEA conferences. Lindsay has served on the AzACDA board since 2017, is currently serving as Conference Chair for AzACDA, and has presented at State, Regional and National ACDA conferences. Lindsay is also an avid performer, singing in Canto Vivo and After Five at MCC, as well as performing in community theatre productions throughout the valley. She has two cats and a husband.

Robert Decoste has served as Director of Choirs at Higley High School for the past ten years. Under his leadership, the program has grown into a dynamic and inclusive community, attracting students from across the region. His ensembles have performed coast to coast in the United States, including a recent performance at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. Robert holds degrees from Northern Arizona University and Mt. San Antonio College and has toured internationally throughout Europe and Asia and has performed at the ACDA National Conference. Before focusing on choral music, he was an accomplished trombonist and Drum Major for Pacific Crest Drum Corps. He resides in Arizona with his wife, Lindsay, and their two cats, Starbuck and Momo.

Emily Drum (she/her) is a singer, arranger, composer, vocal producer, songwriter, and educator based in Phoenix, Arizona . She is a sought-after choral composer and arranger, commissioned by high school ensembles, top collegiate a cappella groups, and semi-professional choirs across the country. Her self-published arrangements have been performed in over 37 countries across six continents. Emily is also a vocal coach, producer, and member of the award-winning treble vocal quartet Red Letter Daze. Her contributions to countless vocal projects have earned her 37 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA) nominations and wins.

Emily has two original works published through Graphite Publishing and sells many of her arrangements via Sheet Music Plus and Sheet Music Direct. She is passionate about bridging the worlds of choral and a cappella music and building community among singers and creatives. Emily looks forward to continuing to write music that resonates deeply with performers and audiences alike.

Alanah Dickinson is the education initiatives coordinator for the Tucson Girls Chorus, as well as the director of the Ladybugs (2nd-3rd grades) and Hummingbirds (4th-5th grades) choirs. She is also the artistic director of the Shine! Summer Camp. She received her bachelor’s degree in choral education from Brigham Young University before moving to Tucson to begin her career. 

As a professional teacher since 2021, Alanah has worked with students grades K-8. She had several opportunities to lead in the Tucson Unified School District, including as the 2023 Middle School Honor Choir coordinator and the conductor of the 2024 OMA Honor Choir. These experiences cultivated her belief in the importance of elementary and middle school choir as an essential part of every student’s education.

Alanah believes that the best educators continue their own education, as well. She is always seeking new opportunities to increase her skills, such as singing in the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus. In her free time, Alanah loves watching movies and playing board games with her family and friends.

Jeffrey Evans is a conductor, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, born and raised in Tucson Arizona. Besides being an educator and conductor, he is also an active singer. While living in the pacific northwest, Jeff was a staff singer for the Oregon Repertory Singers when they released their American Prize winning recordings titled, Shadows on the Stars, which included the music of Morten Lauridsen with the composer accompanying the choir at the piano. You can also hear Jeff on the critically acclaimed Naxos recordings from 2017 and 2020, featuring the music of Ēriks Ešenvalds. Jeff has premiered original compositions and arrangements for choir in both the United States and Greece. In February of 2020 he conducted the world premiere performance of his composition titled, Oh Where for Tenor Bass Choir, four hand piano, and bass drum on a program alongside Eric Whitacre, who was the featured composer and conductor. Since returning to the Tucson area, Jeff has taken singing positions with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus under the direction of Dr. Marcela Molina, as well as with the Helios Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Benjamin Hansen. He holds a BM in Music Education and an MM in Choral Conducting from Portland State University, where he was mentored by Ethan Sperry. Jeff is an Alumni of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus under the direction of Dr. Julian Ackerley, and he currently teaches music theory and directs the five choirs at Catalina Foothills High School.

Alexandra (Allie) Fardelos is going into her 8th year of teaching. She currently teaches at Taylor Junior High in Mesa Public Schools. She has taught music, choir, piano, drama, and musical theatre to all ages from kindergarten through twelfth grade in Higley, Gilbert, and Mesa School Districts. She received her BME from Northern Arizona University in 2017.

Allie has been the social media chair for the Arizona board of the American Choral Directors Association. This past year was her 9th year on the AzACDA Board. She has presented at State and Regional conferences.

Her husband teaches high school band. Together they have two Siamese cats named after Star Wars Creatures (TaunTaun & Jawa).

Mrs. Katie Gerrich, MEd, is the Director of Choirs at McClintock High School in Tempe, Arizona.  She has been teaching in Tempe for 23 years, the past 20 years at MHS. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education and a Masters in Education/Human Relations, both from Northern Arizona University. While in her undergrad at NAU, she served as President of the Shrine of the Ages Choir, and studied under the direction of Dr. Edith Copley, Dr. Alan Rieck and Mrs. Sally Hanson. Katie has served as the chair for both the Arizona Southwest Regional Choir and the Arizona All-State Jazz Choir. She currently serves as the President for the Arizona Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. Mrs. Gerrich is often requested as a guest director, clinician, and collaborative pianist throughout the state.  She lives in Chandler, Arizona with her husband and 8-year-old daughter.

Ted Gibson is the Director of Choirs at Gilbert Classical Academy in Gilbert, Arizona, and at University Presbyterian Church in Tempe. An Arizona native with over 20 years of experience in choral conducting, Ted brings a deep passion for empowering secondary school students through music literacy and ensemble excellence. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Arizona State University and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Northern Arizona University.

As Past-President of AzACDA, Ted has been a leader in statewide choral initiatives and is a frequent clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor—especially known for his engaging work with youth choirs. He is particularly passionate about developing confident, literate singers through creative and accessible sight-reading instruction.

Ted believes that every student can succeed in music when given the tools and support to do so. His teaching is grounded in the belief that sight-reading is not just a skill but a gateway to musical independence, expression, and lifelong enjoyment.

Deltrina Darcell Grimes has served on the faculty of Arizona Western College since 2011, where she conducts choral ensembles, teaches music classes and instructs  private voice lessons. Deltrina is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association. Attending state and regional conferences and the AzACDA Student Symposiums. As the AzACDA President-Elect, she served as chairperson of the Summer Collegiate Chorus. From 2021-2023, Deltrina was in residence at the University of Arizona, working on a DMA in choral conducting. She was elected president of the UA Student Chapter of ACDA (graduate division) during this time. In 2022, she was selected to conduct at the ACDA Western Regional Conference, where she participated in a conducting masterclass with Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe. Her research poster presentation, “Emerging from the Shadows: Lena McLin,” was selected for the 2023 National ACDA Conference program. She also served as a panelist for the International Choral Conductors Federation's session, “Emerging Composers in American Choral Music.”

Deltrina has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Teacher of the Year Award at Arizona Western College, the prestigious Founders Scholarship for Women Educators from the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, the Bruce Chamberlain Endowed Scholarship, and a graduate teaching assistantship at the University of Arizona. 

Deltrina held choral/vocal positions at Prince George’s Community College, Elizabeth Seton Catholic High School in (Maryland) Archbishop Hoban High School, and Goodyear Heights United Methodist Church (Ohio). She completed her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in vocal performance at the University of Akron.

Dr. Sharon A. Hansen, Professor Emerita of Conducting and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, is internationally recognized as a conductor and master teacher. Her distinguished career includes engagements with renowned ensembles including the Romanian National Radio Choir, the Gächinger Kantorei and Bach Collegium Stuttgart, the Stockholm Conservatory Chamber Choir, the Moldavian and Oltenian Philharmonic Choirs in Romania, and the University of Regensburg Symphony Orchestra in Germany. Ensembles under her direction have been featured at state, regional, and national American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and National Association for Music Education (NAfME)

conferences. A highly sought-after clinician and conductor, Dr. Hansen has led all-state and regional honor choirs in more than forty states. In recognition of her exceptional contributions to choral music in Wisconsin, she was honored with the WCDA Morris D. Hayes Award.

Hansen is the founder of the Milwaukee Choral Artists, a professional vocal ensemble acclaimed for its expressive performances, opulent sound, and expansive musical repertoire. Under her visionary leadership, the ensemble left a lasting legacy by commissioning, premiering, and publishing fifty innovative works for treble voices. An accomplished author as well as conductor, Hansen has made significant contributions to the discourse on choral artistry and conducting. Her seminal book, Helmuth Rilling: Conductor Teacher, explores the renowned conductor’s pedagogical philosophies and methodologies. Her influential essay, “Women, Conductors, and the Tenure Process: What’s Up in the Academy?” published in Wisdom, Wit, and Will: Women Choral Conductors on Their Art, provides a compelling analysis of gender dynamics and academic structures in the choral profession. In addition, Hansen has contributed to numerous publications from GIA and Hal Leonard/McGraw-Hill, underscoring her enduring commitment to the advancement of choral music and education through both scholarship and practice.

Dr. Hansen served for 25 years on the editorial board of ACDA’s Choral Journal, where she founded and edited the pivotal article series “On the Voice.” Her enduring commitment to vocal pedagogy culminated in a landmark study on voice education in choral classrooms throughout ACDA’s first 50 years. This work was published as Monograph #18 in ACDA’s monograph series and featured in the November/December 2022 issue of the Choral Journal. She also discussed these topics as a guest on the Choralosophy Podcast (Episode #128, “The Strange Relationship between Choral Music Ed and Vocal Ped,” November 2022).

Now living in Tempe, Arizona, Hansen is the Chorus Director for the Arizona Musicfest Orchestra. She serves on the Board of Directors for the AzACDA, where she acts as the Community Choirs liaison. Her passion for musical theatre is reflected in her active involvement with the Musical Theatre Alliance of Arizona, where she serves on the Board of Directors and recently conducted Sondheim’s A Little Night Music and Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance.

Christina Hall is a choral educator and professional singer based in Phoenix, Arizona. She recently completed her MM in Choral Conducting at Arizona State University, where she directed the treble ensemble, Sol Singers, and revived the ASU vocal jazz program through the newly formed ensemble, Mill Ave Jazz. She is the director of Music Ministries at Living Water Lutheran Church and the new director of The Nash's two vocal jazz ensembles starting this fall. 

Previously, Christina served as choir director at Millennium High School in Goodyear, Arizona, where she taught choir, class guitar, and established the district's first piano curriculum. An active member of the American Choral Directors Association, Christina frequently attends and presents at state, regional, and national conferences. She has served two terms as the Youth Repertoire & Resources Coordinator for ACDA Western Region and the Arizona ACDA Vocal Jazz Chair. Christina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Choral Music Education from Northern Arizona University and is a guest clinician for high school festivals around Arizona.

Julia Higgins has been the choir director at Esperero Canyon Middle School in Tucson for the past 21 years. Her choirs have performed twice at the Arizona Music Educators Association Conference and consistently receive Superior ratings at state choral festivals. In 2015, Julia was named “Teacher of the Year” for the Catalina Foothills School District.

Julia has conducted several honor choirs, including the AzACDA Cantaremos 7-9 Treble Choir,

Arizona Jr. High All-State Treble Choir, and several district honor choirs. She has also been a mentor teacher for over a dozen student teachers and several practicum students from the U of A and NAU.

Julia was an Associate Conductor for the Tucson Girls Chorus for five years. As a performer, she has most recently sung with the Arizona Repertory Singers, conducted by her husband Ryan Phillips, and also performed with the Grammy-nominated True Concord Voices and Orchestra for nine seasons. She is also the Director of Contemporary Music at Northminster Presbyterian Church.

Julia enjoys traveling, going to Costco, doing the NYT crossword, and spending time with her husband and their four kids.

Corey Johnson is a multidisciplinary creative and audio specialist with over a decade of experience in live sound, media production, and creative direction. He is the Creative Director and Founder of SPRK Productions, a company dedicated to providing high-level audio, video, and lighting solutions for venues, theaters, organizations, schools, and churches. As a musician himself, Corey brings a unique perspective to audio—combining technical expertise with an intuitive understanding of how things should sound on stage. His practical, hands-on approach helps directors and performers achieve clean, powerful sound without overcomplicating the process.

Dr. Joseph W. Johnston is the Music Faculty Lead at Chandler-Gilbert Community

College, where he oversees the choral and vocal studies department and directs the

musical theatre program. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance and Choral

Music Education and a Master of Education in Secondary Education with an emphasis

in music from Northern Arizona University. He recently earned a Doctor of Musical Arts

in Choral Conducting from Arizona State University.

Dr. Johnston is an active member of NAfME and ACDA, a Past-President of Arizona

Choral Educators, and currently serves as AzMEA Vice-President for

Collegiate/Research Activities and the AzACDA Lifelong R&R Coordinator. He is a

frequent presenter at conferences, a clinician for choirs, and an adjudicator at festivals

across the state.

Dr. Johnston began his teaching career at Grant Sawyer Middle School in Las Vegas,

where he was nominated as New Teacher of the Year. He spent two decades at Red

Mountain High School in Mesa, Arizona, where he led a vibrant choral program that

included three performances at Carnegie Hall. During his tenure he mentored 18

student teachers and was honored as the Mentor of the Year by Arizona State

University.

Dr. Johnston has conducted numerous honor choirs, including the Northeast Regional

Choir, West Regional Choir, Eastern Arizona College Honor Choir, ChoDA Men’s Honor

Chorus, Paradise Valley Men’s Honor Chorus, Scottsdale Honor Chorus, Arizona Jr.

High All-State Honor Choir, Mesa Public Schools Jr. High Honor Choir, Peoria Honor

Chorus, Dysart District Honor Show Choir, Greater Phoenix Honor Chorus, and the

AzACDA Diamondbacks Choir Night. From 2003 to 2019, he served as Choral Director

for the Arizona Ambassadors of Music, leading performances throughout Europe.

Bio Here

Nicky Manlove (they/them pronouns) is the Community Engagement Director for the Tucson Girls Chorus, where they also conduct the Jubilate Choir and the Estrellas at Prince Elementary and accompany the Bumblebees and Mariposa Singers.

Nicky has served as the founding director of THEM Youth Ensemble, an LGBTQ+ and allied performing arts program, on the conducting faculty of the University of Arizona School of Music, and as the director of music at St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church in Tucson, AZ. Nicky is also an active tenor with Boston-based VOICES 21C, an artists’ collective that is devoted to exercising the choral art in pursuit of human rights and justice, dedicated to a mission of global understanding through music.

Nicky is a committed advocate of equity-centered and liberatory choral practice, and supports a number of justice-focused choral initiatives nationally. Nicky’s research on gender diversity has been featured on The Choral Commons podcasts, as well as at choral and music education conferences around the country. Nicky is the chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the ACDA Western Division, has served on the ACDA National Diversity Initiative Committee's Task Force for Transgender Justice, as well as equity-based committees for Arizona ACDA, Early Music America, GALA Choruses, and the Presbyterian Association of Musicians.

Nicky holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts with an emphasis in Music from Seattle University, and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Arizona.

Jason A. Mincy is the director of choral activities at Navasota High School. Before his position in Navasota, Mincy taught elementary music and middle school choir in North Texas. While working for Barwise Middle School in Wichita Falls, Mincy was recognized as the 2020 Teacher of the Year.

Mr. Mincy received his Bachelor of Music Education from Midwestern State University (MSU Texas) with additional studies at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Mr. Mincy holds a master’s degree in music education from the University of Florida in Gainesville. In addition to his studies, he is certified in the use of the Kodály concepts of music teaching, an experience-based approach through the Kodály Teacher Institute at MSU Texas.

As an educational consultant, Mr. Mincy has presented conference sessions for the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) annual convention, the Choral Directors Associations of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arizona, as well as district in-service sessions for multiple school districts throughout Texas. As a guest clinician, Mr. Mincy has conducted All-Region Choirs for Texas Regions 7, 13, and 29 as well as multiple elementary honor choirs across the state. Mr. Mincy is an active adjudicator for the Texas UIL Concert & Sight-Reading Evaluations.

Mr. Mincy is President of the Kodály Educators of Texas (KET), an affiliate member of the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE). He is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), the Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA), and the Texas Choral Directors Association (TCDA). 

Jason Neumann is currently in his eighteenth year of teaching and is starting his eleventh year as a member of the Toro Performing Arts Department. At MVHS, Mr. Neumann teaches beginning, intermediate, and advanced women’s choirs, intermediate mixed choir, and the dual enrollment piano program as a part of the music conservatory.

Mr. Neumann earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Central Michigan University in 2006. While at CMU, he sang with the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, and, in 2004, toured with the CMU festival chorus to Carnegie Hall to perform Vaughan William’s Dona Nobis Pacem under the direction of Dr. Nina Nash-Robertson. Mr. Neumann also served as an accompanist for solo vocalists and instrumentalists in recitals and master classes as well as accompanying all of the major choral ensembles on the campus of CMU.

Since arriving in Arizona in 2007, Mr. Neumann has served as a public school music teacher. Mr. Neumann holds professional affiliations with the Arizona Music Educators Association. He has served the AzMEA as a sightreading adjudicator for both the regional and all state choral auditions as well as the Vice President of All State Jazz and Show Activities. Mr. Neumann has served AzACDA as the Cantaremos Honors Choir Chair and as Junior High/Middle School R & S Chair. 

This fall, Mr. Neumann was honored to be welcomed to the staff of the Carolyn Eynon Singers as their collaborative pianist for the 18th season.

Mr. Neumann completed his Master of Music Education Degree from Arizona State University, graduating magna cum laude.

Mr. Neumann has served various churches as assistant choir director, principal accompanist, handbell choir director, and organist. Mr. Neumann also holds a private studio for voice and piano where he also teaches the Presto Program for Let’s Play Music.

Mr. Neumann currently resides in Mesa with his wife and four children.

Dr. Elizabeth Schauer (she/her) is Director of Choral Activities at the University of Arizona, where she is recognized for her innovative and inclusive curricular approach. An award-winning educator, Dr. Schauer conducts Symphonic Choir, and teaches graduate conducting and choral literature courses with a student-centered focus to an international population of learners. In addition to featuring a wide range of repertoire, her concerts focus on collaboration and service to the community, with recent themes of hunger, homelessness, refugees and animal shelters. Choirs under her direction have performed on the conferences of ACDA, GALA, College Music Society, American Guild of Organists and Arizona Music Educators Association. Students and former students hold positions in public and private schools, children’s and community choirs, churches, colleges and universities throughout the world.

Aimee Stewart is the Founder and Artistic Director of Chandler Children’s Choir. Since its inception in 2008, CCC has grown from a young choir of 27 singers to a highly respected choral organization in Arizona, with four performing ensembles and an introductory choir. CCC’s top ensembles performed at the Western Region ACDA conference under her direction in both 2020 and 2024. She also conducts the Chamber Singers at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, the Tempe Community Messiah, has served as President of the Arizona chapter of ACDA and was recently elected as Western Region ACDA President for 2026-2028. In 2022, she was awarded AzACDA Choral Director of the Year. 

As a youth, Aimee studied voice and violin, and performed in a string quartet. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and recently received her Master’s degree in Conducting from Arizona State University.

Mrs. Taryn Tidwell is in her 12th year as the Choir and Musical Theatre director at Shepherd Junior High School in Mesa, AZ with Mesa Public Schools. Taryn is a strong supporter of music and arts and enjoys bringing music, dance, and laughter into her classroom. Taryn is also a cancer survivor, having been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma her first year of teaching. She is excited to be in remission as a happy and healthy educator, committed to being a force of excellence for secondary music education!

Taryn received her Bachelors of Music in Choral/General Music Education from Arizona State University, where she studied voice under the direction of Carole FitzPatrick, and recently earned her Masters in Educational Leadership degree from ASU. She is an active member of the ACDA, NAfME, and AMEA music organizations and is currently serving as the Show Choir Repertoire and Resource Chair for AzACDA. She is also very involved in community theatre and enjoys choreographing and performing in shows, workshops, and musical theatre camps around the valley. She is a highly sought-after choir clinician and presenter, and was most recently seen at last year's 2024 WACDA conference in Pasadena.

Taryn is the 2021 AZ Inaugural Tancer Arts in Education Award Winner with Act One as well as a 2020 AZ Teacher of the Year finalist and Ambassador for Excellence with the Arizona Educational Foundation. She also was a 2015 recipient of the AMEA Outstanding New Choral Music Educator Award, recipient of the 2017 Arizona Diamondbacks Most Valuable Teacher Award, and was a 2023 ASU Arizona STEM Acceleration Project (ASAP) Fellow, connecting the worlds of STEM/STEAM with performing arts programs around the valley. Taryn is grateful for her family and performing arts team for always supporting her!

Meg Palermo just completed her second year, and all coursework, as a DMA student in Choral Conducting at the University of Arizona. During her two years in Tucson she was the conductor for the University of Arizona's Treble Glee, the Artistic Director for the Voices of the Oaks Chorale in Oracle, Music Director for Villa Voices at Fellowship Square in Tucson, and Music Director at Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ.

Meg has been teaching and directing choirs since 2002 at high schools in Nevada, New Jersey and Arizona. She was the choir director at Desert Vista High School, in Phoenix, from 2015 to 2023. In addition to her work in public schools, and her work as a church musician, she is actively involved in directing music for theater productions in schools and the community, and runs a private voice studio.

Meg has adjudicated festivals and been a clinician for middle and high school choirs in Nevada, New Jersey, and Arizona. She has presented at music conferences and workshops on rehearsal strategies, diverse repertoire, under-represented composers, and was recently a featured artist at "Sacred Earth, Common Ground", at the Baha'l Community Center, on music as it pertains to spirituality in nature. Her publications include a choral review Diana Saez's "Plena", in The Choral Journal, and a chapter on Michael Bussewicz-Quarm, published in a new resource book on Women Composers by GIA publishing.  

This summer Meg is looking forward to building community and member participation as Interim Music Coordinator at Valley Unitarian Universalist in Chandler. She'll also be presenting a session at University of Arizona's Choral Intensive, directing music for Annie Jr. in Ahwatukee, and conducting sacred music in Sarteano, Italy in July. She anticipates completing her final document and all DMA requirements this fall.

Meg was born and raised in Connecticut. She earned her MM in Choral Conducting from Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, NJ, and her BM in Music Education from the University of Delaware. She currently resides in Arizona, in Ahwatukee.

Dr. Sinamar Respicio is the Artistic Director of the Tucson Women's Chorus and Chancel Choir Director at Christ Church United Methodist. Additionally, she serves as the High School Music Director at the Academy of Tucson, overseeing the Advanced Women’s Choir and Mixed Choir. A devoted advocate for Philippine and Southeast Asian music, Dr. Respicio is also on the World Music and Culture Board for the Arizona Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). She passionately shares her love for these musical traditions through presentations at conferences and contributions to ACDA publications. Her dedication inspires students and fosters a deeper cultural appreciation within the choral community.

Bailey Pearce is currently the choir and piano teacher at Dobson High School, located in Mesa, Arizona. She recently survived - ahem - completed her first year of teaching. She holds an Associate of Arts with a Choral Emphasis from Eastern Arizona College and a Bachelor of Arts in Instrumental Education from Ottawa University. She is an Arizona native, and resides in Mesa with her husband Stephen. Outside of school, they both enjoy hiking, camping, or finding any other excuse to escape the desert heat.

Katherine Rosenfeld is a music educator, voice teacher, clinician, and professional soprano teaching and performing throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area and across the state of Arizona. Katherine graduated from Northern Arizona University with a degree in choral music education. She grew up singing in Arizona and is an alumnus of the Phoenix Children’s Chorus and Horizon High School in Scottsdale. She currently teaches 5th through 12th grade choir at Arizona School for the Arts. She loves the musicality high school students can achieve, but her favorite grade to teach is 6th. Katherine has taught in Mesa Public Schools and ran a private voice studio in North Phoenix for students junior high through adulthood. She has performed and recorded with many Arizona-based ensembles including the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, Canto Vivo Chorale, the Sedona Academy of Chamber singers, the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale. When she’s not singing, Katherine loves to cook and practice yoga. 

Travis White has been a music and choral educator for 11 years. A native of Phoenix, singing has always played a significant role in his life. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Choral Music Education from Northern Arizona University and his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University. In 2020, he was named the “Westside Impact Teacher of the Year” and just last year presented “How to Be a Choir Ninja - Bringing Novelty Into Your Choral Program” at the 2024 AzACDA Summer conference. Mr. White is excited to begin his new role as Director of Programs and Engagement for the Phoenix Boys Choir, helping to adopt new and innovative programs that recruit, inspire and educate future young vocalists! Travis is blessed to have married his wonderful wife Shelbe, a music therapist and in his spare time loves to walk, watch baseball and bowl.