Heralded as an artist “changing what it means to be a classical singer” (The New Yorker) and “[one] of the most powerful voices of our time” (Los Angeles Times), Davóne Tines is a pathbreaking artist whose work encompasses a diverse repertoire, ranging from early music to new commissions by leading composers, while exploring the social issues of today. A creator, curator, and performer at the intersection of many histories, cultures, and aesthetics, he is engaged in work that blends opera, art song, spirituals, contemporary classical, gospel, and protest songs as a means to tell a deeply personal story of perseverance connecting to all of humanity.

Arreon A. Harley-Emerson is a conductor, composer, nonprofit strategist, equity coach, and the President and CEO of Equity Sings. Committed to the principles of equity and justice, Equity Sings assists organizations in remaining relevant in the 21st century. Harley-Emerson’s work includes longitudinal studies, strategic planning, board governance, resource and asset development, and board diversification. Mr. Harley-Emerson is a University Fellow at the Boyer School of Music Dance at Temple University where he is pursuing a Ph.D. in music education with a cognate in choral conducting and has completed a graduate certificate in Diversity in Higher Education.

Brooklyn Youth Chorus’s Grammy Award-winning ensemble, led by Founder & Artistic Director Dianne Berkun Menaker, is one of the most highly regarded ensembles in the country and has stretched the artistic boundaries for the youth chorus. The Chorus has performed with acclaimed conductors including Jaap van Zweden, Alan Gilbert, Marin Alsop, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel, Joe Hisaishi, Reinbert de Leeuw, and Lorin Maazel. The Chorus has also collaborated with an impressive range of organizations and artists, including the New York Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Kronos Quartet, International Contemporary Ensemble, David Byrne, The National, Arcade Fire, Sir Elton John, and Barbra Streisand. In 2002, the Chorus had its debut with the New York Philharmonic in John Adams's On the Transmigration of Souls, the recording for which the Chorus won a Grammy Award. Brooklyn Youth Chorus has developed an active commissioning program, and has collaborated with some of the most important composers of our time, including Caroline Shaw, Tania León, David Lang, John Adams, Julia Wolfe, Nico Muhly, Angélica Negrón, Bryce Dessner, Richard Reed Parry, Paola Prestini, Nathalie Joachim, Paul Moravec, Toshi Reagon, Alev Lenz, Anna Clyne, Aleksandra Vrebalov, and William Brittelle. Founded in 1992, Brooklyn Youth Chorus has served over 10,000 students through its core after-school and public-school outreach programs. The Chorus’s professional faculty teach a wide range of repertoire and styles using founding artistic director Dianne Berkun Menaker’s proven Cross-Choral Training® method, emphasizing healthy and versatile vocal technique, music theory, sight-singing, and ear training. www.brooklynyouthchorus.org

Dianne Berkun Menaker is the Founder & Artistic Director of the Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Youth Chorus. She is the creator of the Cross-Choral Training® program, an experiential approach to functional voice and musicianship pedagogy. She prepared the Chorus for its 2002 debut with the New York Philharmonic in John Adams's On the Transmigration of Souls, the recording for which the Chorus won a Grammy Award. With Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Ms. Berkun Menaker has developed an active commissioning program and has collaborated with some of the most important composers of our time. Ms. Berkun Menaker is a choral clinician and teaching artist for such organizations as the New York Philharmonic and The Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall, and has presented workshops and master classes for New York University, New York State School Music Association, the American Choral Directors Association, and the New York City Department of Education.

Currently curating a live performance series for Hermès, Maureen Towey has worked as a Creative Director for Grammy award-winning musicians such as Arcade Fire, Ray LaMontagne, and esperanza spalding. She has directed music videos for Sharon Van Etten, Tune-Yards and Caroline Shaw. Her short film The 8th Year of the Emergency, starring Mary Beth Peil, Linda Emond, Phillipa Soo and Jeffrey DeMunn, had an acclaimed festival run. A highlight of her live performance work was directing Black Mountain Songs, which was conceived by Bryce Dessner (of The National) and starred the Brooklyn Youth Chorus (BAM in NYC, Barbican in London). For The New York Times, Towey directed Sensations of Sound, which premiered at the American Museum of Natural History and went on to win a Lumiere Award for Best VR Documentary of 2017. She also served as the lead director for The Daily 360, the only series in the world to create professional VR journalism on a daily basis. Towey has been recognized as a Fulbright scholar (South Africa), a Princess Grace fellow, a TCG Leadership U grantee (Berkeley Rep), and a PBS/AOL MAKER.

Kiena Williams is a professional vocalist and conductor born and raised in Brooklyn. She currently serves as a Training Division Conductor at the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, adjunct Vocal Coach at The Calhoun School and freelance conductor/teaching artist. Williams is an alumna of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and Pennsylvania State University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in music. She continues to perform professionally as a featured soloist, chorister, and background vocalist. Some recent features include: Il Tabarro (OnSite Opera), “Naturaleza” Choral Festival (Usuhaia, Argentina), Daphne (Bard Festival Chorale, Carnegie Hall), Daniel Fish’s “bold new work” Most Happy in Concert (Williamstown Theater Festival 2022), Elizabeth Greenfield Award Competition (James Toland Vocal Arts - Finalist), National Music Festival (Vocal Apprentice), In the Green (Mannes Opera), New York District Round (Met Opera Laffont Competition), Great to Be Here (Album-Liam Forde), L’amico Fritz (Teatro Grattacielo), 2021—22 Young Artist (Camerata Bardi Vocal Academy), Così fan tutte (Opera NexGen), Celebration of Voices (Studio LIS Voice), and weekly services at First U Brooklyn. Keep in touch at kienawilliams.com