Meet Your Directors
Storm Ziegler is the Director of Choral Activities and Chairman of the Performing Arts Department at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where he has served on the music faculty since 1996. He is the director of Happiness, Inc. Show Ensemble, Kennedy’s premiere show choir, the Kennedy Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, and Moonlight Express Vocal Jazz Ensemble, in addition to teaching other choruses and AP Music Theory students. Choirs under his direction have performed on the North Central ACDA Divisional Convention and at the Luther College Dorian Music Festival. During his tenure at Kennedy, the music department was awarded the Grammy Signature School Award for being one of the top 50 high school music programs in America. Happiness, Inc. is a perennial finalist at competitions throughout the country and has won several Grand Champion, Best Choreography and Best Vocals honors. Happiness, Inc. was voted by readers of PARADE Magazine as “America’s Favorite Show Choir” and also won Grand Champion honors at the prestigious Show Choir Nationals competition in Nashville, Tennessee. Storm is also the only two-time recipient of the Sandra and Allen Chapman Distinguished Director Award from Show Choir Nationals for being one of the nation's top show choir directors.
Mr. Ziegler received degrees in Vocal Performance and Secondary Choral Music Education from Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, IA. He has served as the Director of the Cornell College Chamber Singers and was the co-founder of the Cornell College Women’s Choir. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member of the Coe College and Cornell College Music Education Departments. Ziegler holds a Masters degree in Accounting and Financial Management, consults with schools and parent booster groups on the financial aspects of school music programs, has served as treasurer of the North Central Division of the American Choral Directors Association, and provides financial coaching to educators through his company, Financial Fitness Iowa. His wife Kathleen and son Aidan are the joys of his life. When he isn't teaching kids to sing he enjoys rooting for his beloved Seattle Seahawks, all things Apple, and trading cryptocurrencies.
Ann Brunson is the assistant Director of Choral Activities at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids where she has been on staff since the fall of 2013. She is the director of Kennedy Singers, Kennedy Chorale, Protégé Prep Show Choir and Chanteurs Prep Show Choir. In addition, she assists with Concert Choir, Chamber Choir and the Moonlight Express Vocal Jazz ensemble. She also accompanies all of the core choirs. Mrs. Brunson is in her 27th year of working with choirs and professional accompanying. Prior to being at Kennedy, Mrs. Brunson taught at Regis High School, LaSalle High School, Harding Middle School, Dubuque Senior High School, Central City High School and Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids.
Mrs. Brunson received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and a Piano Performance Degree from Mt. Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. When she is not in school, Mrs. Brunson enjoys spending time with her husband Matt, their daughters Kaitlyn (19), Taylor(16) and Emily(14) and their dog Ricky. She is usually in a car driving to sporting events, on the sidelines of a basketball court, volleyball court or soccer field watching her daughters. Otherwise she is running, lifting or kickboxing! Sometimes she even sleeps