Chapin High School Choral Director

Mr. Nicholas Todd Shumate

Nicholas Todd Shumate is in his twelfth year as the Choral Director at Chapin High School in Chapin, SC, and is also the Director of Choir/Handbells at The Lutheran Church of The Redeemer, Newberry, SC. Chapin High School, Mr. Shumate conducts five choirs including:

• Chamber Singers (11th-12th Grade Auditioned SATB Choir)

• HiLights (10th-12th Grade Auditioned SATB Show Choir)

• Concert Choir (10th-12th Grade Women’s Choir)

• Singers (10th-12th Grade Men’s Choir)

• Chorus (9th Grade Women’s Choir)

Mr. Shumate finished a Masters of Music in Choral Conducting at Winthrop University, in Rock Hill, South Carolina, in May of 2014. While at Winthrop, Mr. Shumate studied under Dr. Katherine S. Kinsey, Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities. He assisted Dr. Kinsey with rehearsals and concerts of the Winthrop Chorale & Chamber Singers, as well as the Winthrop Collegiate Choir under the direction of Dr. Randy Imler, Professor of Music. Mr. Shumate was awarded a Graduate Assistantship while at Winthrop. Duties of his assistantship were to aid directors in rehearsals, concerts, and departmental activities. In addition to his conducting responsibilities, Mr. Shumate also sung with all three ensembles during his time at Winthrop. He also continued his education through private lessons in piano and voice. Mr. Shumate studied voice under Dr. Kristen Wunderlich, Assistant Professor of Music and Vocal Division Chair, as well as piano with Janice Bradner, Instructor of Music. 

Mr. Shumate was also very active in the Charlotte metropolitan area singing with the Oratorio Singers of Charlotte under the direction of Dr. Scott Allen Jarrett, and the York County Choral Society under the direction of Dr. Katherine S. Kinsey. In 2012 he was awarded a prestigious internship at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. While at Covenant, Mr. Shumate assisted with all aspects of the traditional worship music at the church. This included rehearsing the senior and junior high school youth choir and handbells and rehearsing/conducting the Covenant Choir in worship services. 

In 2011, Mr. Shumate received a Bachelors of Arts in Music Education, concentration in Choral/Vocal Music Education, from Limestone College, Gaffney, South Carolina. He was a voice student of Dr. Catherine F. Siarris and a piano student of Dr. David B. Thompson during his undergraduate career at Limestone. Mr. Shumate also studied choral conducting with Dr. Gena E. Poovey, Professor of Choral/Vocal Music Education and Director of Choral Activities, and instrumental conducting with Dr. Douglas L. Presley, Associate Professor of Music Education and Director of Bands. While at Limestone he was a member of the Limestone College & Community Chorus, Show Choir, and Men’s Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Gena E. Poovey. 

Mr. Shumate graduated from Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, South Carolina in 2007. He was a member of the Northwestern Troubadours, Trouvéres, and Singers under the direction of Elizabeth Mixon and Sara Doggett. 

In addition to his course work for his degrees, Mr. Shumate has studied voice with Michael Miller, B.M.E. and M.M., and Jerry Helton, Professor Emeritus of Music at Winthrop University. He also has studied conducting with Dr. Bingham L. Vick, Jr., Professor Emeritus of Music and Director of the Furman Singers, Furman University, and Artistic Director of the Greenville Chorale and Chamber Chorale. Mr. Shumate student taught under Patrick Lowery, Florence Chapel Middle School, Duncan, South Carolina, and Rusty Keesler, Chorus Director Byrnes High School, Duncan, South Carolina. 

Mr. Shumate is a member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), National Association of Music Education (NAfME), National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), Chorus America, American Guild of Organist (AGO), and Choristers Guild. Mr. Shumate is also a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia inducted in 2012.