Mrs. Scalisi, originally from a small town in Southeast Texas, has a diverse background in music education and performance. She began her career studying and performing in Europe before earning her degree from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Erin’s journey as an educator took a unique turn when she became the mother of two special needs children. This experience not only shaped her as a teacher but also fueled her belief that every student deserves access to affordable, quality music education. 

Having worked primarily in low socioeconomic areas of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, notably at Nimitz High School in Irving, Mrs. Scalisi is dedicated to bringing quality music education to underserved communities. Her passion for the transformative power of music led her to recently relocate back to the DFW area, where she continues to advocate for inclusive music programs. 

Mrs. Scalisi is a sought-after speaker and has presented at various clinics, including the Texas Music Educators Association. She also works with school districts to provide professional development clinics for music educators. She is a Grammy Music Educator Award Semi-Finalist and has earned the distinction of being named a finalist for the PYO Ovation Award. Her choirs regularly earn superior ratings at the Texas UIL Concert and Sight Reading Evaluation. 

Outside of her professional endeavors, Erin finds joy in singing with master works groups in her local community and cherishes spending time with her husband and children.

Mr.  Whytus is the Associate Choir Director at Dr. John Horn High School, where he conducts  the Chamber Singers, Bella Voce, and Beau Voix. He has been teaching high school choirs for 4 years, and this will be his 4th year in MISD. In the Spring of 2022, he received his Bachelor of Music in Education from East Texas A&M University. The choirs that Mr. Whytus conducts have had a history of success, receiving sweepstakes at the UIL Concert & Sight Reading Competition and recieveing superior distinctions at various contest.

Mr. Whytus has performed with many ensembles, including the infamous Turtle Creek Chorale with Sean Michael Baugh (Present), Sostenuto Community Choir with Cindy Johnston, the East Texas A&M University Chorale and Chamber Singers with Dr. Randall Hooper. He has performed in prestigious venues such as the TMEA Convention in San Antonio, TX, Moody Performance Hall & The Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, TX.

When Mr. Whytus isn’t teaching or performing, he enjoys napping, traveling, spending quality time with his close friends, and his cat, Phoenix.

Mr. Cepeda is the Assistant Choir Director at Dr. John Horn High School. He is also a collaborative pianist and a composer. His music education comes from teachers, mentors, professors, and composers from his time in Guam, Alaska, South Carolina, and Texas. Both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees are in piano performance from Bob Jones University and the University of Texas at Arlington. He served as the accompanist for choirs at Nimitz High School, Bowie MS, Lamar University, and De Zavala Middle School in Irving ISD for 7 years. Last year, he was the head choir director at De Zavala Middle School. 

His choral students have had success competing in MS All-Region, Texas All-State, Southwest American Choral Directors Association, American Choral Directors Association, UIL Concert and Sight-Reading, and Texas State Solo & Ensemble. He was the accompanist for the 2022 TMEA All-State Small-School Choir, directed by Dr. Pearl Shangkuan, and has accompanied for Region 20 MS choirs. He has experience creating professional accompaniment tracks, recording singers, and submitting recordings for rehearsals and competitions.