Kendall G. Austin serves as Director of Choral Activities at Horn Lake Middle School. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree with a concentration in voice from Mississippi State University. Known for his energy, creativity, and dedication to student growth, Kendall is passionate about building a choir program where students feel safe, supported, and inspired both musically and personally. His classroom is rooted in community, consistency, and the belief that every student has value and potential.

Under his direction, students consistently earn strong festival ratings while developing confidence, leadership, and a genuine love for choral music. Kendall is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association and the National Association for Music Education.

Sarah Little, a native of Slidell, Louisiana, graduated from Slidell High School in 2002 before earning her Bachelor of Music degree from Mississippi College, where she was a member of the internationally recognized MC Singers. She began her teaching career in Pearl Public Schools as Director of Choral Activities at Pearl Junior High School, where her ensembles consistently earned Superior ratings and honors including Best in Class and Grand Champion at festivals such as Heritage, Ole Miss, and Riverland.

In 2010, Sarah was named Mississippi’s Young Music Educator of the Year. She has since served as a clinician, adjudicator, and guest director for numerous honor choirs, camps, and festivals throughout the Southeast, including the LMEA Women’s All-State Choir, ACDA Male Vocal Symposium, ACDA Children’s Festival, and multiple district honor choirs.

After stepping away from the classroom for several years to focus on motherhood and operate Little Music Studio, where she taught piano and voice to students throughout the Jackson-Metro area, Sarah returned to Pearl Public Schools and now serves as Choral Director at Pearl High School. She directs the award-winning Pearl Singers, Men’s Glee, Pirate Singers, and Encore, continuing a tradition of musical excellence. Most recently, Pearl High School Men’s Glee was selected to perform at the 2025 MMEA/ACDA State Conference.

Sarah is an active member of NAfME and ACDA and currently serves as High School Division Secretary for the Mississippi Music Educators Association and President-Elect of Mississippi ACDA. She and her husband, Matt, Assistant Band Director and Percussion Coordinator at Pearl High School, are proud parents to their daughters, Isobel and Carolyn.

Chandler Smith is entering his seventh year as a music educator and his fourth year as Director of Choirs at East Central Community College. Under his leadership, the choral program has experienced significant growth and now includes the EC Concert Choir, EC Singers, and a nationally competitive contemporary a cappella ensemble EC Listening that regularly competes in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. 

Smith earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Delta State University in 2017 and later completed a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from Mississippi College. Prior to his appointment at East Central, he served as the high school choir director at Newton County High School and as an assistant choral director at Richland High School. His ensembles have consistently earned superior ratings at state and local choral festivals and have performed at notable venues and events across the United States, including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the Mississippi State Capitol. 

In addition to his teaching and conducting responsibilities, Smith is an active adjudicator, clinician, and consultant for concert choirs, show choirs, and contemporary a cappella ensembles throughout the region.

Lillian “Lilly” Swilley is the Director of New Albany Choirs, where she conducts both the New Albany Middle School and New Albany High School choirs. In addition to her work in choral music, she actively supports the thriving New Albany Theatre Department through choreography and music instruction and serves as the director of the NAHS Guard within the band program.She earned a Master of Music Education from William Carey University and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Mississippi. During her time in the New Albany School District, Lilly’s choirs have consistently received superior ratings at both the district and state levels, as well as recognition through student placement in the MS ACDA All-State Honor Choirs. This year, 22 students were selected to participate.Outside of school, Lilly enjoys spending time with family and friends and traveling both locally and internationally. As an educator, her mission is to empower excellence through meaningful musical experiences for every student she teaches.

Dr. Donald Trott is the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford. He conducts the Concert Singers, Men’s Glee and shares conducting duties for the University Chorus. His choirs have performed on several state, regional and national conventions of the ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) and the MMEA (Mississippi Music Educators Association). ACDA performances occurred in 1998, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2016 and 2020. Choirs under his direction have performed in France, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, and around the USA including the White House. As coordinator of the graduate choral conducting program, he teaches choral conducting and choral literature and supervises all graduate conducting recitals.

Dr. Trott is a past president of the Southern Region of the ACDA and of the Virginia chapter of ACDA. He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree cum laude from Westminster Choir College and both the Master of Music degree in choral conducting and Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting from the University of Oklahoma, under the direction of Dr. Dennis Shrock. Dr. Trott’s work on late eighteenth-century performance practice has resulted in articles in The Choral Journal as well as presentations at conventions for ACDA and the College Music Society. He is the author of the ACDA monograph titled Nineteenth Century Choral Music – An Annotated Bibliography of Music Suitable for College and University Choirs. He is the editor of a new book titled Conducting Men’s Choirs published in 2020 and is available through GIA Publications.

Dr. LaDona Tyson is finishing her 18th year as Director of Choral Groups at Pearl River Community College, where she directs the PRCC Singers chamber choir, The Voices, and Currents. Under her leadership, PRCC ensembles have performed at the Mississippi MMEA/ACDA In-Service Conference, the Louisiana ACDA Conference, and two Southern Division ACDA Conferences. The Voices and Currents, PRCC’s contemporary a cappella groups, have also competed at multiple levels of the ICCA competition and received numerous CARA award nominations for their recordings.

Dr. Tyson holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from William Carey College, along with a Master of Music in Choral Conducting and a PhD in Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi.

An active member of the A Cappella Education Association, NAfME, and ACDA, Dr. Tyson currently serves as Past-President of the Mississippi chapter of ACDA. She has also served as the Two-Year College Repertoire and Resources Chair for the Southern Division of ACDA.

Dr. Tyson is passionate about music education and committed to helping students grow both musically and personally. She strives to create a supportive, collaborative environment where students feel encouraged to develop their skills, confidence, and character.