Karen Kenaston-French is Professor and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Texas Arlington, where she conducts the A Cappella Choir, teaches graduate and undergraduate conducting, and heads the Vocal Area. Under her direction the UTA A Cappella Choir given invited performances at prestigious conferences including National Collegiate Choral Organization (2019), Southwestern Division American Choral Director’s Association (2022 & 2016), the Texas Music Educators Association state convention (2019 & 2014), and served as Choir-in-Residence for the undergraduate and graduate conducting competition at national ACDA (2015). She has prepared the choir for numerous regional guest appearances, including with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Texas Ballet Theatre, Fort Worth Chorale, the Rolling Stones and The Eagles. Under her direction, the UT Arlington A Cappella has been named a finalist in the American Prize for Choral Performance in 2021 and 2014. In 2019 Dr. Kenaston-French assumed the position of Artistic Director/Conductor of the Fort Worth Chorale, only the fifth conductor in the organization’s 57-year history.

Prior to her arrival at UTA, Dr. Kenaston-French served as Director of Choral Activities at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, where she led the Chamber Singers in two appearances at the Tennessee Music Education Association state conference, and in master classes with Chanticleer, Cantus, and Libby Larsen. She taught conducting at Southern Methodist University and the University of North Texas, and served as director of music ministries at Plymouth Park United Methodist Church in Irving, Texas from 1986-1998. Dr. Kenaston-French has been guest conductor for honor choirs in Colorado, Tennessee, and for many TMEA region choirs. A frequent lecturer and adjudicator, she has given presentations on choral tone, conducting, rehearsal technique and performance practice for SMU, Choristers Guild, Texas Choral Directors Association, and various universities, school districts and local churches.

A native of Huntington, WV, Dr. Kenaston-French holds a B.A. in vocal performance from West Virginia Wesleyan College, M.M. and M.S.M. degrees in choral conducting from Southern Methodist University, and a D.M.A. in choral conducting from the University of North Texas, where she was named outstanding graduate student in conducting and ensembles and the Pi Kappa Lambda outstanding doctoral student. She studied conducting with Jerry McCoy, Mel Ivey, Lloyd Pfautsch, Jane Marshall, and Larry Parsons, and in 2011 was a conductor for the Choral/Orchestral Master Class of the Oregon Bach Festival, under Helmut Rilling and Jeffrey Kahane. Vocal studies include graduate work with Lynn Eustis at UNT and Linda Baer at SMU. Her article “The Teachings of Jean‐Antoine Bérard” was published in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Journal of Singing in November 2009. She sang in the Dallas Symphony Chorus from 1993-2003, and was selected for the first Robert Shaw Festival Chorus at Carnegie Hall in 1991.

Robert Hunt is Professor of Music at Lone Star College-Kingwood, where he teaches music theory and piano, conducts the Kingwood Pops Orchestra, serves as collaborative pianist, and directs the summer Opera Workshop. He also serves as organist at First Presbyterian Church-Kingwood.

Previously, he was the Music Director and Conductor of the Midland-Odessa Symphony and Chorale and Artistic Director of the National Young Artist Competition. Under his leadership, the MOSC presented classical artists of the first rank, including Helen Donath, Susan Graham, Eugene Fodor, and James Dick, and performed major works with the combined choirs of Texas Christian University. The highly successful pops series included appearances by the Moody Blues, Kansas, and the New York Voices.

Other positions Dr. Hunt has held include serving as Musical Director of the off-Broadway American Cabaret Company, Director of Commercial Music Studies at Midland College, and Music Director of the Opera Workshop at Sam Houston State University, where he conducted from the harpsichord a performance of Dido and Aeneas that was awarded the 2014 American Prize.

Dr. Hunt has also collaborated as pianist and conductor with popular artists such as The Lettermen and Julius LaRosa, played piano in Willie Nelson’s band, and toured with the late Ray Price as conductor and pianist. His orchestral arrangements were heard at the ESPN Empire State Games and the 2005 televised holiday concert of the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. He arranged and conducted a Broadway revue for the American Express anniversary gala at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.

A dedicated educator, Dr. Hunt has served as clinician for junior high and high school all-city and all-region choirs and orchestras. He is a frequent adjudicator for piano festivals and competitions, recently serving as adjudicator and clinician for the chamber music competition at the Texas Music Teachers Association state convention. He studied at SMU, TCU, and Indiana University-Bloomington, majoring in piano, musicology and conducting, and earned the Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Houston. Music is the Hunt family business: his wife, Jackie, has held positions in arts management with orchestra and theater organizations; his son, Austin, is the Artistic Director of the Houston Boychoir and composer of choral works published by Carl Fisher, Choristers Guild and Alfred. His daughter, Caroline, works as studio singer in Dallas and Los Angeles, is a member of the professional Highland Park Chorale, and sings lead in the world champion barbershop quartet, The Ladies.