A native of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Dr. Addison Walton serves as Director of the Virginia Women’s Chorus at the University of Virginia. She began her musical training at an early age in both vocal and instrumental performance and holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from James Madison University, a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Columbus State University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from James Madison University.

Dr. Walton’s professional experience includes teaching in public schools throughout Virginia and North Carolina, as well as serving as music director for numerous academic and community theatre productions, including Les Misérables, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and The Wizard of Oz. In higher education administration, she served as Coordinator of the Music Preparatory Division at Columbus State University and later as Interim Director of Choral Activities at the Joyce and Henry Schwob School of Music, where she conducted both the Schwob Singers and the CSU Choral Union.

An active clinician and adjudicator, Dr. Walton has led workshops and festivals for middle and high school choirs and has participated in master classes with artists including Bobby McFerrin, Nigel Short, Gabriel Crouch, and Dr. André Thomas. She is also an accomplished performer, with appearances at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, the Spoleto Festival USA, the London New Year’s Day Parade, and Star Wars in Concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and actor Anthony Daniels.

Dr. Walton serves as Music Director at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she resides with her husband, SSG Chris Walton, and their daughter, Ella.