THE VOICE | 2025 Winter Conference
Ints Teterovskis, Artistic Director
Ints Teterovskis (1972) has been the Artistic Director of the award-winning Latvian Youth Choir BALSIS since 1998 and has been a Conductor of the Latvian National Song Celebrations since 2008. He is also Regional Conductor for over 20 choirs in Latvia. As a conductor, he has recorded ca. 29 CDs to date.
In particular Ints is recognized for his interpretation of the musical repertoire of Baltic composers. His imaginative and passionate approach to teaching choral technique and interpretation has him increasingly in demand as a choral workshop clinician, guest conductor and adjudicator in Latvia and abroad. Ints has led choral workshops in America (2000, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2014), Canada (2010, 2011), Sweden (2013), Australia (2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2022, 2023), China (2015) and has coached students attending the International Masterclasses for Young Musicians project in Latvia. In addition to an active conducting career, Ints, a gifted baritone, also performs as a soloist.
Dr. Angela Kasper, Western Washington University
Saturday, January 11, 8:35-9:25 am, Lawrence University Harper Hall
From Bits to Pieces: Inclusive ways of introducing choral repertoire to our students that enhances focus, participation, and skill building no matter our choristers' experience or reading skills
Find effective tools and strategies for introducing repertoire to your choir that bring immediate engagement and interest! Distributing scores and asking students to sing new material when they do not have the necessary skills to do so may cause frustration for learners and teacher. In this session, participants will experience new ways to introduce a score that begin with fun activities on a screen that lead directly to learning passages in performance repertoire. This session is for directors of singers of all ages.
Sean DeBoth was born and raised in Green Bay, WI. He received a bachelor's degree in music education from Carroll College (Waukesha, WI) and Masters degree in music education with a choral conducting emphasis from UW-Milwaukee. Mr. DeBoth is currently in his twentieth year as director of choirs at Lake Denoon Middle School. He also currently serves as the director of music at North Shore Presbyterian Church in Shorewood, WI, a position he has held since 2004. He previously taught K-12 vocal and general music in Thorp, 6-12 vocal music in Wisconsin Dells, and at Racine Horlick High School for five years. Mr. DeBoth has served as guest clinician for the WCDA’s annual “Singing in Wisconsin” festival in 2023 and 2002. He served as the choir director at First Congregational Church in Waukesha from 1996-2002. In his early days, he took the stage with leading roles in productions such as Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie Get Your Gun, The Boyfriend, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Grease, and The Magic Flute. Mr. DeBoth enjoys his time outside of the choral world with his beautiful family consisting of his wife, Jaime, of 23 years, and his three children: Maddigan, Ayden, and Bradey. He continues to enjoy the daily adventures of the middle school musicians he is blessed to work with in his classroom day in and day out. Every year, Sean proclaims “He’s just getting started.”
Joey Hyland is currently in his 20th year directing choirs in the Waukesha School District, where he also served as the Waukesha School District music department chair for almost a decade. Before Waukesha, he taught at La Crosse Logan HS, Lincoln Center MS of the Arts, Boscobel HS, and was fortunate to student teach at Milwaukee HS of the Arts with Raymond Roberts. He is also a proud Whitefish Bay High School graduate, where his time in choir with Randy Swiggum and Ken Daniel heavily influenced his future in choral music. Mr. Hyland has served on the planning staff for the NextDirection National Music Conference, as a district representative for the WCDA, assisted the NC-ACDA Middle Level Boys Honor Choirs, was a guest director at “Singing in Wisconsin”, received the Outstanding Young Director Award by the WCDA, and served WSMA as a section leader for the Wisconsin State Middle Level Honors Choir. Mr. Hyland has also been a professional member of the Immanuel Presbyterian Chancel Choir in Milwaukee for many years before he became the choir director and praise band guitarist at Our Saviors Lutheran Church of Oconomowoc for over a decade. He has been a guest tenor soloist across Wisconsin, recorded for commercial jingles, worked as a performer/vocal coach at the Six Flags Theme Parks, and even had the opportunity to solo in Carnegie Hall. He is also very proud that his choirs have performed the national anthem for Barack Obama and George W. Bush during their past Wisconsin visits. His undergraduate degree in Choral Music Education is from UW-La Crosse with Dr. Gary Walth and his master’s degree in Choral Conducting and Music Education is from UW-Milwaukee with Dr. Sharon Hansen. His vocal studies included extensive time with Dr. Terry Kelly and Dr. Valerie Errante. Mr. Hyland is a member of the VoiceCare Network, WMEA, ACDA, and NafMe. His wife, Aimee, is also a music educator and works as a teacher leader in MPS. He is a big supporter of all Waukesha West Athletics, coaches travel baseball for Prospect Training Academy in Milwaukee, and is the proud father of Maddy and Carter.
Oak Creek High School Knight Singers | Gillian Pacetti-Atkins & Sam Wulterkens, directors
Friday, January 10, 3:30 pm | St. Mary’s Sanctuary
Knight Singers is one of three curricular choirs at Oak Creek High School. The ensemble is made up of 70 talented musicians in grades 10-12. There is also a 105 voice entry-level mixed ensemble - Chorale and a 60 voice advanced treble ensemble – Les Chevaliers. Knight Singers is actually made up of students in two classes: Knight Singers and Chamber Choir. Chamber Choir is a smaller group, 36 students maximus, who focuses on both traditional choral music and contemporary a cappella. For the contemporary a cappella focus, Chamber Choir splits into two groups: Ladies Knight and Knight Club. Knight Singers studies and performs music from a wide variety of historical periods and musical styles. The ensemble enjoys the challenge of singing choral pieces that require diverse sounds, in terms of timbre, dynamics, rhythms, and harmonic language. Members of Knight Singers enjoy the challenge of becoming a tight-knit community, despite having a wide variety of unique interests. The exploration of choral repertoire is an excellent vehicle for making meaningful connections between members of the ensemble. Like all choral ensembles at Oak Creek High School, Knight Singers prides themselves on being highly literate musicians, with all students building strong skills in reading
Gillian Pacetti-Atkins and Sam Wulterkens share an entirely collaborative choir program at Oak Creek High School, meaning every ensemble is the shared responsibility of both conductors. Wulterkens has been at Oak Creek High School since 2006, and Pacetti since 2014. Gillian Pacetti is a graduate of Waukesha South High School and UW- Eau Claire. Sam Wulterkens is a graduate of Stanley Boyd High School, UW- Eau Claire, and Central Michigan University. Under their combined direction, ensembles from Oak Creek High School Choirs have performed at Wisconsin Choral Directors Association (WCDA) Conference, Wisconsin Music Education Association (WMEA) Conference, and The International Championships of High School A Cappella (ICHSA) quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals, as well as several invitational concerts with university and high school ensembles. Wulterkens and Pacetti are active members of WCDA and have served in leadership and volunteer positions for the organization. Sam and Gillian have both served as clinicians for various performing and festival ensembles. In 2018, they were honored to present sessions for directors at Clearwater Choral Festival. Pacetti and Wulterkens are proud to lead a choir program that focuses on the whole student: exploring the human experience through the celebration of combined voices, a strong focus on music literacy, and a shared vision for musical and community excellence.
Dr. Jennifer C. Hutton serves as Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate music education courses, supervises student teachers, and leads Bella Voce, the university’s treble chamber choir. Hutton has over two decades experience teaching choral and general music to individuals of all ages in public school, independent school, and community settings. As a researcher, she studies connection during choral singing, culturally responsive vocal pedagogy, and teacher–student relationships in music classrooms. Her writing can be found in the Journal of Music Teacher Education, the Oxford Handbook of Care in Music Education, ChorTeach, and Wisconsin School Musician, and she has shared her work at international, national, and state conferences. Hutton holds a PhD in Music Education from Temple University. She is certified as an Estill Master Trainer through Estill Voice International and is an active member of ACDA, NAfME, AOSA, and AERA.
Dr. Zack Durlam serves as Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, artistic director of the Master Singers of Milwaukee, and choir director at Grace Lutheran Church in Grafton, Wisconsin. At UWM, Durlam leads multiple choirs and teaches graduate and undergraduate conducting and choral literature. He previously taught at Fresno Pacific University where he was awarded the university’s 2013 Faculty Distinguished Service Award. Prior to that, Durlam taught high school vocal music for twelve years – including nine at Iowa City West where his Chamber Choir was chosen to perform at the North Central American Choral Directors Association conference and the music department was one of seven programs in the nation named a Gold Signature School by the Grammy Foundation. He received his bachelor’s degree from Luther College, master’s from the University of Iowa, and doctorate from Michigan State University. Choirs under his direction have been finalists in the American Prize competition and have appeared on state and regional music conferences and performed on Milwaukee tour stops with Andrea Bocelli, the Eagles, and the Rolling Stones. Durlam has presented at state and regional conferences of ACDA and the National Association for Music Educators, and he frequently works as a guest conductor and clinician. He is a past president of the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association and currently serves as president-elect for the Midwestern Choral Directors Association.
Dr. Matheus Cruz, a Brazilian-American choral conductor, is the Director of Choral Activities position at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. In this role, he conducts the UWSP Concert Choir and Choral Union and teaches music education courses. His influence extends beyond the university as he serves as the Artistic Director of the Monteverdi Chorale in Stevens Point.
Dr. Cruz’s musical journey began in Brazil, where he earned his Bachelor of Music Education from the State University of Maringá and his diploma certificate in choral conducting from the State University of Londrina. He honed his skills as a K-12 public school teacher, directing community choruses and church choirs in his home state of Paraná. In 2014, he embarked on a new adventure, moving to the United States to further his education. He earned his master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his D.M.A. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, marking the beginning of his international career. Dr. Cruz’s scholarly pursuits are deeply rooted in Brazilian choral music, a field he is deeply passionate about. His focus on the choral works of José Maurício Nunes Garcia (1767-1830) and Osvaldo Lacerda (1927-2011) is a testament to his commitment. His dedication to this study area is evident in his significant publications and leadership roles in critical choral organizations in Brazil and abroad.
Dr. Cruz is not just a choral conductor but also an influential educator. His role in the music community extends beyond his performances. He maintains a busy schedule as a clinician for festivals in Brazil and the U.S., serving as the choral director in Brazil for two large music festivals in Cascavel and Pato Bragado. His recent appearances include his work as a clinician and instructor for the 2022 UW-Madison Summer Music Clinic. Dr. Cruz also enjoys writing and performing his arrangements of Brazilian folksongs, which Pavane, MusicSpoke, and Gentry Publications have published.
Raymond Roberts is the Director of Vocal Music at the Milwaukee High School of the Arts, where he has taught since 1991. Mr. Roberts is a graduate of the Booker T. Washington High School of the Arts in Dallas, TX and holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University. He is also active in the Milwaukee music community, having held the position of Assistant Director of the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus and Director of the Plymouth Concert Chorale. Roberts currently co-directs the music program at First United Methodist Church- West Allis with his wife, Alyssa. Roberts’ students have been recognized nationally by such institutions as the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts, the NAACP ACT-SO scholarship competition, Classical Singer competition, and the Grammy Foundation. His choirs from Milwaukee High School of the Arts have performed at numerous state and regional music conferences as well as with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Most recently, Mr. Roberts was named a quarterfinalist in the Grammy Music Educator Award program.
Rob Dietz | Contemporary Pop A Cappella All-State Choir Conductor
Rob Dietz is a multiple award-winning singer and vocal percussionist who has been arranging, composing, teaching, and performing contemporary a cappella music for over twenty years. Based in Los Angeles, Rob is best known for his work as an arranger and group coach for NBC’s The Sing-Off. Through his work as an arranger, Rob has had the pleasure of collaborating with some of the top talent in the vocal music world including Grammy award-winning groups Pentatonix and The Swingles, Voiceplay, Kings Return, and many more. He has been a contributing arranger for performances by world renowned artists including Smokey Robinson, Flo Rida, Sara Bareilles, Incubus, and Pat Benatar. His arrangements have been featured on several TV shows, including America’s Got Talent (NBC), To All The Boys: P.S I Still Love You (Netflix), and Pitch Slapped (Lifetime).
As a performer, Rob is an award-winning vocal percussionist, and his distinctive sound has been featured on shows including FOX's Glee and The Late Late Show with James Corden. Rob was the founding vocal percussionist for both The Funx and Level, groups that gave him the opportunity to work with legendary performers including Jay Leno and Demi Lovato.
Rob has a deep passion for a cappella education, and is a founding co-director (along with Ben Bram and Avi Kaplan) of A Cappella Academy. In addition to his work with Academy, Rob is also the director of Legacy: an auditioned, community youth a cappella group based in Los Angeles. Since the group’s inception, Legacy has performed twice at Carnegie Hall, and has won the Los Angeles A Cappella Festival’s Scholastic Competition, the Southwest semifinal round of the Varsity Vocals A Cappella Open, and the Finals of the International Championship of High School A Cappella at Lincoln Center.
Rob is a sought-after presenter and clinician who has led vocal music workshops at events such as the National A Cappella Convention and ACDA National. He has directed several honor choirs, including the inaugural Contemporary A Cappella Honor Ensembles at the Southwest ACDA regional conference, and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s state-wide conference in 2024. He is the author of A Cappella 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Contemporary A Cappella Singing, published by Hal Leonard.
Alongside his work in contemporary a cappella music, Rob is an avid choral composer, with work published by Alfred Music Publishing, Hal Leonard, Heritage, and GIA Publications. In 2021 his piece “The Gift” received a jury commendation as part of the King’s Singers New Music Prize competition. His pieces continue to be performed by choirs from all over the world. Rob currently serves as the national repertoire and resources co-chair for Contemporary/Commercial music for the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA).
Dr. Angela Kasper | Collegiate All-State Choir Conductor
Angela Kasper (formerly Broeker) is Director of Choral Activities at Western Washington University where she conducts three choirs and teaches undergraduate courses in conducting and global music traditions. Before this appointment, she was Director of Choral Activities at the University of St. Thomas for 20 years and Westminster College in Pennsylvania for six years.
Though she has 30 years of experience teaching at the collegiate level, Angie is constantly redefining what makes a meaningful choral experience and how best to place this evolving view at the center of her work with her own choirs. No longer bound to a choral ideal that was espoused during her own university education, she is exploring the choral community as a place to expand cultural awareness while experiencing the world’s group singing traditions. Collaboration with culture bearers and traveling abroad for her own study help her realize how little she knows about the vast subject she teaches!
Dr. Kasper is passionate about sharing what she has learned over the course of her career with other practicing choral teachers. She hopes to empower young conductors to recognize and celebrate their unique strengths while encouraging them to lead with authenticity and vulnerability. In teaching undergraduate music education students, her goal is to help these future educators understand that collaborative choral rehearsals with ample time for student voice, student leadership, and student input into artistic interpretation are a much more enjoyable and equitable approach to ensemble music making than is the podium-driven model.
Angie is so fortunate to have met and worked with many young people while conducting honor choirs throughout the United States and abroad. Whether it be fourth graders in Indiana or high school students in the United Arab Emirates, she considers every experience to be a reminder of our shared humanity and the power of music to unite us. As she continues this work, Dr. Kasper is focused on inclusive enrichment activities that can serve all students regardless of economic status and experiential level.
Angie is forever grateful to all her teachers and mentors including Dr. Mary Goetze, Mr. Robert Porco, Dr. Dennis Shrock, Dr. Karen Howard, Dr. Michael Rogers, Dr. Julie Schnepel, and Dr. Jean Sinor. Mostly though, she is grateful for her mom who gave up her own dream of being a choral director in order to raise a family in a manner that would allow her daughter to realize that dream instead.
Kim Nazarian | All-State Vocal Jazz Choir Conductor
Kim Nazarian is a world renowned, Grammy nominated jazz performing and recording artist, educator and clinician. Besides her work as a sought-after solo vocalist, she has been performing all over the world with the vocal group, “New York Voices“ (NYV), for more than 35 years. She is a jazz voice teacher for Vocal Jazz Majors at Ithaca College. She also shares her perspectives on music and life as a musician, teaching private students in her own personal studio as well as offering clinics, workshops, and masterclasses, adjudicating festivals, participating in jazz camps and guest conducting for singers on all levels in the US and abroad.
One of Nazarian's most recent accolades was being awarded the "Jazz Educator of the Year 2023" by the JEN organization. She is the first female, and the first vocal jazz recipient of this prestigious honor. In the summer of 2022, she also became the first woman to head the jury of the A Cappella Competition in Aarhus, Denmark. Continuing to climb the professional ladder, Kim has added Artistic Director to her list of titles, working with the established team of the DeMiero Jazz festival.
Harkening her heritage, Nazarian was recognized as one of the top 50 most influential Armenian artists in 2012, and inducted into her hometown High School’s Hall of Fame. She is also proud to be the lead vocalist for the Latin influenced jazz ensemble “El Eco“, spearheaded by Argentinian drummer and composer Guillermo Nojechowicz; and appears as a featured vocalist on the 2 latest CD's of Gabriel Espinosa.
Besides the many recordings of NYV, Kim Nazarian can be heard on many different projects as a soloist. Branching out on her own in 2015, she released her first solo CD entitled “Some Morning“ with remarkable guests including Paquito D’Rivera, Gary Burton, John Pizzarelli and Sean Jones. Her record was met with critical acclaim stating: “This set sets the gold standard for Jazz vocalists“ from Midwest Records, Chris Spector and Best Jazz Vocal CD 2015 from W. Royal Stokes, Jazz Historian and Critic. Kim is proud to be one of the featured voices on Bobby McFerrin’s “VOCAbuLarieS“ CD which garnered three grammy nominations. She also collaborated with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and the Manchester Craftman’s Guild on a concert tour dedicated to the late, great Ella Fitzgerald.
Nazarian’s work as a lyricist can be heard on the NYV CD’s and in other projects throughout the world, e.g. with Brazilian composer Ivan Lins and the Metropole Orchestra. Most notably, Nazarian wrote “World of Possibilities", the title track to the accompanying CD of Bill Strickland’s best selling book “Making the Impossible Possible“.
Kim is a dedicated teacher of vocal technique and the art of ensemble singing and a highly valued clinician at numerous vocal festivals around the world. She has been representing the USA as a judge for the International A Cappella Competition “Vokal.Total” in Graz, Austria since 2011, was a member of the 2017 jury at Vocal Asia, worked with a highly acclaimed jury in Korea, and has recently become a regular coach at the groundbreaking Black Forest Voices Festival. Touring the globe over the last 35 years, Kim Nazarian has given concerts at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, and the Montreal International Jazz Festival, to name a select few. Furthermore, Kim has conducted several All State Vocal Jazz Choirs in the US for NY, Arizona, Colorado, Washington, Maine, California, and Illinois.
Nazarian is a magna cum laude graduate of Ithaca College and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting. When not making music, she loves to be home in Oberlin, Ohio with her husband, son, and sheep-a-doodle, Doxy, on her 6.5-acre farm… cooking, gardening, reading, and watching films.
Social Media
www.kimnazarian.com
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www.twitter.com/kimnazarian12
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Melanie Brink | Children's All-State Choir Conductor
Melanie Brink directs the vocal ensembles and competitive show choir at South Middle School in Harrisburg, South Dakota. She also leads on a planning team for Harrisburg’s Choralation: a festival opportunity to work with a guest conductor for over 200 singers throughout the district. Prior to her current position, she taught overseas at The American International School of Muscat (TAISM) in the Sultanate of Oman. There, she developed a choral music program that was one of the first of its kind in the Middle East, and was the founder and artistic director of TAISM’s annual Festival of Choirs. TAISM’s international choral festival involved participants, choir directors and guest conductors from around the world for 17 years.
With the intention of developing belonging and globally conscious singers, Melanie applies her experiences abroad, Mindfulness Training Institute and Thinking Collaborative Seminars into the learning process. She designs activities to not only grow as successful musicians, but to also practice strategies for wellness, engagement and collaboration.
Her undergraduate degree in vocal music is from Augustana University (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) and she holds a Master's in Educational Leadership from Southwest Minnesota University. She recently completed a 3-year term as an elected Board of Trustees member for the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS) and is the World Music Repertoire and Resources Chair for the South Dakota ACDA chapter. She has been a presenter at music educator conferences in the United States and abroad, sharing methods for standards-based assessments and implementing yearlong connection themes. Melanie was on ACDA national steering committee to revise recommendations of programmatic standards, repertoire & resources. The culmination was published in the August 2020 ACDA Choral Journal: Vision for Success: A Guideline to Creating and Offering an Exemplary Choral Music Program at the Middle Level.
Melanie has served as a guest conductor for regional and honor festivals in Abu Dhabi, Chennai, Dubai and Muscat, and is deeply grateful and excited to be leading the All State singers in Wisconsin. This spring she will conduct the AMIS Latin American High School Honor Choir in Grand Cayman.
Richard L. Schnipke | Bass Clef All-State Choir Conductor
Dr. Richard Schnipke serves as Associate Professor of Music Performance and Director Choral Activities at Bowling Green State University. His duties at BGSU include conducting the Collegiate Chorale and University Men’s Chorus, as well as teaching graduate courses in choral repertoire and graduate and undergraduate conducting. Previously, Dr. Schnipke held faculty positions at Xavier University and The Ohio State University and spent 15 years as a public-school choral director. He holds degrees from Bowling Green State University and The Ohio State University, and has done additional graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Under Dr. Schnipke’s direction, The Bowling Green State University Men’s Chorus performed at both the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) 2023 National Conference and their 2022 Midwestern Regional Conference. His choirs also regularly perform at professional meetings of the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) and the Ohio Choral Directors Association (OCDA), as well as National Seminars of IMC: The Tenor-Bass Choral Consortium. Dr. Schnipke also frequently presents at state, regional, and national conferences on the incorporation of Dalcroze Eurhythmics in the choral rehearsal.
As a vocalist, Schnipke performs regularly as a professional chorister and has served as tenor section leader for Cincinnati’s Vocal Arts Ensemble (Grammy Award winner, Craig Hella Johnson, music director). Dr. Schnipke is also a Past-President of the Ohio Choral Directors Association, has served on the national board for National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO), and currently serves on the board for IMC: The Tenor-Bass Choral Consortium.
Chris Maunu | Middle Level All-State Choir Conductor
Chris Maunu is a conductor, educator, and composer based in Portland, Oregon. He serves as the Artistic Director of the acclaimed Pacific Youth Choir, Affiliate Faculty at the Portland State University School of Music, and Artistic Director of the professional ensemble Choro in Schola. Chris spent 17 years as the Director of Choirs at Arvada West High School in Colorado, where he left a legacy by expanding the boundaries of what young singers can achieve.
A four-time GRAMMY® Music Educator of the Year Finalist and a two-time recipient of the CMA® Foundation National Music Teacher of Excellence Award, Chris is a passionate advocate for music education. Choirs under his direction have received national and international recognition, performing at over a dozen conferences, including National and Regional ACDA events. His ensembles have earned such honors as the American Prize in Choral Performance, the Gold Diploma at the Rimini International Choral Competition, and much more.
In high demand as a guest clinician, Chris regularly leads All-State and Honor Choirs across the U.S. and internationally, including the upcoming High School Mixed Honor Choir at the 2025 National ACDA Conference. As a composer, his award-winning works have been performed by choirs around the globe. He serves as the editor of the Pacific Youth Choir Choral Series with Pavane Publishing. An active member of NAfME and ACDA, Chris is the NWACDA Chair for Children and Community Youth Choirs. He is a contributing author to A Choral Conductor's Companion and has published numerous articles in the Choral Journal. Chris frequently presents at both the regional and national level.
Throughout his career, Chris has garnered recognition for his significant contributions to the field. He was named Colorado’s “Best of the Best” Teacher and received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Northern State University, where he also delivered the Commencement Address. Maunu was honored with a Commendation from the House of Representatives for his impact in the classroom. He co-founded and directed the professional Anima Chamber Ensemble for seven years. In addition to performing the utmost in choral artistry, Anima inspired thousands of public school students through a unique community engagement mission.
Chris holds degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northern State University. Most importantly, he cherishes time with his wife, Aleisha, and their two children, Bodhi and Astraea. For more information, visit www.chrismaunu.com.
Jennifer Sengin | Treble Clef All-State Choir Conductor
Jennifer Sengin serves on the choral faculty in the role of Visiting Assistant Professor of Choral Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where she leads the graduate choral conducting program and conducts the flagship ensemble, Conservatory Singers, and the Choral Union. In addition to ensembles, Dr. Sengin teaches graduate choral conducting and choral literature. In the summer of 2024, Dr. Sengin received the inaugural Newcomer Award from the Missouri Choral Directors Association. Prior to coming to UMKC, Dr. Sengin most recently served as the Associate Director of Choral Activities at Georgia State University (GSU). Under her direction, the GSU Treble Choir (formerly Women’s Chorus) won first place in The American Prize and Dr. Sengin received 2nd place in conducting.
An active guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and presenter, Dr. Sengin has conducted honor choirs throughout the country and recently conducted the 2024 South Carolina American Choral Director's Association TTB Honor Choir, 2023 Texas All-State Treble Choir, and additional regional honor choirs. Future engagements include guest conducting along with Dr. Sandra Snow at Carnegie Hall with National Concerts and all-state and honor choirs in Wisconsin, Florida, New York, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, and Missouri. Sengin holds degrees from The College of New Jersey (BM Music Education), Ithaca College (MM Choral Conducting), and Michigan State University (DMA Choral Conducting).
