University of Arizona
College of Fine Arts - School of Music

Choral Studies

Success Stories

Xuxiang Zhou, DMA 2023

Choral Faculty, Shanghai Conservatory of Music

He Huang, DMA 2022

Associate Professor, Director of Choirs, Nanjing Normal University (China)

Erik Peregrine, DMA 2021

Artistic Director, Ensemble Companio

Luke Diamond, MM 2021

Artistic Director, Tucson Masterworks Chorale
Choir and Drama Teacher, Walden Grove High School

Jeff Vanderlee, DMA 2021

Assistant Professor of Practice, University of Arizona
Director of Music, St. Mark the Evangelist Church

Angelica Dunsavage, DMA 2020

Director of Choirs, Tennessee State University

Brayton Bollenbacher, MM 2020

Artistic Director, Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus
Interim Artistic Director, New York City Gay Men’s Chorus

Matthew Crosby, DMA 2020

Assistant Professor and Music Department Chair, University of Mary Hardin–Baylor

Nicky Manlove, MM 2020

Director of Music, St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church
Artistic Director, THEM Youth Ensemble

Ben Hansen, DMA 2020

Director of Music, Catalina United Methodist Church
Artistic Director, The Helios Ensemble

Yujia Luo, DMA 2020

Director of Choral Activities, Beijing University of Chemical Technology

Donté Ford, DMA minor 2020

Assistant Professor of Music and Associate Chaplain for Worship Arts, Wheaton College

Todd Wachsman, DMA 2020

Music Faculty, Adelphi University
Artistic Director, Forest Hills Choir

Erin Plisco, DMA 2019

Associate Director of Choral Studies, Missouri State University

Thomas Wininger, DMA 2019

Director of Choral Activities, Midwestern State University

Christian Giddings, DMA 2019

Music Director, Deering High School, Portland (Maine)
Music Director, CODA Chorus

Jae Ho Lee, DMA 2019

Assistant Conductor, Suwon City Chorale
Music Director, Suwon Youth Choir

Eunji Lee, DMA 2019

Vocal Trainer, Sowon City Youth Choir

Gabriel Machado, MM 2019

Founder and Artistic Director, Coral Nacional Virtual (Brazilian National Virtual Choir)

Brett Robison, DMA 2018

Executive Director, Topeka Symphony Orchestra
Artistic Director, Topeka Festival Singers

Jessica Berg, MM 2018

General Music/Chorus Teacher, Virginia Run Elementary School

Travis Sletta, DMA 2018

Director of Vocal/Choral Music, Winona Senior High School

Jooyeon Hwang, DMA 2018

Conductor, Ganseo-gu Children’s Choir
Conductor, Bundang-gu Ladies Choir

Omaris Maldonado-Torres, MM 2017

Director of Orchestra and Choir, Collier County Public School District

Lynnel Joy Jenkins, DMA 2016

Artistic Director, Westrick Music Academy
Choral Teacher, Timberland Middle School

Douglas Leightenheimer, DMA 2016

Organist/Choirmaster, St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church

Jessica Pierpoint, MM 2016

Director of Choral Activities, Vermont State University
Founder and Director, Vermont Academy of Choral Music

Thomas Lerew, DMA 2016

Director of Choral Activities, Trevecca University

Heather Mitchell, DMA 2016

Artistic Director, Hopewell Valley Chorus
Founder/Artistic Director, FIVE LINES
Assistant Conductor, Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia
Assistant Director of Choirs, The College of New Jersey

Jason Dungee, DMA 2016

Director of Choral Activities, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

James Stirling, MM 2016

Music Teacher, Great Hearts Academy – Roosevelt Prep

Richard Hintze, DMA 2015

Music Instructor, Jackson College

Timothy Campbell, DMA 2015

Assistant Professor, University of South Dakota
Chorus Director, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra
Artistic Director, Transept

Brent Rogers, DMA 2015

Assistant Professor of Choral/Vocal Music and Dean, College of Arts and Sciences at Dickinson State University

Carlos Zapien, DMA minor 2015

Director of Music, Cathedral of Saint Augustine
Artistic Director, Ars Vocalis Mexico

Luke Lusted, DMA 2014

Pastor of Music and Worship, Camelback Bible Church

Daniel David Black, DMA 2014

Director of Choral Activities, Houghton College

Scott Glysson, DMA 2014

Director of Choral Activities and Vocal Studies, California Polytechnic State University

Mindy Martin Forehand, MM 2014

Director of Choral Activities, Ola High School

Jeffrey Gonda, MM 2014

Choral Director, Hampton High School, Georgia

Quinn Kimball, MM 2014

Office Manager, Colorado Springs Youth Symphony
Founding Member, The Same Stream Choir

Blair Buffington, DMA studies 2014

Director of Choral Activities, Iowa Wesleyan University

Bethany Johnson, MM 2013

Music Director, Waverly Presbyterian Church

Marcela Molina, DMA 2013

Artistic Director and Executive Director, Tucson Girls Chorus

Conductor, Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus

Jennaya Robison, DMA 2013

Raymond R. Neevel-Missouri Endowed Professor and Director of Choral Studies at University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory of Music

Matthew Goinz, MM 2013

Pursuing a DMA in Choral Conducting, University of Maryland

Gregory Silverman, DMA 2013

Music Director, Desert Hope Lutheran Church

Andy Bade, DMA 2013

Classical Music Program Coordinator, Arizona Public Media

Louis Spinelli, MM 2013

Teacher of Vocal and General Music, Bergen County Academies

Brad Miller, DMA 2012

Director of Choral Activities, University of Minnesota–Morris

Alan Stevens, DMA 2012

Chair, Department of Music and Director of Choral Activities at East Tennessee State University

Artistic Director of the Knoxville Gay Men’s Chorus

Philip Moody, DMA 2012

Artistic Director, CORO
Co-Director MM in Choral Conducting, Simpson College
Assistant Director, True Concord Voices & Orchestra

Addie Akin, MM 2012

Director of Choirs, St. Louis University High School

Scott Finch, DMA 2011

Associate Professor of Music, Covenant College

Chris Thomas, DMA 2011

Director of Choral Activities, Rowan University

Cyril Jolly, MM 2011

Minister of Music, Duke Memorial United Methodist Church

Erin HyunJin Cho, DMA 2010

Conductor, Gwacheon City Women’s Choir

Charles Brown, DMA 2010

Director of Choral Activities, Concordia University–Chicago

Jon C. Peterson, DMA 2010

Director of Choral Activities, Malone University

Elliot Jones, DMA 2010

Conductor, Coro Nuevo, Tucson, AZ

Trent Brown, DMA 2009

Artistic Director, Symphonic Chorale of Southwest Florida
Director of Choral Activities, Florida Gulf Coast University

Herbert Washington, MM 2009

Artistic Director, Phoenix Boys Choir

Sara T. Schwindt, MM 2009

Assistant Director, Winchester Community Music School

John Perkins, DMA 2009

Associate Director of Choral Activities, Butler University

Lucik Aprahamian, DMA 2009

Director of Choirs, Greenhill School

Chris Fresolone, DMA minor 2009

Assistant Director, Tucson Girls Chorus
Music Teacher, The Gregory School

Abby Frost, MM 2008

Director of Choirs, Ipswich High School
Choral Director, First Church in Wenham

Justin Raffa, MM 2008

Chorus Master, Yakima Symphony Orchestra

Adam Eggleston, MM 2008

Artistic Director, The Astoria Choir
Visual and Performing Arts Chair, The Buckley School

David Fitzpatrick, MM 2008

Artistic Director and Conductor, Montgomery County Chorale and Orchestra

Sherrill Blodget, DMA 2008

Director of Choral Activities, Castleton University

Matthew Howell, DMA 2008

Director of Vocal and Choral Studies, Oklahoma Panhandle State University

Tony Thornton, DMA 2008

Director of Choral and Vocal Studies and the Doug and Nickie Burns Endowed Chair in Choral Music at Oklahoma State University
Artistic Director of the Sarteano Choral Workshop (Italy)

Anthony Bernarducci, MM 2007

Director of Choral and Vocal Studies, Clemson University

Aaron McDermid, DMA 2006

Director of Choral Activities, University of Jamestown

Lani Johnson, DMA 2006

Freelance writer, editor and graphics designer

Joel Schwindt, MM 2006

Assistant Professor of Music History, Boston Conservatory at Berklee

Christopher  L. Bartley, DMA 2006

Music Director and Instructor of Music, University of Pittsburgh–Greensbury

Brian Wismath, MM 2006

Interim Artistic Director, Stratford Concert Choir

Joni Jensen, DMA 2005

Director of Choral Activities, Texas Woman’s University
Associate Dean and Musical Director, Millennial Choirs and Orchestras

Lee Nelson, DMA 2005

Director of Choral Activities, Wartburg College

Jamie Spillane, DMA 2004

Director of Choral Studies, University of Connecticut

Eric Holtan, DMA 2004

Music Director, True Concord Voices and Orchestra

Nicole Lamartine, DMA 2003

Director of Choirs, Central Washington University

Emilie Sweet Amrein, MM 2003

Director of Choral Studies and Chair of the Department of Music, University of San Diego
Executive Producer, The Choral Commons

Brandon Johnson, MM/DMA 2002/2003

Director of Choral Activities, Eastern Michigan University
Conductor and Artistic Director, Michigan Pro Musica

Lisa Billingham, DMA 2001

Director of Choral Activities, George Mason University

Matthew Mehaffey, DMA 2001

Associate Director of Choral Activities, University of Minnesota
Music Director, The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh
Artistic Director, Oratorio Society of Minnesota

Michael Culloton, MM 2000

Director of Choral Activities, Concordia College – Moorhead

Giselle Wyers, DMA 2000

Professor of Choral Music/Music Education, University of Washington

Timothy Peter, DMA 1993

Director of Choral Activities, Stetson University

Michael J. Weber, DMA 1990

Associate Director of Choral Activities and Music Education, North Dakota State University

Lori Wiest, DMA 1990

Director, Fred Fox School of Music–University of Arizona

Michael J. Weber, DMA 1990

Associate Director of Choral Activities, North Dakota State University

David Mennicke, MM/DMA 1987/1989

Director of Choral Studies, Concordia University – St. Paul

Geoffrey Boers, DMA 1987

Director of Choral Activities, University of Washington

Christopher Cock, DMA 1987

Phyllis and Richard Duesenberg Chair in Lutheran Music, Valparaiso University

Wyant Morton, MM/DMA 1986/1992

Director of Choral Activities, California Lutheran University

Edmund Hughes, DMA 1986

Retired (formerly on the faculties of University of Puget Sound and Chandler-Gilbert Community College)

Julian Ackerley, BM/MM/DMA 1975/1977/1983

Director, Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus