“I want students to function in a studio recording session and a live performance, which are very, very different worlds. I want them to be able to do not just jazz, not just classical, not just gospel, but everything so that they can be hired to sing backgrounds for Beyoncé one day and the next day be singing with Andrea Bocelli on tour. I try to give them the most well-rounded experience I can.”

A native of Holguín, Cuba, Cindy Ellis immigrated to the United States in 2005. She earned her Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education and Jazz Voice from Florida International University and her Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Missouri. Mrs. Ellis is a full time choral director at Miami Arts Studio, a 6th-12th grade public performing arts magnet school in Miami, FL. Her middle school and high school ensembles have been featured at numerous venues throughout the country. These include Carnegie Hall (2018 and 2024), and the Florida, Southern, and National Conferences of the American Choral Directors Association. In 2022, Mrs. Ellis’ students performed in Los Angeles for the Summit of the Americas, a meeting hosted by President Joe Biden that brought together 40 Presidents and leaders from the Americas and Caribbean. Additionally, in the last 7 years, the students have recorded and performed background vocals for Gloria and Emilio Estefan and several music award shows including the AMAs, Latin American Music Awards and the Latin GRAMMY Awards. In 2024 Mrs. Ellis conducted her students at the Miami show of Jacob Collier’s DJESSE Volume 4 World Tour.

Beyond her school responsibilities, she frequently performs, conducts honor choirs and teaches masterclasses for music directors and students from elementary to college throughout North America. As a jazz vocal soloist and alto with the Jason Max Ferdinand Singers, she collaborated with Jacob Collier for performances at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and recording projects including a performance alongside Coldplay for NBC’s Saturday Night Live and the 2024 BBC Proms Music Festival in London, UK.

In 2020, Mrs. Ellis was published by GIA Publications as a contributing author on “Teaching with Heart,” and in 2022, she served as instructional design editor and contributing author of “Teaching Beyond the Music,” the second edition in the series. Ellis is Miami Arts Studio’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, a 2025 Grammy Music Educator Semi-Finalist, and currently serves as the World Musics & Cultures Coordinator for the American Choral Directors Association Southern Region.

To get in touch with Cindy, you can find her on Instagram (@cindycellis) or Facebook (@ccellis) or email her at [email protected]. You can follow MAS Vocal on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or Spotify (@masvocal) or on YouTube (@masvocal2765).

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“Students will often refer to voice lessons, to choir rehearsal, as therapy. I felt that there was something to that. I wanted to make the connection between individual therapy and voice lessons and group therapy and the choral rehearsal. What is it about the choral organism that becomes a space that can be therapeutic? I found a lot of commonalities in group and individual counseling and what we do.”

Dr. Sarah J. Graham was just promoted to Professor of Music at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, where she teaches courses in music, humanities, ethics, and conducts the Concert Choir. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Whitworth University, a Master of Arts in Classroom Teaching and English from Pacific Lutheran University, and both a Masters and Doctorate in Music Conducting from Michigan State University. She is currently finishing a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through Capella University in Minneapolis. Dr. Graham has been teaching for over thirty years, twenty of which have been in higher education. Much of her current work has to do with mental health and teaching pedagogy. She recently spent her sabbatical working on an internship in counseling and compiling a 15-week guide for incorporating “Mental Health Moments” into the classroom. At LC State, Graham is a co-founder of the Black History Experience, and a member of the President’s Campus and Community Commission. She lives in Lewiston with her daughter and their Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Henry.

To get in touch with Sarah, you can find her on Facebook (@drsjg) or Instagram (@drbooncha) or email her at [email protected] .

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“One of the things we know about the brain is that information that is acquired through problem solving is more likely to be retained. I might start rehearsal by saying 'take out the piece in D major,' 'let's start in the climactic moment of the Brahms,' 'take out the piece where fire is used as a metaphor for passion.' You start with a problem, so you're already engaging neurons. This works at any age."

Sharon J. Paul holds the Robert M. Trotter Chair of Music at the University of Oregon, where she currently serves as Department Head of Music Performance and Director of Choral Activities. Her teaching includes graduate courses in choral conducting, repertoire, and pedagogy, along with conducting the internationally award-winning Chamber Choir.

In March 2020, Oxford University Press published Dr. Paul’s book, Art & Science in the Choral Rehearsal, which features many of the creative and evidence-based teaching strategies she has cultivated over her career.

The University of Oregon Chamber Choir has placed first or second in four international choral competitions, most recently winning first prize in the Chamber Choir category at the Grand Prix of Nations Competition in Gothenburg, Sweden in August 2019.

The Chamber Choir became a resident ensemble of the Oregon Bach Festival in 2014, performing each summer under conductors such as Helmuth Rilling, Matthew Halls, John Nelson, Jane Glover, and Joann Falletta.

University of Oregon choirs under Dr. Paul’s direction have performed at the National Association for Music Education’s state and divisional conferences, and at ACDA Northwestern Division conferences.

Dr. Paul has presented interest sessions at regional, state, division, national, and international conferences. She appears frequently as adjudicator, clinician, teacher, and honor choir director throughout the United States and abroad. In 2019, she received Oregon ACDA’s Podium Award for “outstanding contributions to the choral arts,” and in the fall of 2014 she received the University of Oregon’s Fund for Faculty Excellence Award.

Dr. Paul completed her DMA in Choral Conducting at Stanford University, her MFA in Conducting from UCLA, and her BA in Music from Pomona College.

To get in touch with Sharon, you can email her at [email protected] or find her on Facebook (@sharon.paul.50).

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“You never know someone else’s story. You never know what the experience of a concert or hearing a piece is to somebody. You don’t know how that affects them. So much of my music and why I do what I do is to facilitate these moments of connection between choristers, to give autonomy to choristers to feel like co-composers of my music themselves each time they’re performing the work. I always tend to seek out music, texts, stories, ideas that facilitate that.”

Composer, improviser, and vocalist Katerina Gimon's uniquely dynamic, poignant, and eclectic compositional style has earned her a reputation as a distinct voice in contemporary Canadian composition and beyond. Her music has earned her several honours including multiple SOCAN Awards, nominations for Western Canadian Composer of the Year, and a Barbara Pentland Award for Outstanding Composition.

In her music, Katerina draws influence from a myriad of places — from the Ukrainian folk music of her heritage to indie rock, as well as from her roots as a songwriter. Her compositions are performed widely across Canada, the United States, and internationally, with notable performances at Carnegie Hall, Berliner Philharmonie, and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Recent commissions include new music for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Youth Choir, National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and re:Naissance Opera. Katerina is the composer-in-residence for Myriad Ensemble and is based in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia.

In addition to her composing work, Katerina is also a founding member (vocalist, electronics, co-composer) of dynamic new music and AR/VR collective Chroma Mixed Media alongside multi-media artists David Storen and Brian Topp. Excited by the ever-evolving landscape of technology in today’s society, Chroma endeavours to explore new avenues and intersections for artistic expression by combining various art forms and new technologies to explore new possibilities and challenge audience expectations.

Katerina holds a Master of Music in Composition from the University of British Columbia ('17) and an Honours Bachelor of Music degree in Composition and Improvisation from Wilfrid Laurier University ('15). When she isn’t making music, Katerina enjoys playing board games, puzzling, adventuring outdoors, and relaxing with her husband and their two cats.

To get in touch with Katerina, you can find visit her website, katerinagimon.com, or find her on Instagram (@katgimon) or Facebook (@kgimon).

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“People may live in a place that's very different from us, but they have the same hopes, dreams, fears, and struggles with everyday life that we all do at some level. All the parents want education for their kids. Everyone wants a home, wants good food to eat, loves a good laugh and a good joke, loves to play and be silly together. If you find that out as a young person, you are less likely to quickly judge in a negative way someone who is different from you.”

Nationally recognized as a leader in the field of youth choral conductors, Emily Ellsworth enjoys an active schedule as guest conductor and clinician both nationally and abroad. She has conducted all-state choirs and festivals in over 30 states, honor choirs for the Northwest, North Central, Southwest and Western regions of the American Choral Directors Association, and the 2019 national children’s honor choir for ACDA’s 60th anniversary conference. International appearances include festival choirs in Ireland, England, Hong Kong, Grand Cayman Island, Greece, and presentations for the national association of choral directors in Brazil.

Collegiate work most recently includes teaching Conducting III at Elmhurst University, conducting the Elmhurst University Concert Choir, joining the Luther College choral faculty as Visiting Assistant Professor of Music, and conducting the University Singers at Northwestern University. She served as Artistic Director of Anima (Ah-nee-mah)–Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus from 1996–2018. She conducted Anima on several national conferences for both ACDA and Chorus America, led concert tours to six continents, and produced nine CD recordings. Ms. Ellsworth has served as music panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, and spent 20 years as a professional singer and voice teacher in various college and university settings.

Her home base of Chicago has featured Ms. Ellsworth’s preparation of dozens of youth and women's ensembles for major musical organizations, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Berlin Philharmonic, and Ravinia Festival, and many more.

Ms. Ellsworth holds vocal performance degrees from Macalester College under Dr. Dale Warland and the University of Southern California, as well as the Artist Teacher Certificate from the Choral Music Experience Choral Teacher Training Institute. Her primary choral mentors are Drs. Dale Warland and Doreen Rao. More information can be found at emilyellsworth.net.

To get in touch with Emily, you can find her on Facebook (@emily.ellsworth.50) or visit her website.

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“A big part of being a musician is believing in yourself and saying ‘yes’ to the little opportunities that come your way. Sometimes we can get down on ourselves. We think, ‘I'm not cut out for that.’ Believe in yourself and what you can do, no matter what the situation... Don't be afraid to say ‘yes,’ to try out for that show or audition for that ensemble. Encourage your students to do the same thing because you never know where those opportunities are going to take you.”

Jessica Koenig loves sharing her passion for music and the relationships it forges with people of all ages and backgrounds. She joined choir at the age of 9 and has never stopped singing! At age 17 she was selected as a featured soloist during Pope John Paul II’s visit to St. Louis. Jessica went on to receive her BS in Music Education from William Jewell College in 2003. After several moves, she spent 13 years teaching general music at a private K-8 school where her children’s choir consistently had 60-80 students. They were featured in choral festivals, twice performed the Star Spangled Banner at Harlem Globetrotters games, and led music at countless church services.

Jessica accepted a public middle school choir position in 2022 in order to reach a more dynamic group of families. During her second year there, her treble ensemble was one of two middle school choirs to achieve a Superior-Plus rating at the Illinois Grade School Music Association’s State Organization Festival and also shared the stage with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra. Jessica’s choirs are known for their pure sound and strong tonality.

She became the Co-Artistic Director of Kantorei in 2024. Kantorei is the premier 4th-12th grade community choir in Rockford, IL. This organization is committed to offering an excellent choral education to all students who love to sing without the barriers of cost and is funded completely on donations. Jessica lives in Rockford, IL with her three talented children. Find more information about Kantorei at kantorei.com.

To get in touch with Jessica, you can e-mail her at [email protected] or visit kantorei.com.

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“In science, they're not tied to an outcome. They're open to the possibilities of what is going to result from an experiment. How freeing is that – not to be tied to a specific outcome. I've really tried to adopt that in my own personal life, the idea of just growing, learning, and being open. So many things are out of my control, so I might as well just be ready to go for the ride. I guess what I would tell young people is just equip yourself, make the best informed decision you can, then be at peace with it.”

Dr. Julie Yu, an award-winning choral conductor and music educator, leads the Wanda L. Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University as Director of Choral Activities and Canterbury Voices as Artistic Director. In these roles, she conducts and guides the acclaimed 150-voice Canterbury Voices ensemble and shapes the artistic vision of OCU’s four major choirs, including the Chamber Choir and Ad Astra women’s chorus. She also teaches conducting and graduate choral curriculum courses.

Dr. Yu’s choirs have performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and internationally in Austria, Czech Republic, France, and more. She was an ACDA International Conducting Exchange Fellow to Kenya in 2019 and has led All-State choruses across the United States.

A sought-after presenter, conductor, and clinician, Dr. Yu has shared her expertise at state and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, and European Music Educators Association. She is a past president of the ACDA’s Southwestern Region and has been featured at events such as the International Dublin Choral Festival and European Music Educators Association Conference.

Dr. Yu holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of North Texas, a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from Oklahoma State University, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Central Oklahoma.

To get in touch with Julie, you can find her on Instagram (@julieyuoppenheim) or Facebook (@julie.yuoppenheim).

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“Your first year is not going to be perfect. You're not going to feel like you're having a lot of success a lot of the time because you're figuring out how to work within a school system, how to work with other teachers, with parents, with students that may not be too much younger than you if you start teaching high school. So you do your best, and you do a lot of reflection at the end of every day, at the end of every week, and you just prepare to wake up and then try something different.”

Ross Cawthon is a graduate teaching assistant at Louisiana State University, where he is progressing towards a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting with a minor emphasis in Music Education. He is the instructor of record for undergraduate choral conducting and a teaching assistant for the LSU A Cappella Choir and LSU Chamber Singers. Additionally, he is the Music Director at University Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge. Before coming to LSU, Ross was the Director of Choirs at DeLand High School in Deland, Florida, where he taught choir, piano, AP Music Theory and IB Music. The DeLand High Chorus has performed across the US, and was invited to sing at the Florida Music Educators Association conference in 2023.

In addition to his choral interests, Ross has a passion for the poetry and music of J.R.R. Tolkien, barbecue, and exercising. He lives in Baton Rouge with his wife Kristina, who is a singer and licensed speech-language pathologist.

To get in touch with Ross, you can find him on Instagram (@rossisastore) or Facebook (@ross.cawthon.3).

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“Going back for a master’s was exhilarating. So many of the things that I had been doing in my studio were corroborated with education. On the flip side, I had a lot of moments where I thought, “I've been doing that wrong. I should change that.” Having had years doing a lot of my own education—I attended conferences and did everything I could to soak up anything available to me—going back to school and having it corroborated and defined was career-changing.”

Award-winning coloratura soprano Alisa Toy has an impressive thirty-year performing and teaching career. She currently teaches and performs at Washington State University as a Lecturer of Voice. Internationally, Alisa soloed in Great Britain, Canada, Pakistan, and Italy, including a concert for Pope Benedict XVI with the Rome Symphony Orchestra. Some of her past favorite soloing opportunities include Mozart’s Requiem and Coronation Mass, along with multiple performances of Handel’s Messiah and Judas Maccabeus. Opera and musical theatre roles include Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Gertrude in Humperdinck’s Hänsel and Gretel, Maria in Bernstein’s West Side Story, and Grace in Strouse’s Annie.

As a choral conductor, Alisa currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Lewis and Clark State College Concert Choir, the Assistant Conductor of the Palouse Choral Society, and previously served as the Artistic Director for the Columbus Choral Society.

Memorable performances for her include the world premiere of John Purifoy’s Chronicles of Blue and Gray in New York’s Carnegie Hall and the world premiere of Benjamin Harlan’s The Seven Last Words of Christ in New Orleans. She frequently serves in her church as a soloist, choral conductor, and organist/pianist.

Alisa holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Choral Conducting from the University of Idaho and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Mississippi University for Women. Alisa enjoyed teaching K-12 music for several years in public and private schools and enjoys teaching voice through her private studio, Singingtoy Studio in addition to her appointment at WSU. She is currently working on her Ph.D.

To get in touch with Alisa, you can email her at [email protected], find her on Facebook (@toysrusfamily), or follow the SingingToy Studio on Facebook.

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"I think in many ways the pattern is the least important part of conducting. It’s much more about showing what the music should be doing, not beating four. If it were just a matter of keeping time, we could use a flashing red light. That's not what your job is. Your job is to encourage and show the music physically. I believe very strongly that the conducting gesture is nothing more than your vocal process externalized.”

Chester L. Alwes holds degrees in music from Hanover College, Union Theological Seminary School of Sacred Music, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Before joining the University of Illinois faculty in 1982, he taught at the College of Wooster and the University of Rochester/Eastman School of Music. Prior to his retirement in 2011 from the University of Illinois, Dr. Alwes taught graduate courses in choral literature, seminars on the works of J. S Bach and Henry Purcell and graduate and undergraduate conducting. From 1982-2009, he was conductor of the U. of I. Concert Choir, taking over the Women’s Glee Club prior to his retirement. In addition, he frequently conducted the University’s Oratorio Society, Summer Chorus, and the Illinois Summer Youth Music Senior Chorus.

In 1996, he founded the Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana (BACH), an ensemble drawn from the University and local community that specialized in music of the 17th and 18th centuries. As a choral conductor, Dr. Alwes was known for his innovative programming, his sensitivity to tone and musical line, and his dedication to the musical growth of his singers. 

He is the author of A History of Western Choral Music (2 vols., Oxford University Press, 2015-16), Handel’s Messiah: the Complete Solo Variants (Roger Dean Music, 2009), the chapter on Choral Music of the Romantic era in the Cambridge Companion to Choral Music, Andre De Quadros, ed. (Cambridge University Press, 2012), articles on choral music and numerous choral compositions and arrangements (70+).

To get in touch with Chet, you can find him on Facebook (@calwes) or email him at [email protected].

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