Conductor Robert J. Ambrose enjoys a highly successful and diverse career as a dynamic and engaging musician. His musical interests cross many genres and can be seen in the wide range of professional activities he pursues. Dr. Ambrose studied formally at Boston College, Boston University and Northwestern University, where he received the Doctor of Music degree in conducting.

Dr. Ambrose currently serves as Director of Bands and Professor of Music at Georgia State University a research institution of over 53,000 students located in Atlanta. His duties at Georgia State include conducting the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, running the highly successful graduate wind conducting program and overseeing the entire large, comprehensive university band program. His graduate conducting students have received multiple honors and hold conducting and teaching positions throughout the United States and in multiple foreign countries.

Dr. Ambrose is in constant demand as a guest conductor and has performed on four continents. Recent engagements include performances in Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan as well as across the United States. He is Founder and Music Director of the National Chamber Winds, a professional wind dectet based in Washington, D.C. as well as Founder and Music Director of the Atlanta Chamber Winds and Ensemble ATL, ensembles comprising musicians from the Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Opera, and Atlanta Ballet Orchestras.

Dr. Ambrose has strong ties to the Finnish music community. He is frequently engaged in that country as a guest conductor, teacher, master clinician, and lecturer. Guest conducting appearances include the Finnish Navy Band, the Finnish Army Band, the Helsinki Police Band, the STM Summer Music Festival Wind Orchestra, the Rauma Wind Band, and the youth wind bands of Kokkola, Kotka, and Rauma. He has taught conducting workshops throughout the country and has served as a guest lecturer multiple times at the Central Ostrobothnian Conservatory and the Sibelius Academy.

Ambrose is a prolific arranger with nearly two dozen publications to his credit. His transcriptions and editions are published by Presser Music, Murphy Music Press, C. Alan Publications, Fennica Gehrman (Finland), and Edition Tilli (Finland). His transcriptions appear on several state lists and have been performed around the world.

Matthew Arau, author of the bestselling book Upbeat! Mindset, Mindfulness, and Leadership in Music Education and Beyond, and founder of Upbeat Global, is an Associate Professor of Music and the Chair of the Music Education Department and Symphonic Band Conductor at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin. In addition, Dr. Arau serves as a Conn-Selmer Education Clinician and is on the graduate conducting faculty of the American Band College of Central Washington University and graduate music education faculty at VanderCook College of Music.

Dr. Arau has guest conducted and presented on student leadership, mindfulness, growth mindset, rehearsal techniques, and creating positive cultures in person in 40 states and 4 continents in person. He has presented at the International Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Western International Band Clinic, the NAfME National Conference, numerous State and Regional Music Education Association Conferences, and the Conn-Selmer Institute. He has conducted honor bands in Australia, Greece, Cyprus, Thailand, and Malaysia, and All-State honor bands across the United States. Dr. Arau draws on a deep reservoir of fifteen years of experience as a successful middle school and high school band director in Loveland, Colorado, where he led his bands at Walt Clark Middle School and Loveland High School to numerous honor performances and championships and pioneered the Leadership Symposium.

Dr. Arau holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting and Literature from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Master of Science in Music Education from the American Band College of Southern Oregon University. He graduated magna cum laude from Lawrence University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Music Education, Music Performance (Classical), Music Performance (Jazz Studies), and a Bachelor of Arts in Government.

Heather N. Baker is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at Kansas State University, specializing in music education with an emphasis on qualitative research. She presented her work at the 2026 Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) research poster session, examining funding processes in Title I schools and the emotional connections these processes create for instrumental music educators.

Her honors include the Timothy R. Donoghue Graduate Student Scholarship, a 2024 internship with the Technology in Music Education Leadership Academy, the 2021 Outstanding Music Educator Award for the Indiana/Michigan area, the Roseanne Rosenthal Alumni Excellence in Teaching Award from VanderCook College of Music, and induction into the Conn-Selmer Division of Education Hall of Fame in 2015.

During her 13-year K-12 teaching career, Heather's district was recognized for over a decade as a NAMM "Best Community for Music Education." She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, the National Association for Music Education, the Kansas and Texas Music Educators Associations, the National Association of Small School Bands, and the National Band Association.

Kelly Ballard is an elementary music teacher with 23 years of experience teaching music or preschool. Currently, she is employed at Eisenhower Elementary in Junction City, KS as part of the USD-475 Geary County School District. Her formal musical education was received from Emporia State University, BME; Wichita State University, MME; and Orff-Schulwerk Certification (Levels 1, 2, and 3) from Baker University in 2023.

Eisenhower Elementary supports the specialized ACSS (Auditory, Communication, Social Skills) SPED self-contained classrooms and IRC (Interrelated Classroom). For the past nine years, she problem solved for students' specific needs and seen musical success from her students.

A native of Eureka, KS, Lydia Bechtel, soprano, is an Assistant Professor of Voice at Friends University. Her performance credits include appearances with Wichita Grand Opera, the Southeast Kansas Symphony, AIMS in Graz, Varna International Opera, Boulder Opera, the PSU Wind Ensemble, UMKC Opera, and Opera in the Ozarks. Dr. Bechtel has presented her research at the International Congress of Voice Teachers, the College Music Society National Conference, the Music by Women Festival, and the ATMI National Conference, and been published in The Journal of Singing and The Opera Journal. She previously served as an Assistant Professor of Voice and Music History at Pittsburg State University.

Elaine Bernstorf serves as Professor of Music Education at Wichita State University. Her degrees include the BME and MME in Special Music Education and a PhD in Communicative Disorders and Sciences. Her specializations include elementary vocal music, special music education, early childhood arts education, speech pathology (especially in the areas of voice, fluency, and child language), literacy development, and curriculum development. Dr. Bernstorf co-authored The Music and Literacy Connection (3rd edition, 2026) with book chapters in the Oxford Handbook of Special Music Education and Music Therapy (in press), Exceptional Music Pedagogy for Children with Exceptionalities International Perspectives (2016) edited by VanderLinde-Blair and McCord; and Preparing Educators for Arts Integration: Placing Creativity at the Center of Learning (2017) edited by Diaz and McKenna.

Dr. Bernstorf founded and administrated the Wichita State Kodály Certification Program and Special Music Education Graduate Certificate. She founded the adaptive music program for the Wichita Public Schools in 1976 and still supervises multiple music-based service-learning programs for students with disabilities. Dr. Bernstorf served as Chair for NAfME Exceptional Learners SRIG (2016-2018) and as National Board Higher Education Advisor for Organization of American Kodaly Educators (2016-2020), as column coordinator for the Envoy journal Administrator Connections (2014-2020) and served on the Envoy Editorial Board (2015-2023). She currently serves on national committees including the Arts Education Partnership Higher Education Working Group and the Leadership Network for Arts Education & Special Needs. In 2017, the Kansas Music Educators Association inducted her in their Hall of Fame, a lifetime achievement recognition.

Andrew Boysen, Jr. is presently a professor in the music department at the University of New Hampshire, where he conducts the wind symphony and teaches conducting and composition. Under his leadership, the UNH wind symphony has released six recordings and been invited to perform at regional conventions of the College Band Directors National Association and National Association for Music Education. Previously, Boysen taught at Indiana State University and Cary-Grove (IL) High School and was the music director and conductor of the Deerfield Community Concert Band. He remains active as a guest conductor and clinician, appearing with high school, university and festival ensembles across the United States, Great Britain, and Australia.

Boysen earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in wind conducting at the Eastman School of Music, where he served as conductor of the Eastman Wind Orchestra and assistant conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble. He received his Master of Music degree in wind conducting from Northwestern University in 1993 and his Bachelor of Music degree in music education and music composition from the University of Iowa in 1991.

He maintains an active schedule as a composer, receiving commissions from festival, university, and high school concert bands across the United States. Boysen won the College Band Directors National Association Composition Contest in 2013, the International Horn Society Composition Contest in 2000, the University of Iowa Honors Composition Prize in 1991 and has twice won the Claude T. Smith Memorial Band Composition Contest, in 1991 and 1994. Boysen has several published works with the Neil A. Kjos Music Company, Wingert-Jones Music, Alfred Music, Ludwig Masters Music, and C. Alan Publications, including pieces for band, orchestra, clarinet and piano, and brass choir. Recordings of his music appear on the Sony, R-Kal, Mark, St. Olaf and Elf labels.

Melody Brooks is a current graduate student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory studying Choral Conducting with Dr. Jennifer Sengin. As a graduate conductor at UMKC, Melody serves as the assistant conductor for the Chamber Singers and Choral Union ensembles. Mrs. Brooks holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Reinhardt University in Waleska, GA where she studied with Dr. Martha Shaw. In addition to her duties at UMKC, Melody serves as the Executive Assistant for the Youth Chorus of Kansas City and Director of Music at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Kansas City.

Kristin Chisham is the Middle School/High School Vocal and Musical Director at Douglass High School. For the past 23 years she has also taught in Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. Over the years, choirs under Kristin's direction have earned superior and excellent ratings in performance District and State Music Festivals and various festivals. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance degree from Wichita State University in which she was an Olive Beech Scholar. She also has her Master of Music Education from Central Methodist University, Fayette Missouri.

Kristin holds various leadership positions for SCKMEA, KMEA, and KCDA. She is the SCKMEA Middle Level Choir Chair-Elect and she is the KMEA Music in Our School Month Advisor. This summer she will be the KCDA Soprano/Alto Honor Choir Chair. Kristin has been a private voice teacher for the past 30 years in which she has also had many students in various State, Regional and State Honor Groups. She has also had private voice students participate and place in the National Association of Teachers of Singing organization.

Kristin is the Founder and proud Director of the Delano Treble Chamber Choir with the Delano Chamber Players as well as the Director of Music at Hillside Christian Church in Wichita, KS. Kristin is an avid performer and debuted her very own Jazz/Cabaret Show "Cabaret with Kristin" in the fall of 2021 at Mosley Street Melodrama.

Joshua Cook currently serves Kansas State University as their on-site faculty repair technician as well as the instructor of band instrument repair. A well-known instrument repair technician in the region with 17 years of experience, he was formerly the repair shop manager for Flint Hills Music since 2015. Joshua teaches several band instrument repair classes and serves as the faculty coordinator for the Sawin Arts Extension Program. He frequently gives presentations, clinics rural bands, and attends many band events across the state to provide on-site repairs. In 2019, he began working directly with Kansas State University as the primary on-site repair technician for K-State Bands.

Tim Cox graduated from Ball State University with a BS in Music Education with a minor in Jazz Studies (1993) and a Master of Music in Conducting (2001).

He currently serves as Director of Educational Outreach for Music for All, a national nonprofit, supporting schools nationwide and presenting at state music education conferences. Previously he served Indianapolis Public Schools as Fine Arts Program Manager, helping lead a major district reconfiguration, secure $6.5 million in new equipment and curriculum, and support fine arts programming districtwide. He also serves as a field operations manager for Bands of America events nationwide.

His 30-year teaching career included positions at Pendleton Heights High School and Decatur Central High School, where ensembles earned state and national recognition, including multiple state finals appearances, conference performances, national parades, Sugar Bowl Grand Champions honors, and the 2018 WGI Class A Concert World Championship.

His honors include MSD Decatur Township Teacher of the Year, Indiana Music Educator Association High School Teacher of the Year, Indiana Top 25 Teachers, and SBO Magazine's "50 Band Directors Who Make a Difference." He has served on the ISSMA State Board and Indiana Bandmasters Association leadership, and he is a member of Phi Beta Mu. He currently serve as Executive Director of the Indiana Arts Education Network and President of the Indiana Wind Symphony.

Choral conductor, singer and music educator from the Dominican Republic, Magdalena Delgado currently serves as the conductor of the Hyde Park Neighborhood Choir as well as an In-School Choir.

Prior to her move to Chicago, Magdalena served as Artistic Director of the children and youth choir, Voces del Mar, based in Veracruz, Mexico, and was the Founder and Artistic Director of Audimus, a professional chamber ensemble based in Xalapa, Mexico. While in Mexico, she also worked as an adjunct faculty member on the choral and voice faculties of Instituto Superior de Música Esperanza Azteca and the Centro de Estudios de Jazz of the Universidad Veracruzana (JazzUV), where she taught voice and voice techniques classes, courses in choral literature and conducted the preparatory vocal jazz ensemble.

In 2014, Magdalena earned her Master of Music in Choral Conducting, with distinction, from Westminster Choir College where she studied with Drs. Joe Miller, James Jordan and Amanda Quist. During her master’s studies, she served as Assistant Conductor of the Westminster Chapel Choir, was an integral member of the Westminster Symphonic Choir and served as a section leader for the world-renown Westminster Choir. While at Westminster, she performed on tours throughout the U.S., and alongside some of the greatest orchestras in the world under the direction of conductors of the highest stature. Prior to her master’s studies, Magdalena studied vocal performance at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and has served as a guest conductor for choirs of all ages throughout the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Magdalena received her bachelor’s degree in music education from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo where she graduated magna cum laude.

As a native of Santo Domingo, Magdalena began her musical study at age five where she studied piano, recorder and most importantly was a member of the children’s choir at her area music school, which served as her initial inspiration for her career path. Magdalena’s unique background and experiences inspires Uniting Voices Chicago singers.

Brandon Draper has enjoyed a celebrated career as drummer, percussionist, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and educator. He currently produces and performs music as a solo artist and multi-instrumentalist. With the Turkish-Jazz group Alaturka, Draper recorded, co-mixed and performed on the 2013 release Yalniz (4.5 Stars - Best albums of 2013 - Downbeat Magazine). He produced the music for an advertisement for the Tokyo based brand 'One Piece' in 2025. Brandon plays guitar with his father (a renowned Hammond B3 organist) in The Draper Family Band, and he runs the acclaimed children's interactive music program Drum Safari with his family. The Drum Safari performs year-round in schools, libraries, and festivals throughout the US meeting approx. 35,000 children and families annually.

Draper has performed at many festivals, universities, concert halls, and conventions in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe. His extensive resume includes performances with both the New Mexico and Santa Fe Symphony Orchestras and the Kansas City Symphony. In contemporary and jazz settings, Draper has performed and/or recorded with Ottmar Liebert, DJ Logic, Donna Summer, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Mose Allison, Steve Coleman, Dick Oatts, Mike Moreno, Bobby Watson, Ara Dinkjian, and Kevin Hays. He toured the U.S. with the live-tronica pioneers Particle 2011-2015 and contributed work on the album Accelerator (2018). In past years he performed in the critically acclaimed world premiere of the new hiphop musical "Venice" in Los Angeles Fall 2010, and premiered his original work "Bass Darabukas" with Quixotic and the Kansas City Symphony in Spring of 2011. Draper was musical director and live drummer for Quixotic Fusion 2007-2012. He continues to write, consult, and perform with the KC-based cirque group.

As an educator, Draper has taught at the University of New Mexico, University of Missouri-Kansas City, East Mountain High School, Johnson County Community College, Shawnee Mission West High School, Kansas City Academy, and multiple high schools throughout the Midwest and Southwest as a clinician and as world and marching percussion consultant. He has led masterclasses at the Percussive Arts Society Day of Percussion in Kansas, Nebraska, and New Mexico, and performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. He has also led workshops at Music Educators Association conferences in New Mexico, Kansas, and Missouri.

Currently Draper is a professor at the University of Kansas where he teaches jazz and world percussion and is the Commercial Music Area Coordinator leading the Music Production and Technology Degree and all curriculum in music business and recording. He is the contemporary worship and AV director at Trinity Lutheran Church in Shawnee KS and holds a Bachelor's degree in percussion performance from Bethany College, and a Master of Music degree (cum laude) from the University of New Mexico where he was a graduate teaching assistant writing for and directing the marching band drumline and front ensemble.

Julie Duty completed her undergraduate degree at Arizona State University in 1998, earning a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. She then taught high school and middle school band and served as a mentor teacher for nine years in Arizona.

Julie founded United Sound, Inc. (www.unitedsound.org) in 2014 and currently serves as the Executive Director, working with teachers, parents, and administrators to bring meaningful participation and inclusivity to the instrumental music classroom. United Sound was created with the goal of developing relationships between students with and without disabilities and providing them with the opportunity to build self-esteem, self-confidence, friendships, and a sense of belonging through music. In its first eight years, over 12,000 students in 31 states have participated in United Sound and they have logged over 250,000 relationship-building, music-making hours together.

Julie holds an executive scholar certificate in nonprofit management from the Kellogg Executive Education program at Northwestern University. She is also a highly sought after speaker and guest lecturer and has presented over 100 clinics and keynote addresses at universities, state and national music education conferences, and school district-wide professional development events. Julie is still an active musician, performing as a member of the Tempe Winds for the last 25 years. She is honored to serve as a Board Member for the National Music Council, El Sistema USA, as a member of The Midwest Clinic Advisory Board, as a part of Music for All’s Advocacy in Action Committee, and The Institute for Composer Diversity Advisory Council.

David Earll serves as the Tuba/Euphonium Professor at the University of Kansas School of Music in Lawrence, Kansas. David also performs with the Northern Lights Duo, the Kansas City Symphony as Substitute Tubist, the Saint Joseph Symphony and Saint Joseph Brass Quintet as Acting Principal Tubist, the Kinnor Philharmonic Orchestra as Principal Tubist, Sam & Dave's Brass Extravaganza, and has performed with the Syracuse Orchestra, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, Tallgrass Brass Band, Salt River Brass Band, Ithaca Brass, and the Paris-based Opus 333 - Quatuor de Saxhorns. Before his appointment at KU, Dr. Earll served on the faculty of Ithaca College and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

David maintains an active schedule as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral musician, and clinician. Beyond his work in North America, David makes regular appearances abroad, and has performed in Hong Kong, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Norway, the Netherlands, Brazil, and Israel. He has published commercial albums as a tuba soloist and featuring his work in The Northern Lights Duo.

David Earll is an International Willson Artist and performs exclusively on the Willson 3200 FAXL Tuba and the Willson 3050 CC Tuba.

Beth Fabrizio holds a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School of Music in Clarinet Performance and a Masters of Music in Conducting, Education and Performance from Ithaca College. Ms. Fabrizio maintains a private clarinet studio with numerous students pursuing careers in music education, music business , therapy, recording and performance. Beth is a freelance performer and is an Artist/ Clinician for The D’Addario Corporation and an Artist and Educational Clinician with the Conn-Selmer Corporation. She has just recently retired after 36 years as a public school music educator. Beth is also presenting educational clinics and workshops and conducting honor ensembles thru Fabrizio’s Musical Concepts. Ms. Fabrizio adjudicates for DCI, BOA, WGI and numerous other state associations. She has also been inducted in to Delta Kappa Gamma, Sigma Alpha Iota and Alpha Chi Omega. Ms. Fabrizio is honored to be the president and a charter member of the newly formed New York State Chi chapter of Phi Beta Mu and was inducted in May of 2022.

As a first-generation Filipino-American and military child, Melissa Fuller Flores grew up showcasing Filipino folk dances on Air Force bases. The foundations of how to move to music primed her for a Bachelor's in Music Education at the University of Alabama, and a Master's in Clarinet Performance at the University of North Texas. Her career began at the Houston Symphony, where she coordinated concert logistics for over 120,000 students, witnessing the transformative power of music in fostering community and belonging. This experience inspired her to transition into the classroom to be closer to the transformative power of music education.

Melissa's teaching journey spans a wide age range, from infancy to elementary grades and even college students across Alabama, Texas, Iowa, and Missouri. She is a dedicated mentor to pre-service and new teachers and a fierce advocate for students of all backgrounds and ages, ensuring they feel seen, valued, and celebrated in and outside of the music classroom.

As a dynamic presenter, Melissa leads workshops nationwide, fueled by her belief that music is a source of peace, empowerment, and transformation. She is committed to empowering educators to create supportive, inclusive environments where every learner can thrive.

Martha Gabel is a seasoned leader in music education and Fine Arts programming, bringing more than thirty years of experience in public schools. Since 2006, she has served as the Fine Arts Coordinator for Olathe Public Schools, where she supports over 200 educators in Music, Theatre, Visual Art, and Debate/Public Speaking. Her work centers on innovative curriculum design, strong standards alignment, and strategic program development that enriches arts education across the district.

Gabel began her career as an elementary General Music teacher, working with students from early childhood through sixth grade and directing children's choirs. She later moved into a teacher leader role, where she supported professional learning, mentored new educators, and helped guide major curriculum efforts. Her dedication to developing and inspiring future music educators continues to be a driving force in her work.

She holds a Master of Science in School Leadership and a Master of Liberal Arts in Education from Baker University, as well as a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Beyond her district responsibilities, Gabel is an active voice in the national music education community. She is a past president of the Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA) and currently serves the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) as the Southwestern Division Immediate Past President, a Tri-Chair of the Professional Learning and Programming Committee, and the Southwestern Division representative on the Council for Music Program Leaders. Through these roles, she contributes to shaping policy, standards, and professional learning at both state and national levels.

Passionate about the transformative impact of the arts, Gabel continues to champion creativity, excellence, and equitable access in Fine Arts education-ensuring every student has the chance to explore, grow, and express their artistic potential.

Kurt Gartner, Professor of Music, teaches applied percussion and percussion methods. Also, he directs the Percussion Ensemble, Keyboard Percussion Quartets, and the Latin Jazz Ensemble. As a Tilford Fellow, he coordinated an interdisciplinary study of Cuban arts. In the past, he was a Big 12 Faculty Fellow, collaborating with the percussion studio and jazz program at the University of Missouri. There, he provided instruction and performances in Afro-Cuban music and applications of technology in music. He has served as Associate Director of the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, Special Assistant to the Provost, and Coordinator of the university's Peer Review of Teaching Program.

Gartner's orchestral experience includes the principal timpani position with the Blue Lake Festival Orchestra (as well as band) in Michigan, and percussion/timpani positions in the Chamber Orchestra of the Smoky Valley, the Lafayette (IN) Symphony Orchestra, the Danville (IL) Symphony, the Lawrence (KS) Symphony, the Lawrence (KS) Chamber Orchestra, and the Topeka Symphony. As a jazz musician, Gartner has shared the stage with luminaries such as "Blue" Lou Marini and Mike Mainieri; in world music, he has toured and recorded with tabla master Sandip Burman, and commercial venues included cruise ship drumming. He has performed on a showcase concert and presented additional clinics and performances at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. He is an educational consultant for Remo, Sabian, and Vic Firth.

Prior to his appointment at KSU, Gartner served as Associate Professor of Bands at Purdue University. In 2001, he completed his Doctor of Arts degree at the University of Northern Colorado. At UNC, he directed ensembles, taught jazz history, and was the Assistant Director of the UNC/Greeley Jazz Festival. Also, he received the Graduate Dean's Citation for Outstanding Dissertation for his research of the late percussion legend, Tito Puente. Gartner is a founding member and contributing composer of the Indiana-based Los Blancos Latin Jazz Band. He is the technology editor for the journal Percussive Notes

Matt Gerry has been a music teacher and guitar instructor at Salina South Middle School for 23 years. Through various grants from organizations like the Salina Education Foundation, the Greater Salina Community Foundation, Donorschoose.org, the Give a Note Foundation, and the Country Music Association he has built a guitar program in the Salina public school system from the ground up. At Salina South Middle School where he currently teaches, over 250 students enroll in his guitar classes every year. Gerry obtained his Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Wichita State University, and a Masters degree in Teacher Leadership from Kansas State University. His training also includes instruction from the GAMA Teaching Guitar Workshops and the National Science Foundation's STEM Guitar Building Project. Mr. Gerry's work has been featured in various publications including InTune magazine, Music Inc. magazine, and his middle school guitar program was featured as the Kansas representative in NAfMEs - Guitar Class in 50 States. His students have gained national attention by winning the "Making Wishes with Weezer" contest in 2010, appearing on a commercial aired on the Disney Channel, and were also highlighted on the Radio Disney Music Awards. His teaching accolades include Salina Teacher of the Year in 2011, the Music Teacher of Excellence Award from the Country Music Association Foundation in 2017, was a "Hero for Change" recipient from Radio Disney, and most recently was named a quarterfinalist for the 2025 Grammy Music Educator Award. Gerry is a member of the board of directors at the Stiefel Theatre in Salina, KS and teaches at the Stiefel Theatre's Mike Finnigan School of Music.

Greg Gilpin is a celebrated ASCAP award-winning choral composer and arranger and a highly respected choral conductor. He is known throughout the United States leading performances at New York City's iconic Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center as well as Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. His international appearances include the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, Royal Festival Hall in London, England and Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland.

In additional to composing and conducting, Mr. Gilpin has worked as a singer for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra as well as background singer for Grammy award-winner, Sandi Patty and other highly acclaimed artists. He has worked extensively in the recording industry as a singer, pianist, arranger and producer with projects from Disney to commercial jingles.

In 2021, Mr. Gilpin wrote the score for the award-winning short film, "Rosie's Rescue" and was awarded "Best Score" for this same movie. He also teamed up with renowned opera singer, Angela Brown, and created the world premiere of the thrilling arrangement of "What Child is This?", debuted by Ms. Brown and the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir.

Mr. Gilpin is a proud member of ACDA, NAfME, SAG-AFTRA, and is a Life Loyal Member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and continues is position as Editor and Director of Educational Choral Publications for Shawnee Press.

Aleia Gonzalez is a Paraguayan classical guitarist based in Great Bend, Kansas, holding a Master of Music degree in guitar performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She frequently presents solo recitals and collaborates with singers, instrumentalists, and ensembles. As a soloist, she integrates works from her native Paraguay alongside compositions by contemporary composers into her repertoire. Recent collaborations include performances with the Kansas City Chorale and the Salina Symphony.

Aleia is a founding member of Jopara Ensemble, which blends traditional Paraguayan music with classical and modern influences to create a unique and dynamic sound. She also serves on the board of the Kansas City Guitar Society. In addition to her performance career, Aleia is the guitar instructor at Barton Community College in Great Bend and teaches at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

Soo Han is the Director of Orchestral Studies at George Mason University's Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music in Fairfax, Virginia; Music Director of the Elkhart County Symphony in Indiana; and a member of the Board of Directors of the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. He is a composer and arranger with Hal Leonard and is also a contributing editor for Essential Elements for Strings.

As an active conductor, Dr. Han has appeared with numerous professional and university orchestras. He is a frequent conductor for all-state, regional, and honor orchestras, appearing in more than 30 states, and has conducted ensembles in Australia, Austria, China, and Thailand. He has produced multiple recordings of complete symphonies and has premiered several commissioned works for strings and full orchestras. Dr. Han has presented workshops and clinics internationally and for nearly every major national and state music conference, including Australian String Teacher Conference, Maryborough National Australia Conference, The Midwest Clinic, ASTA National Conference, NAfME National Conference, and Ohio University Summer String Teacher Workshop. Prior to his position at George Mason, Dr. Han served as the Director of Orchestral Studies at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music in Berea, Ohio and was the program coordinator and faculty member with Los Angeles Philharmonic's summer YOLA program.

Dr. Han is a Conn-Selmer Educational Clinician, and co-author, contributor, and managing editor for Teaching Music through Performance in Orchestra, Vol. 4, one of the leading orchestra pedagogical resources published by GIA. He is a past president of the Indiana American String Teachers Association and his high school orchestras were nine-time Indiana State School Music Association champions. Having taught in the public schools for fifteen years, he is a passionate supporter of school music programs and continues to remain active in instrumental classrooms throughout the country.

Soo received his Bachelor of Instrumental Music Education degree from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, where he studied piano under Edward Auer. He received his Master of Science in Education from the Indiana University School of Education, and his Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting from the Michigan State University College of Music, where he studied under Kevin Noe.

Conductor and violinist Michael Hanf has twenty years of experience teaching string orchestra. This is his tenth year serving as the Director of Orchestras at Olathe East High School. He conducts the Chamber and Concert String Orchestras, Musical Pit Orchestra, and the seasonal Symphonic Full Orchestra. He also teaches AP Music Theory and serves as the Olathe East Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter advisor and the Olathe East Performing Arts Department Chair. In August 2025, Dr. Hanf assumed the role of co-director of the Symphony Orchestra with the Olathe Youth Symphony. He maintains active memberships in ASTA, NAfME, and KMEA.

Demaris (Dee) Hansen is Professor Emerita of Music Education at the Hartt School, University of Hartford, CT. She served as Director of Hartt Graduate Studies, Chair of Graduate Studies in Music Education, and was Director of the Hartt Summerterm graduate program (2006-2014). She co-authored The Music and Literacy Connection, 3nd Edition, 2026. She authored One Hundred Years of Hartt: A Centennial Celebration of the Hartt School, published by Wesleyan University Press in 2020. Dee published articles for NAfME, CMEA, the U.S. Department of Education, and chapters and scholarly articles for the International Society of Assessment in Music Education, Oxford, and GIA. She authored The Handbook of Music Supervision in 2002. She presents professional development training internationally and nationally on curriculum design and assessment, applications of learning theory, brain research and effective pedagogy, and literacy connections between language, reading, and music.

Dee was an Associate Professor of Music Education at Baker University in Kansas from 2002-2006. Dee was the Fine Arts Consultant for the Kansas State Department of Education from 1994-2002, president of the Kansas Music Educators Association from 2005-2006, and was inducted into the KMEA Hall of Fame in 2020. She served on the Executive Committee of the National Council for Music Program Leaders. She was past-president of the Connecticut Arts Administrators Association, and Chair of the University of Hartford Emeriti Association. Dee performs with the Entwyned Early Music trio as a Renaissance and Baroque flautist, Celtic harpist, and Baroque guitarist.

Todd Jenkins is Director of Instrumental Studies at the University of South Carolina Aiken. At USCA, Dr. Jenkins conducts the USCA Wind Ensemble, USCA Pacer Pulse Pep Band, the Aiken Concert Band and the USCA New Horizons Concert Band. Additionally, Dr. Jenkins teaches classes in conducting, music technology and music appreciation, coaches chamber music, and teaches private trumpet lessons to majors and non-majors.

Dr. Jenkins studied music at the University of South Carolina, Ithaca College, and Liberty University. Prior to this, Dr. Jenkins taught band at Augusta Christian School and worked as adjunct faculty in the music departments at Augusta University and the University of South Carolina Aiken. He has also taught at Brevard College and Charleston Southern University and worked as a staff member for the bands of Wando High School, The Charleston School of the Arts, Greenbrier High School, and Washington-Wilkes High School.

Dr. Jenkins, besides USCA duties, serves on the music staff at Kiokee Baptist Church, plays trumpet for Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, the North Charleston Pops! Orchestra, and Lyra Vivace Chamber Orchestra. He's also played with the Charleston Symphony and King’s Brass. He maintains memberships in the National Association for Music Education, the International Trumpet Guild, the Association of Concert Bands and the New Horizons International Music Association.

Mike Kamuf holds Bachelor of Music degrees in both Jazz Performance and Music Education from the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University (Youngstown, OH) and a Master of Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting from George Mason University (Fairfax, VA). Mike's compositions and arrangements have been performed by numerous jazz artists and ensembles including the Woody Herman and Glenn Miller Orchestras, the USAF Airmen of Note, the US Navy Commodores, James Moody, Eddie Daniels, Sean Jones, Terell Stafford, Bob Mintzer, Bill Watrous and Nick Brignola to name a few. Mike is an exclusive writer for the Belwin Division of Alfred Music Publishing with titles in their jazz, orchestra and concert band catalogs. He also has compositions for jazz ensemble published by UNC Jazz Press, the Neil A. Kjos Music and the FJH Music Company. Many of Mike's published jazz ensemble arrangements have become standard literature for young jazz ensembles and he currently has over 100 publications in print.

Mike has performed with the Woody Herman and Tommy Dorsey Orchestras and has recorded as a member of the Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra. He served as assistant principal trumpet of the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra. Currently, Mike leads his own jazz octet, the Mike Kamuf Little Big Band, comprised of outstanding musicians from the Baltimore and Washington DC areas.

Mike began his teaching career in 1991 in Ohio and taught instrumental music for Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS) for thirty years. For twenty-seven of those years, Mike served as the Director of Bands and Orchestras and Music Department Chairperson at John T. Baker Middle School (Damascus, MD). Under his direction, the Baker ensembles consistently received high ratings at music festivals and have commissioned several works for young concert bands. Mike has received the MCPS Superintendent's Above and Beyond the Call of Duty (ABCD) Award for his efforts in involving students in the composition commissioning process. He has directed the MCPS Senior Honors Jazz Band, Junior Honors Band, and the All-County Middle School Band.

Additionally, Mike has directed the Pennsylvania All State Jazz Band, the Southern California School Band & Orchestra Directors Association (SCSBOA) Jazz All Stars, the New Mexico All State Jazz Band, and many regional honors ensembles in California, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Mexico, Ohio, Minnesota and New York. Mike has served as a jazz faculty member at Youngstown State University and Montgomery College (Rockville, MD). Mike has presented professional development sessions for music educators at the Midwest Clinic, Jazz Education Network Conferences and at numerous regional and state music education conferences. He has become an in-demand arranger, clinician, guest conductor and adjudicator for schools, conferences and music festivals across the country and is a clinician for both MakeMusic and Alfred Music.

Christina Liu, N.C.T.M., is the music department chair and associate professor of music at Bethel College, teaching music theory and aural skills, music history, class piano, applied piano lessons, and piano pedagogy. A passionate educator, she is also active as a soloist, collaborative pianist, and chamber musician in the United States and internationally, having made her orchestral debut at the age of 17. She is in frequent demand as an adjudicator and has presented at numerous state and national conferences. Dr. Liu is the current president of the Kansas State Music Teachers Association. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Kansas, two Master of Music degrees from the University of Michigan (solo piano performance and chamber music performance) and a Bachelor of Music from Washington State University.

Danny Lytle has been teaching orchestra for 9 years. He currently teaches 5th grade and high school orchestra in Olathe, Kansas. Danny graduated with a bachelor's in music education from Washburn University and a master's in music education from Emporia State University. He participates in the Olathe Community Orchestra and teaches cello lessons after school.

Jennifer Martinez is a former public school music educator with over 12 years of experience teaching in Kansas and Colorado. Her background includes vocal music, Kodály-influenced pedagogy, and special music education, with a strong focus on inclusive, student-centered instruction that supports diverse learners.

Jennifer is excited to return to the Kansas Music Educators Association conference for the first time in over a decade, where she previously earned her master's degree and taught for several years. Those formative experiences continue to shape her approach to teaching, leadership, and professional learning.

She currently serves as Manager of Teacher Experience at Music Will, where she supports music educators nationwide through professional learning and community-building initiatives. In this role, Jennifer manages Music Will's regional Teacher Ambassador program across the United States, provides day-to-day support for a network of more than 7,000 music educators, and leads the National Songwriting Exhibition—a national showcase of original music by K–12 students, educators, and higher education musicians—running February 25–March 27, 2026. She lives in the Omaha, Nebraska area with her family and remains deeply connected to supporting teachers and students through creative, authentic music-making.

Jena McElwain has been teaching band in Kansas for 27 years, with 26 of those years in the Olathe School District. She was the Band Director at Santa Fe Trail Jr. High before opening Prairie Trail Middle School in 2004. Jena is currently the only band director in the school's 22 year history at PRT, and nearly 30% of the Prairie Trail student body is consistently enrolled in band. Prior to Olathe, Jena was the Director of Bands in Riley County, KS teaching 5-12 band and vocal music. She received her Bachelors degree from Kansas State University, and her Masters from Mid-America Nazarene. Jena is honored to be the Chair of the Kansas John Philip Sousa Honor Band since 2013. She is also a member of KMEA and is the ECKMEA President-Elect. She has also been a member and the assistant conductor of the Olathe Civic Band for more than 20 years.

Tracie Melville is the Assistant Director of Bands at Comanche Middle School in Dodge City. Tracie grew up in Sioux City, IA, and, after completing a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Kansas, moved to Dodge City to teach. Current job responsibilities include co-teaching 6th-8th grade concert band, 7th-8th grade general music classes, and directing the CMS jazz band.

Corbin Montenegro is a composer, performer, scholar, and future educator from St. George, Kansas. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music Education from Kansas State University, where he studies voice under Jesus de Hoyos. He holds membership in the National Association for Music Education, the American Choral Directors Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Outside of his coursework at Kansas State, he serves as a student intern with the Flint Hills Youth Choirs' new tenor-bass ensemble, the Frontier Singers. He also has served as an intern at the Kantorei KC Summer Choral Institute and as a camp counselor at Kansas State University's Summer Choral Institute and Konza Music Academy.

Eric Koome Murianki is a music education scholar, clinician, and performer whose work centers on African choral music, multicultural music education, and culturally responsive pedagogies. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music Therapy at the University of Kansas, building on his Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Florida and earlier training at Kenyatta University, Kenya.

Dr. Murianki's scholarship explores African and popular music traditions, choral pedagogy, music education in Kenya, and the use of music-based practices to support well-being. He has published on music therapy approaches for neurological conditions and has presented at national and international conferences, including the International Society for Music Education, the International Council for Traditional Music and Dance, the Society for Music Teacher Education, and the Kenya Scholars and Studies Association.

As an educator, he has taught courses in music education, choral methods, and African culture at universities in the United States and Kenya. He is also an active performer and ensemble leader, founding the Sounds of Sub-Sahara Ensemble and directing choirs in both contexts. His work emphasizes cultural sustainability and practical strategies for bringing African choral and popular music repertoire to life in educational settings.

Recipient of the American String Teachers Association Elizabeth A. H. Green Award for a distinguished career in string teaching, James Palmer is the Orchestra Director at Allatoona High School in Acworth, Georgia, the Music Director for the Youth Orchestras of Greater Columbus in Columbus, Georgia and an editor, arranger, and featured clinician for Alfred Music. He is the Co-Author of The Sound Orchestra Full Orchestra Method Book and has published over twenty compositions for String Orchestra. Mr. Palmer has served as the Orchestra Director at Manatee High School in Bradenton, Florida; Music Department Chairman and Orchestra Director at Cypress Lake Center for the Arts in Fort Myers, Florida; and Fine Arts Department Chairman and Orchestra Director at Chattahoochee High School in John's Creek, Georgia. In addition to his teaching career, Mr. Palmer has also served as conductor with the Florida West Coast Symphony Youth Orchestra, Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra, and former Music Director for the Tampa Bay Youth Orchestra and the Southwest Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra. Mr. Palmer's orchestras have performed at the Florida Music Educator's Conference in Tampa, the MENC Southern Division Conference in Savannah, the ASTA National Orchestra Festival in Dallas, the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, and the 2005 ASTA National Conference in Reno, Nevada.

Jim Palmer has received the Teacher of the Year Award in three separate high schools and has been inducted into the Florida Collegiate Music Educators Hall of Fame. He is a frequent clinician having conducted All State and honors orchestras in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Vermont. Mr. Palmer has also maintained a career as a professional violist serving as Principal Violist for the Sarasota Pops Orchestra, section violist, and substitute principal for the Southwest Florida Symphony and Chamber Orchestra as well as a freelance violist in the Atlanta area. Mr. Palmer is a member of GMEA, Past President of the Georgia American String Teachers Association, Past Chairman of the ASTA National Orchestra Festival, and is a graduate of Florida State University.

Cody Puckett, M.Ed., is a dynamic professional educator, disabilities advocate, and change leader committed to driving innovation in adaptive music education. Currently a Ph.D. student in Music Education at the University of South Florida, with a focus on Communication Disorders, Cody is dedicated to bridging the gap between music and accessibility. His academic foundation, including a Master's degree in Special Education from Florida Gulf Coast University and a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts with concentrations in Music Education and Deaf Education from Flagler College, equips him with a comprehensive understanding of diverse learning needs. Cody passionately believes in creating accessible music classrooms for all, empowering students from K-12 and beyond.

Topeka native Jerry Reiman graduated from Washburn University and studied percussion at UMKC. He taught band and orchestra in grades 5-12 for 43 years. He has performed with several Topeka organizations such as the Topeka Jazz Workshop, Santa Fe and Marshall’s civic bands, and for 45 years played viola and timpani in the Topeka Symphony. He currently works at Manning Music as a percussion repair technician.

Heidi Richert has taught music pre-K through 8th grade, general music, vocal music, and special education inclusion music. Heidi currently teaches vocal music and special education inclusion music at Derby Middle School. In 2015 she was nominated as Derby’s Elementary Kansas Teacher of the Year, in 2024, she was awarded the SCKMEA Middle Level Teacher of the Year. This is Heidi’s 31st year teaching music.

Rebekah Riffee received both her bachelors and masters in Music Education from Wichita State in 1998 and 2001 respectively. In her career, she has taught elementary general music as well as high school choral music in both public school and private school settings. The 2025-26 school year is her twenty-eighth year of teaching and her twenty-first year at Campus High School where she teaches choir, theory, beginning piano, and voice. She regularly adjudicates state and league music festivals and also serves as a clinician for school and church choirs, having most recently conducted the wonderful singers at Christ Church NWA in Fayetteville this past August. In addition to teaching at CHS, Becky also directs the adult and children's choirs at Crossroads Baptist Church and sings with the Delano Chamber Choir.

Scott Roether is the Lower School Music Specialist at University School in Shaker Heights, Ohio where he facilitates music and movement lessons for boys ages four through ten. Previously, he worked as an arts integration specialist and public school teacher. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Ohio University where he studied percussion and graduated with Performance Honors and has completed Orff Schulwerk Levels training, as well as Master Classes, Curriculum Development, and the International Summer Course at the Orff-Institut.

In addition to his previous training in Orff Schulwerk, Scott completed his Master's degree in Music Education with a concentration in Orff Schulwerk from the University of St. Thomas. His students have been featured performers at the 2025 OMEA Professional Development Conference. He has also been published in The Orff Echo, most recently sharing an article outlining the beginnings of the Minnesota Orff Course and the "cross-pollination" of its course instructors. A frequent presenter locally and nationally, he serves the Greater Cleveland Orff Chapter as the Vice President and Program Chair.

Midori Samson is the Assistant Professor of Bassoon at the University of Kansas. Holding degrees in music and social work from Juilliard and the universities of Michigan, Texas, and Wisconsin, she facilitates arts and healing activities for communities around the world. Some recent engagements include touring the Turkey/Syria border with a circus to perform for families in conflict zones; co-writing a play with artists in Kigali to commemorate the Rwandan genocide; researching the artistic contributions of atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima; collaborating with Yo-Yo Ma and Gabriela Lena Frank; leading arts therapy sessions for internally displaced high schoolers in Ukraine; composing an audio-visual album based on stories of her Filipino/Japanese immigrant ancestors. In addition to her appointment at KU, she is a member the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Newfound Chamber Winds, teaches at the Bay View Music Festival, and volunteers as a crisis hotline counselor.

Altin Sencalar is a New York-based trombonist, composer, and educator blending contemporary jazz with the folkloric traditions of his Mexican and Turkish heritage. A Yamaha Performing Artist and Posi-Tone Records signee, Sencalar has performed with artists including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Michael Bublé, the Temptations, and the Four Tops.

Born in California and raised in Texas, Sencalar studied at Texas State University, the University of Texas at Austin, and Michigan State University. He built his reputation touring internationally, winning major trombone competitions, and eventually joining the professional jazz scene as both a bandleader and in-demand sideman.

His acclaimed albums include In Good Standing (2023), Discover the Present (2024), and Unleashed (2025), praised by DownBeat for its emotional depth and technical prowess. Sencalar’s sound, described as "full-bodied, weighty, and expansive" (All About Jazz), reflects his vision: to create music with consistency, awareness, and intention.

Adrian B. Sims is an accomplished composer, conductor, educator, and trombonist. Adrian's music has been performed at prestigious conferences such as The Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and at new music reading sessions across the country. His music has also been selected for the Bandworld Top 100 List, and many of his works appear on the J.W. Pepper Editor's Choice List. Adrian has also been selected as a winner in multiple composition competitions including the Maryland Music Educators Association Young Composers Project and the Make Music Young Composers Contest. He is frequently invited to rehearse, conduct, and lead clinics with bands and orchestras across the United States. Adrian is also active as an educator in the Maryland area and has worked with a variety of programs including the Baltimore County Summer Music Camp, Terrapin Music Camp at the University of Maryland, and the DC Youth Orchestra Programs.

Adrian is a graduate of the University of Maryland with degrees in Music Education and Composition. He is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Composition at the University of Texas at Austin. As a trombonist, he has performed in a wide variety of musical ensembles including pit and symphony orchestras as well as jazz and concert bands. Adrian studied trombone with Matthew Guilford, solo bass trombonist with the National Symphony Orchestra, and Aaron LaVere, principal trombonist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He is grateful for the continued support from his middle and high school band directors Cindy Stevenson and Christopher Gnagey. He credits Dr. Robert Gibson, Professor of Composition at the University of Maryland, and world-renowned composer Brian Balmages for his development as a composer.

An active composer and performer, Moira Smiley has written commissions for the LA Master Chorale, Conspirare, Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble, Mirabai, Stile Antico, American Choral Directors Association, Voces Novae, VocalEssence, Pacific Chorale, NOTUS, Ad Astra Festival and countless others. Her arrangements and original compositions for choir—especially those with her signature body percussion—are performed by millions of singers around the world. The European premiere of Time In Our Voices was performed by the voices and mobile phones of Ars Nova Copenhagen under the direction of Paul Hillier. In 2018-2019 Moira released the album and choral songbook, Unzip The Horizon as companion to her The Voice Is A Traveler solo show. She continues composing and improvising in collaboration with artists in film, video game production, theater and dance, and her work can be heard on feature film soundtracks, BBC & PBS television programs, NPR, and on more than 70 commercial albums. Her most recent premieres include her secular liturgy, The Song Among Us for Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble and Keep On for VocalEssence. Her current projects include Utopias for voices and strings, and a re-telling of Ovid's tale of Narcissus for mobile phones and voices. A new album of folksongs with string quartet, 'The Rhizome Project' will be released in 2024.

Michael Francis Smith is a composer, songwriter, author, and nationally recognized music educator dedicated to engaging every person in joyful, expressive music-making. His work is grounded in the belief that musical literacy grows through singing, playing, creating, and experiencing music together. He is the creator of It's Time to Play, a beginning band, strings, and recorder series built on his Eleven Leaps to Literacy framework, guiding learners from sound to symbol. For more than thirty years, Michael has taught in schools, led community ensembles, and shared his work nationwide as a clinician and presenter.

Rachel Unruh has been the orchestra director at Haysville West Middle School in Haysville, KS since 2013 and the guitar teacher at Campus High School since 2024. As a violin player she has taught lessons with the Bethel College Academy of Performing Arts since 2005. She has also played with the Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra since 2005, serving on their Board of Directors from 2014-2016. She is currently serving a second term as secretary of the Kansas chapter of the American String Teachers Association. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Bethel College and a Master of Music Education degree from Wichita State University.

Brian J. Winnie is the Director of Choral Studies at Western Illinois University where he supervises the graduate choral conducting program; teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in choral conducting, choral pedagogy, and choral literature; and conducts the Chamber Singers, Treble Choir, and the "flagship" ensemble, the University Singers. He is also the artistic director and founder of withonevoice, a professional non-profit, sixteen-member vocal ensemble based in Illinois with a special focus on singing diverse voice qualities and repertoire. He previously served as the Director of Choral Activities & Voice and was chair of the music department at Southwestern College in Winfield, KS. Prior to his tenure in higher education, Dr. Winnie was the Artistic Director of ChoralSounds NW, a community choir based in Burien, WA, and he taught for seven years in public education at both the middle and high school levels.

An active festival conductor and adjudicator, Dr. Winnie has been artist-in-residence in Ekaterinburg, Russia and has worked with festival choirs throughout the United States in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Washington, Kansas, Oregon, and Alaska. He is a frequent guest lecturer/workshop leader and has presented at International, Regional, and State Conferences on "Contemporary Vocal Technique in the Choral Rehearsal," "Redefining the Choral Warm-Up," and "21st-Century Choral Pedagogy." Dr. Winnie has published articles in the Voice and Speech Review, Choral Journal, Voice Foundation Newsletter, International Choral Bulletin, and ChorTeach, and he is the editor and contributing author to The Choral Conductor's Companion and The Voice Teacher's Cookbook: Creative Recipes for Teachers of Singing both published by Meredith Music Publications and distributed by GIA Publications.

Choirs under his direction have performed at multiple state conventions and regional conferences and received accolades in both international and national competitions. Most recently, the Western Illinois University Singers were invited to perform at the ACDA Midwestern Regional Conference in 2024, and they won the 2021 American Prize in the Performance of American Music (University/College division) and were first place winners of the 2021 International Choral Festival Wales. They have also won gold medals at the 2020 Rimini International Choral Competition (Italy) and the Harmony of Cultures International Competition (France).

Dr. Winnie has also been honored with multiple awards. He was the second-place winner of the 2020 national American Prize in Choral Conducting (Schools Division), received the WIU College of Fine Arts and Communication award for "Excellence in Scholarly and Professional Activities, the "Exemplary Teacher Award" at Southwestern College, and the "Outstanding Young Conductor Award" presented by the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.

Dr. Winnie currently serves on the Editorial Board for the Voice and Speech Review, is the College/University Repertoire and Resources chair for Illinois-ACDA and serves on the Estill Voice International Board. His past positions have included Secretary for the Central New Jersey Music Education Association and Middle School/Jr. High Repertoire and Standards Chair for ACDA-PA. He is an active member of the ACDA, NATS, and NAfME.

A native of Pennsylvania, Dr. Winnie received his B.S. in Music Education from the Pennsylvania State University, Master of Music Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington. Additionally, he is a certified Estill Master Trainer and Estill Mentor & Course Instructor with Testing Privileges of Estill Voice Training. His research interests involve the integration of gesture and voice training in the choral rehearsal and the development of a 21st-century choral pedagogy encompassing all styles of music.

Jason Worzbyt is Professor of Bassoon and Director of Adult and Community Bands at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He holds a B.S. in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Music in wind conducting from the University of North Texas and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in bassoon performance from the University of North Texas. Dr. Worzbyt has studied bassoon with Kathleen Reynolds, principal bassoon of the Dallas Opera Orchestra and professor of bassoon at the University of North Texas; Kristen Wolfe Jensen, professor of bassoon at the University of Texas; David T. Borst, professor emeritus of bassoon at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and James Rodgers, principal contrabassoon of the Pittsburgh Symphony. His conducting teachers include Jack Stamp, director of band studies emeritus at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and Eugene Migliaro Corporon, director of wind studies at the University of North Texas.

Dr. Worzbyt has performed, recorded and has been featured as a soloist with wind ensembles and orchestras all across the country. These ensembles include the Keystone Wind Ensemble, IUP Wind Ensemble, North Texas Wind Symphony, North Texas New Music Ensemble, Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, Johnstown Symphony Orchestra, Highland Wind Quintet and the IUP Faculty Woodwind Quintet. In 2001, Dr. Worzbyt gave the world premiere of Bruce Yurko's Concerto for Bassoon and Wind Ensemble with the Keystone Wind Ensemble at the College Band Directors National Association conference. From 2006 to 2009 he was a member of the artist-faculty at the Western Chamber Music Institute hosted by Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado. Additional performances include several recitals at meetings of the International Double Reed Society. In March of 2013, Klavier Records released a compact disc recording (Five in the Sun) by the Keystone Chamber Players of which Dr. Worzbyt is a member. Most recently, Dr. Worzbyt premiered and recorded Bruce Yurko's Concerto No. 2 for Bassoon and Wind Orchestra, which has just received its national release on Klavier Records. During his almost 28-year tenure at IUP, he has performed with many of the regional orchestras in western Pennsylvania, including the Johnstown Symphony, Altoona Symphony, Westmoreland Symphony, Williamsport Symphony, and Butler Symphony Orchestras. Currently, he performs as principal bassoonist of the Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra.

Dr. Worzbyt has presented multiple clinics on bassoon pedagogy at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the American Band College, the Western International Band Clinic, the Eastern Division of the National Association for Music Education, as well as the state music education associations of Pennsylvania, Texas, Maryland, Ohio, New Jersey, Iowa, South Dakota, Idaho, Kansas, and Colorado. Additional clinic presentations have included sessions on large ensemble repertoire selection, programming philosophy, conducting pedagogy, rehearsal techniques, and music for elementary and middle school bands.

As a guest conductor, Dr. Worzbyt has worked with elementary, junior high, senior high and professional ensembles in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, and Kentucky. Highlights of these appearances include the Indiana All State Band, Indiana Junior High All State Band, New Jersey All State Symphonic Band, and the PMEA All State Orchestra. From 2007 through 2013, he was music director and conductor of the Westmoreland Symphonic Winds, a professional wind ensemble in residence at Seton Hill University. He is currently conductor and music director of the Keystone Chamber Winds, a faculty and student chamber ensemble in residence at IUP. Upcoming guest conducting engagements include honor bands in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and the North Carolina Middle School All State Band.

Committed to music education in the state of Pennsylvania, Dr. Worzbyt is currently serves as Band Content Area Representative for the Pennsylvania Music Education Association. He formerly served as President and Higher Education Representative of PMEA District 3, and continues to serve this organization as an adjudicator, guest conductor, and clinician. He has also authored several study guides for the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, Middle School Band and Beginning Band series published by GIA.

MacKenzie Wright (Ohio Wesleyan University, B.M., Piano and Organ Performance, California Institute of the Arts, MFA, Performer-Composer) started her career as a concert pianist, church organist, and composer. She transitioned to vocal coaching while residing in Los Angeles, primarily working with adults with limited formal music backgrounds. After relocating to Kansas City, MacKenzie began studying comedic theatrical improvisation ("improv") and quickly became a sought-after accompanist for musical improv. In addition to pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Education at the University of Kansas, MacKenzie is the Director of Choral Activities at Baker University and teaches musical improv in Kansas City and beyond. As an instructor, MacKenzie firmly believes that anyone can sing, and sing joyfully.

Corynn York taught elementary general music for 7.5 years in Middle Tennessee. She earned her Bachelor of Music and Master of Education degrees from Middle Tennessee State University. In 2022, she was recognized as the Tennessee Music Education Association Outstanding Young Music Educator of the Year. Corynn is also a certified Orff-Schulwerk educator. She completed her level coursework at the University of Kentucky. Currently, Corynn is a Music Training Specialist for QuaverEd.

Julie Yu is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at the Wanda L. Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University and the Artistic Director of Canterbury Voices, Oklahoma's premier symphony chorus. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Central Oklahoma, Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Oklahoma State University, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of North Texas. Before joining OCU and Canterbury Voices, she taught at Norman North High School in Oklahoma, San José State University, and Kansas State University.

She has given presentations, conducted, and/or her choirs have performed for state and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, and the European Music Educators Association. She is the past president of the Southwestern Region of the American Choral Directors Association and served as an International Conducting Exchange Fellow to Kenya. Her favorite area of research and performance is working as a guest clinician/conductor for various honor choirs and professional organizations.