As artistic director of Utah Voices, Dr. Michael Huff is a visiting professor and director of special programs at UtahState University where he also leads the Women's Choir and teaches. For over ten years, he was associate conductor and principal accompanist for the Utah Symphony Chorus and has led orchestras and bands in all genres. The artistic director of Heritage Festivals' Festival of Gold™ Series, he has also produced and directed the Liberty Bowl Halftime Finale in Memphis since 1989. He received music degrees from the University of Utah and Arizona State University. He and his wife are the parents of six children.
Mariachi Espuelas de Plata
Ramon Niño III
Ramon Niño is Director of Mariachi at North Side High School in Fort Worth. He is the director of the award winning Mariachi Espuelas de Plata, where he has spent the last 10 years. Mr. Niño was born and raised in Kingsville, Texas where he graduated from H.M. King High School and Texas A&M University- Kingsville. His band directors and musical influences include Rolando Molina, Ronnie Rios, Eddie Benitez, Paul Hageman and Bryan Herring. In 2014, Mr. Nino presented and co-presented 3 clinics at the TMEA convention and 1 clinic at the Texas Bandmasters Association convention on the topic of mariachi. Mr. Nino was selected as the North Side High School Teacher of the Year for the 2013-2014 school years and was recently selected as the Bayard H. Friedman Chair for Teaching Excellence in Performing Arts. Under the leadership of Mr. Niño, Mariachi Espuelas de Plata has represented north Texas four times at the state mariachi competition hosted by the Texas Association of Mariachi Educators and the Mexican American School Board Members Association, most recently winning 2nd place in the 5A division. Mariachi Espuelas de Plata has attended numerous workshops and been selected as a showcase ensemble throughout the United States including events in Las Cruces, NM; San Antonio, TX; San Marcos, TX; Edinburg, TX; and Orange County, CA. The group has won several first division, first place, second place, third place and “Best in Class” awards throughout the US. Mr. Nino’s professional affiliations include: Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association and Texas Association of Mariachi Educators. Mr. Niño is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha. He is also the Region 7 Mariachi Coordinator. Mr. Niño is married to Victoria, his high school sweetheart and high school band mate. Victoria is an employee of Fort Worth ISD. Mr. and Mrs. Niño gave birth to their first child, a beautiful baby boy on May 23, 2014. Mr. and Mrs. Nino also have 2 Chihuahuas, Tiffany and Cowboy, that are like their children.
Bryson Middle Advanced Bulldog Choral Ensemble
Holly Hill
Holly Traynham Hill, Choral Director at Bryson Middle, graduated in 1998 with a BA in Music Education from North Greenville University. She also currently serves as President of the Music Alumni Association at North Greenville. She has been at Bryson for fifteen years and is a member of MENC, ACDA, and the South Carolina Middle School Association. Mrs. Hill proudly served as Bryson Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2004-2005 and is a recipient of the “Who’s Who among American Teachers’ Award for 2003, 2004, and 2005. She has also been the related arts team leader for 14 years.
The Bryson Middle School Advanced Bulldog Chorus is comprised of 106 voices. The ensemble here tonight is comprised of 12 auditioned voices for this event. They have participated in the Six Flags Music Showcase Festival (where they have received superior ratings, superior overall, best accompanist, best soprano section, and best alto section overall), community events, Honor’s Choir at USC, and the ACDA Junior All-State Choir. The chorus is also the proud winners of the 2012 Grand Sweepstakes Award from the Six Flags Music Festival. They perform at the school including a musical masquerade, Veteran’s Day programs, spring musicals, and much more.
Mrs. Hill is blessed to have such an energetic and talented group of fine students and a supportive family who motivates and encourages her daily. She is honored to have her chorus participate in this event, and it is with great anticipation that the chorus performs for you tonight.
Children’s Choir of Michiana
Wishart Bell
Wishart Bell oversees the artistic development of Musical Arts Indiana, sponsor of Children’s Choir of Michiana. His commitment to excellence, inspiration, and education has led to collaborations across northern Indiana and southern Michigan, Washington D.C., Carnegie Hall, New York, as well as Canada, and Romania.
Bell’s research has focused on the unification of instrumental and vocal techniques in Baroque performance practice as it applies to repertoire for chorus and orchestra, in particular the music of Handel and Bach. Additionally, his published essays, academic presentations, and professional activities demonstrate his dedication to developing a love of singing young voices.
College Park Youth Choir
Christopher Fominaya
Discovery School Choir
Norma López and Pamela Cruz
Norma López
Is a music teacher graduated from the Honduran National School of Music. She has 20 years experience as a teacher in the music field. She had been part of important choral institutions in her country, such as National School of Music Choir, Honduran National Autonomous University Choir,and Opera Choir of the Musical Honduran Foundation. She had been a Choir Director in several educational institutions in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital city. Currently, co- directs the Discovery School Choir which has participated in local and international competitions such as the “2012 Golden Gate International Choral Festival” in San Francisco, California.
Pamela Cruz
Pamela has been teaching music for 20 years. She studied piano with Aenne Deja, and Hernán Teruel at the Honduran National University, and with Leander Bien at Kinhaven Music School in Weston, Vermont. She taught Piano at Francisco Ramón Díaz Zelaya National Conservatory and National School of Music for 11 years.
She has performed in Honduras, Guatemala and Vermont as a soloist and accompanist. As conductor she is working with children’s choirs and Gospel associations such as Amor y Fé Ministry.
Pamela Cruz is the founder director of CIMA (Metropolitan Adventist Children´s Choir) and Discovery Choir.
Penrhos College Chorale
Catherine Clarnette
The Penrhos College Chorale hails from Como, Western Australia. Paul McCarthy is the Penrhos College Director of Music, with the Chorale under the direction of Miss Catherine Clarnette. Recent tours and credits include third place at the prestigious Llangollen International Music Festival Eisteddfod in Wales, a Silver rating at the International Music Festival in Sydney, being featured at the 13th International Kodaly Society Symposium in Brisbane, and also achieving a Gold rating at the 2013 International Music Festival in Washington DC. Penrhos is honoured to have the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall in 2014.
Spokane Area Youth Choirs
Kristina Ploeger
Kristina Ploeger has been part of the Spokane Arts Community for fourteen years. She is the Director of Choral Activities at Eastern Washington University and formerly taught at the high school level in various locations in Washington State. A member of ACDA, NAfME (formerly MENC), EWMEA, and WMEA, she has served on the WA ACDA Board in several positions. Kristina has presented at the state and all-northwest MENC/WMEA conventions as well as the 2004, 2007, 2009-2012 WA-ACDA Summer Institutes and Southern Division ACDA 2014. She is proud to have co-founded the EWU Jazz Dialogue Summer Camp, and is a sought-after clinician for jazz and choral festivals.
Marshall Middle School Advanced Choir
Katherine Girvin
The Marshall Middle School Advanced Choir is made up of 74 students, with 58 attending this event. The Marshall Middle School Chamber choir also has 4 of its 17 members attending this event. The Marshall Middle School Advanced and Chamber choirs have received First Place and Gold's in Heritage Festivals in both the concert and chamber choir categories, with Chamber Choir often receiving unanimous perfect scores. These choirs have performed twice as part of the National Middle School Choir in Carnegie Hall and Chamber choir has additionally performed a mass in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Both choirs have continually received unanimous superior ratings at varying festivals and have been awarded the coveted Spirited Award both times at festivals they have attended in San Francisco. These students have performed locally at the CMEA conference as well as for organizations and conferences across the county. These students annually tour internationally and have produced three CD's as well as premiere over a dozen newly commissioned works.
VIVA Sandnes Norway
Liv Hugstmyr Særheim
VIVA, Sandnes kulturskolekor, is a part of Sandnes school of Music and Art, one of the oldest and biggest in Norway. The choir was established in 1968 and consists of 45 girls and boys aged from 12-20. Most of them receive vocal and instrumental training. VIVA’s objective is to be a choir on a high musical level, singing with great enthusiasm and passion, combined with a positive social atmosphere that encourage the members’ behaviour, respect and care for each other and - good humour!
With Viva´s wide musical repertoire, drama is an important element. The members together face big challenges, singing opera and classical songs, as well as musicals and popular songs. VIVA performs in great concert halls as well as marked places. The most important thing is to make people happy with their song.
VIVA is a spearhead among choirs in Norway and is this year in the Final of Norway’s got talent. VIVA has won a lot of national and international prizes and has represented Norway at many festivals and conferences all over the world.
VIVA has been touring in very many countries: Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Germany, England, Scotland, Wales, Spain, USA, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and South-Africa.
Youth Choir of Central Oregon
Beth Basham
The Youth Choir of Central Oregon (YCCO) is a community-based choral program that provides advanced vocal experiences for talented first through twelfth grade students with unchanged singing voices in three choirs, Singers School, Debut Choir and Premiere Choir. The major goal of the YCCO is to provide an opportunity for musical expression and personal development in a supportive and joyful environment.
Under The Western Sky
Acts
Also Featuring:
Participating Groups
Special Guests
Artist's Name
Michael HuffArtist's Name
Cristian GrasesArtist's Name
Ramon Niño IIIParticipating Group Directors
Under the leadership of Mr. Niño, Mariachi Espuelas de Plata has represented north Texas four times at the state mariachi competition hosted by the Texas Association of Mariachi Educators and the Mexican American School Board Members Association, most recently winning 2nd place in the 5A division. Mariachi Espuelas de Plata has attended numerous workshops and been selected as a showcase ensemble throughout the United States including events in Las Cruces, NM; San Antonio, TX; San Marcos, TX; Edinburg, TX; and Orange County, CA. The group has won several first division, first place, second place, third place and “Best in Class” awards throughout the US.
Mr. Nino’s professional affiliations include: Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association and Texas Association of Mariachi Educators. Mr. Niño is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha. He is also the Region 7 Mariachi Coordinator.
Mr. Niño is married to Victoria, his high school sweetheart and high school band mate. Victoria is an employee of Fort Worth ISD. Mr. and Mrs. Niño gave birth to their first child, a beautiful baby boy on May 23, 2014. Mr. and Mrs. Nino also have 2 Chihuahuas, Tiffany and Cowboy, that are like their children.
The Bryson Middle School Advanced Bulldog Chorus is comprised of 106 voices. The ensemble here tonight is comprised of 12 auditioned voices for this event. They have participated in the Six Flags Music Showcase Festival (where they have received superior ratings, superior overall, best accompanist, best soprano section, and best alto section overall), community events, Honor’s Choir at USC, and the ACDA Junior All-State Choir. The chorus is also the proud winners of the 2012 Grand Sweepstakes Award from the Six Flags Music Festival. They perform at the school including a musical masquerade, Veteran’s Day programs, spring musicals, and much more.
Mrs. Hill is blessed to have such an energetic and talented group of fine students and a supportive family who motivates and encourages her daily. She is honored to have her chorus participate in this event, and it is with great anticipation that the chorus performs for you tonight.
Bell’s research has focused on the unification of instrumental and vocal techniques in Baroque performance practice as it applies to repertoire for chorus and orchestra, in particular the music of Handel and Bach. Additionally, his published essays, academic presentations, and professional activities demonstrate his dedication to developing a love of singing young voices.
Is a music teacher graduated from the Honduran National School of Music. She has 20 years experience as a teacher in the music field. She had been part of important choral institutions in her country, such as National School of Music Choir, Honduran National Autonomous University Choir, and Opera Choir of the Musical Honduran Foundation. She had been a Choir Director in several educational institutions in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital city. Currently, co- directs the Discovery School Choir which has participated in local and international competitions such as the “2012 Golden Gate International Choral Festival” in San Francisco, California.
Pamela Cruz
Pamela has been teaching music for 20 years. She studied piano with Aenne Deja, and Hernán Teruel at the Honduran National University, and with Leander Bien at Kinhaven Music School in Weston, Vermont. She taught Piano at Francisco Ramón Díaz Zelaya National Conservatory and National School of Music for 11 years.
She has performed in Honduras, Guatemala and Vermont as a soloist and accompanist. As conductor she is working with children’s choirs and Gospel associations such as Amor y Fé Ministry.
Pamela Cruz is the founder director of CIMA (Metropolitan Adventist Children´s Choir) and Discovery Choir.
VIVA’s objective is to be a choir on a high musical level, singing with great enthusiasm
and passion, combined with a positive social atmosphere that encourage the members’ behaviour, respect and care for each other and - good humour!
With Viva´s wide musical repertoire, drama is an important element. The members together face big challenges, singing opera and classical songs, as well as musicals and popular songs. VIVA performs in great concert halls as well as marked places. The most important thing is to make people happy with their song.
VIVA is a spearhead among choirs in Norway and is this year in the Final of Norway’s got talent. VIVA has won a lot of national and international prizes and has represented Norway at many festivals and conferences all over the world.
VIVA has been touring in very many countries: Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Germany, England, Scotland, Wales, Spain, USA, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and South-Africa.