Sheryl Hauk is currently the Choral Director of West Bloomfield High School and serves as Fine Arts Coordinator of West Bloomfield School District. From Hawaii, she received degrees from Baylor University, Marygrove College, and Oakland University. She has worked as a guest conductor, clinician, and performer. Her choirs have performed throughout the US including Carnegie Hall with Dr, Nina Nash, Michigan Music Conference Specialty Choir 2018 and 2019, and All-State Jazz Choir Michigan Youth Festival 2014, 2015, 2016. She was nominated as Life Changer of the Year for 2018-19. And named Grammy teacher of the Year Quarterfinalist in 2018.

West Bloomfield High School Choirs perform at the community, state, and national levels. Performances include Carnegie Hall with Dr. Nina Nash, PBS' Shoa Requiem and Ethan Bortnick, New York City Jazz Festival in the Lincoln Center, Michigan State Capitol Rotunda, Pistons, Michigan Music Conference Specialty Choir 2018 & 2019, and State MSVMA Solo/Ensemble and Choral Festival, with top Superior scores. Alumni Include Ryan Destiny - Fox’s Star and Grownish, Danny Kornfeld - RENT 20th revival Tour & Barry Manilow’s Harmony, Chelsea Helm - Barbara Bush Funeral soloist , Lauren Chapman - Broadway Kinky Boots and Frozen.

John Benton is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received his Bachelor’s of Music and Masters of Arts in Teaching degrees in Music Education. While at UNC, he was the recipient of the Sydney M. Dowd Fellowship for Piano Performance Studies. He is currently the Director of Choirs at Chapel Hill High School as well as Director of Choirs and Orchestras at McDougle Middle School within the Chapel Hill Carrboro City School District. He has performed at such venues as Carnegie Hall, The Museum of the Revolution (Havana, Cuba), Cathedral of Toledo (Spain), and the AMIA Jewish Center and the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires. John has also performed with the North Carolina Symphony, The University of North Carolina Symphony, The New England Symphonic Ensemble, The Durham Choral Society, The Duke University Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir of St. Martin in the Fields (London). In 2021, he was honored by Steinway and Sons as a ‘Steinway Verified Piano Teacher’ for excellence in teaching.

The Chapel Hill High School Concert Choir was founded in 1916 when the school opened. The choir has performed across the United States earning top awards in adjudicated performances. This is the first performance at Carnegie Hall for the choir.

Mary Huff is Artistic Director of the New York City Children’s Chorus and Associate Director of Music at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. Her choirs have appeared on Saturday Night Live, Good Morning America, TODAY, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Apple TV+, NBC Sports, CBS Sunday Morning, and recently made their Carnegie Hall, Broadway, Lincoln Center, and Radio City Music Hall debuts, in addition to touring internationally to Germany, Austria, and Spain. She holds degrees from Furman and Yale Universities. Ms. Huff is married to Canadian organist and conductor, Andrew Henderson, and they have two musical children

New York City Children’s Chorus, a choral program for over 170 children, has graced the stages of New York’s most prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and Cathedral of St. John the Divine. In 2021, the NYCCC won The American Prize’s Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music (Youth Division) for their recording of Randall Thompson’s “The Place of the Blest.” Previous performances include Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, Schubert’s Mass in G, Britten’s Saint Nicolas, Fauré’s Requiem, and Vaughan Williams’ Sancta Civitas. Television appearances include Saturday Night Live, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, NBC’s Today Show, and ABC’s Good Morning America.

Craig Limey holds an undergraduate degree from Westminster Choir College and a graduate degree from Berklee College of Music. He has served as the Director of Choirs at Whippany Park High School for 27 years. Mr. Limey also serves as the choir director at St. Mary's Church in Pompton Lakes. Mr. Limey is married to the most amazing woman in the world and has three beautiful children.

The Madrigal Singers of Whippany Park are an auditioned ensemble of students that are in 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade. The choir has performed extensively throughout Northern New Jersey, the East Coast as well as several performances in Carnegie Hall.

Rachel Root has served as the Director of Music and the Creative Arts at Christ Episcopal Church in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida over twelve years. She received her Bachelor’s in Applied Organ from Michigan State University under Corliss Arnold, Masters in Church Music from Northwestern University under Wolfgang Rubsom and Doctorate in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington under Abraham Kaplan and Geoffrey Boers. She and husband Tim lead the musical theater and creative arts programs at Christ Episcopal Church, where she also directs the Mens Ensemble, Women’s Ensemble, Chancel Choir and is principal organist for all services.

The Christ Episcopal Church Chancel Choir participates in many additional singing opportunities outside of regular church services. We were thrilled to sing here with Bob Chilcott and Simon Carrington at the 50th Anniversary of the King Singers and we sing at diverse secular events in our community as well. The ensemble participating in this concert is honored to return to Carnegie Hall to sing the Gift of the Magi with Eric Whitacre. Fostered under the leadership of Rachel Root, when our choir family lifts our voices in song, it is truly an act of ministry and service.

Jennifer J. Schmitz and Pamela L. Westphal are the co-directors of the Kimberly High School Choirs. Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Music Education with a choral and general music emphasis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has been teaching at Kimberly High School since 2017. Pam earned her Bachelor of Music Education with a choral emphasis from Central Michigan University. Pam has been teaching choral and vocal music since 2007.

The Kimberly High School Choir is located in Kimberly, Wisconsin, and consists of students in grades 10-12. This choir is co-directed by Jennifer Schmitz and Pamela Westphal. The Kimberly High School Choir previously performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City under the direction of Eric Whitacre in 2018. They maintain an active performance schedule and enjoy working with guest conductors and clinicians.

With a Masters Degree in Music Education, Annabelle is a music specialist who focuses on “physical singing,” incorporating the body-voice connection into her teaching. Her diverse expertise comes from years of dedicated study. She holds a Bachelors in Music, violin performance; a Masters in Music Education with Kodaly emphasis, a full certification of 4+ years of study from legendary vocal coach Judy Davis who coached Barbra Streisand, and grounding in choreography earned through the San Francisco School of Circus Arts. Homeschooling her 3 sons with her "whole child" education philosophy, her sons became performers with Cirque du Soleil. Her pedagogy is based on the methods of Hungarian educator Zoltan Kodály who believed that song is the foundation of musical learning. This approach leverages folk music from around the world and physical movement to build music skills. Driven by a passion for generating access to quality music education, she founded the VOENA children’s choir in 1994 with a handful of eager participants. An accomplished singer, violinist, pianist, composer, arranger, and educator, Annabelle received the 2008 Jefferson Award for Community Service and has built such a sterling reputation for excellence that Les 7 Doigts (The 7 Fingers) Canadian company commissioned their theme song for their world traveling acrobatic show, Passengers. In 2018, Annabelle's original composition, Voices Dream, was chosen for Interfaith Alliance, flying over 20 VOENA singers to Abu Dhabi to perform for the Crown Prince. Since 1994, she has led VOENA to prestigious heights, building performances that have been admired at the White House, Carnegie Hall, and abroad. She is the driver behind all VOENA programs, supported in this work by the Board and VOENA volunteers, creating a dynamic and powerful team.

VOENA Children’s Choir is a professional program "uniting the world with children's choir," unique because of its no-audition policy. VOENA teaches children ages 5-18 ethnically diverse music, instilling in them an appreciation and enthusiasm for thinking beyond borders through learning music in different languages and cultures while cultivating, what director Annabelle Marie calls, the VOENA BIG 3: 1) accept the challenge, 2) be self-motivated, and 3) embrace an ethic for hard work. VOENA participants learn to think beyond borders while singing music from many countries, all in the native language, promoting peace through the exchange of culture. Through international tours, our child ambassadors celebrate diversity abroad, performing cultural songs specific to each country visited, giving value to our differences. VOENA's founder, Annabelle Marie, has been reinventing the children’s choir since 1994. In a performance at the White House for Dr Maya Angelou, she emotionally replied, "If the world had the heart and the courage to see you and hear you, we would be different - we would be changed. You are exactly what the world needs. In your innocence and in your youth and talent, you can teach us so much." "For those who have not experienced a VOENA performance, this is not a “proper” stand-at-attention, white shirt, black slacks chorale. There is movement and colorful adornment and instrumental accompaniment and celebration. Standing ovations have become routine, and they are well earned."— David Kerns - Napa Valley Register

Mr. Green is in his 17th year teaching and 11th year at Greeley Central High School where he directs the vocal music ensembles, teaches Music History and AP Music Theory, and serves as the music chair for the Arts Magnet Program. Mr. Green received his master’s and bachelor's degrees in music education with a vocal emphasis from the University of Northern Colorado. In addition to teaching, Mr. Green has sung with the Colorado Conductors Chorus and the Greeley Chorale, conducted area honor choirs, and has presented sessions at the Colorado Music Educators Association’s annual conference. He also currently helps lead the music ministry at Bethel Baptist Church in Greeley.

Greeley Central High School Choirs are open to students grades 9-12 and offers a non-auditioned mixed choir, auditioned treble choir, and an auditioned mixed choir. In all choirs, students perform music that spans from Medieval to contemporary with one goal in mind: preserve and promote the choral art form. In addition to choirs, students can also develop their solo vocal technique in classical, jazz, and pop through various extracurricular opportunities. Greeley Central High School houses the Arts Magnet Program for our district where students can emphasize in music, theatre, dance, or visual art in high school.

Jana Ballard has been on the music faculty at LaGuardia High School of Music and Art & Performing Arts in New York, New York since the fall of 2007. At LaGuardia High School, Ms. Ballard conducts both the Senior Chorus and Cantare and teaches group voice classes. Ms. Ballard was the choral director for the 2020 Grammy Award Winning Album, Arturo O’Farrill’s Four Questions, and she served as a Think Tank Educator for Grammy Award Winning and World-Renowned Composer, Eric Whitacre, in conjunction with his Virtual Choir 6: “Sing Gently” Project. Ms. Ballard also conducts the New York City Labor Chorus and the Christ Church Community Youth Choir at New Brighton Episcopal Church. Ms. Ballard performs as a soprano soloist with New York City based ensembles.

Senior Chorus is an advanced level mixed choir for junior and senior music majors at LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, a public specialized school in New York, New York. Senior Chorus members are accepted into the choir based on musicianship, sight-reading, and teacher recommendations. Senior Chorus performs several concerts a year, featuring a variety of choral genres. Senor Chorus members are regularly invited to perform in festival choirs throughout New York City. Senior Chorus has worked with Eric Whitacre several times in masterclass settings at LaGuardia High School and performed his Deep Field in conjunction with the 2019 World Science Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park. We are thrilled to be working with Mr. Whitacre again!