Middle school Treble
Dr. shekela wanyama
Dr. Shekela Wanyama teaches 6th-8th grade choir at the Blake School (Minneapolis) and co-directs the Minnesota Chorale's Youth Choirs. She is active as a guest conductor with local ensembles as well as state and regional honor choirs.
A passionate educator, Dr. Wanyama has taught middle and high school choir for over a decade in public, charter, and independent schools before taking on teaching appointments at Augsburg University (choir), Hamline University (choir), and the University of Minnesota (choral methods). She has presented at choral and education conferences on repertoire for developing voices, building community in choir, contemporary repertoire by composers of the Global Majority, and holistic chorus preparation. Her writing has appeared in Choral Journal, the International Choral Bulletin, and in two GIA publications. She participated in Chorus America's Choral Orchestral Conducting Academy and was a member of the inaugural cohort of Chorus America’s Executive Leadership Academy. She serves on the board of Border CrosSing.
Dr. Wanyama holds a DMA in conducting from the University of Minnesota, an MM in choral conducting from Temple University, a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Minnesota, and is a proud graduate of the Minneapolis Public Schools.
She lives and gardens on Dakota land.
Middle school Mixed
dr. brandon a. boyd
Dr. Brandon A. Boyd is the Mary M. and Harry L. Smith Endowed Chair. He is the Director of Choral Activities, Graduate Choral Conducting Program, and Associate Professor of Music at the University of Missouri, where he conducts MU University Singers, Sankofa Chorale, and Choral Union Symphonic Chorus. In addition to his conducting duties at the university, he teaches graduate courses in choral conducting, choral literature, and choral arranging.
As a proponent of choral singing to build community, his research interests include organizing choirs for the homeless, identifying the social and physical effects of choral singing on senior citizens, creating authentic field experiences for music therapy and choral music education students. For three years, Dr. Boyd co-directed three choral community partnerships in Florida: The Tallahassee Senior Choir, RAA Middle School Partnership Choir (university students and middle school singers), and the MTC Women's Prison Glee Club (university students singing with women housed in a correctional facility).
As an active composer and arranger, his music is sung regularly by ensembles throughout the United States and abroad. He is also the curator and editor of the "Brandon A. Boyd Choral Series," a choral series with Hinshaw Music Publications helping promote exciting and innovative works composed by both established and new composers and arrangers. His music also appears in the catalogs of Gentry Publications, Hinshaw Music Company, MorningStar, GIA, and Kjos Music Press. In addition, he is the Executive Choral Editor of Gentry Publications (Fred Bock Publishing Group) and the Abbington African American Sacred Music Series (GIA Publications).
As a global collaborator in the orchestral world, Dr. Boyd has served as chorus master, assistant conductor, and guest pianist with the London Symphony in London, England. He prepared the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra and V okalensemble for Maestro Alan Gilbert for multiple productions of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, in Hamburg and Kiel, Germany. In the U.S., he has guest conducted the Nashville Symphony, Missouri Symphony, and the St. Louis Symphony. He has made multiple performances at Carnegie in the capacity of guest conductor, composer, and collaborative pianist. Dr. Boyd served as guest faculty at the Universidad Católica Boliviana - San Pablo of the Unidad AcademicaRegional Tarija to provide conducting workshops, in addition to serving as guest conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra, Sociedad Coral Andaluz, Symphonic Orchestra in a presentation of American music at the Historic Casa de la Cultura de Tarija (Tarija's House of Culture). He also was a guest professor at the Universidad Evangelica in Santa Cruz, Boliviana. The Partners of the Americas sponsored both university partnerships.
Dr. Boyd served as Santa Fe Desert Chorale’s Composer-in-Residence and Community Engagement Leader for their program Giving V oice to the V oiceless. The Chorale premiered a work commissioned by the SFDC, I Search, during their Summer Justice Concert Series. He served as assistant conductor, pre-concert lecturer, and guest pianist. He set to music a text written by "Poet V ," a young participant in the V oces de Libertad program at the Santa Fe County Youth Development Center. His duties also included organizing and conducting the Interfaith Community Shelter Street Choir, thus creating a safe place for men, women, and children experiencing homelessness within the Santa Fe community. Other commissioning partners include Choirs of America Nationals for Top Choirs at Carnegie, Choirs of America, Southwestern Adventist University, Florida State University/Tallahassee Community Chorus, New Mexico Music Educators Association, and the University of Nebraska-Kearney.
He holds two degrees from Florida State University (Ph.D. in choral music education and M.M. in choral conducting) and earned a B.S. in music education (emphasis in piano) from Tennessee State University. He is a proud member of the Phi Mu Alpha Music Fraternity, Inc., Pi Kappa Lambda, American Choral Directors' Association (ACDA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM), American Guild of Organists (AGO), and Chorus America. Dr. Boyd also serves as a member of the National ACDA Composition Initiative committee.
Middle School Tenor/Bass
Herbert washington
Herbert Washington began his tenure as the Harvey K. Smith Artistic Director of the Phoenix Boys Choir in 2019. An alumnus of the choir, he leads one of the nation’s distinguished youth ensembles, featured on two Grammy-winning projects. Widely recognized for his dynamic teaching style, he is an active choral clinician, conductor, lecturer, and adjudicator, regularly leading festivals and conferences nationwide. He also co-founded The Choral Window, an international resource for directors that shares innovative strategies to advance music literacy and energize rehearsals.
Beyond traditional choral education, Washington is a passionate advocate for diverse musical styles, having produced, composed, and arranged music for commercial and radio projects. His collaborations include award-winning artists Tori Kelly, Jordin Sparks, John Paul White, Bret Michaels, and Jason Derulo. A graduate of St. Olaf College and the University of Arizona, he founded the University of Arizona's award-winning collegiate a cappella ensemble Meow or Never.
In 2026, under his leadership, the Phoenix Boys Choir earned Grammy recognition for its featured contribution to the award-winning PlayStation 5 soundtrack Sword of the Sea, composed by Austin Wintory. That same year, Washington was honored as a Phoenix Arts Hero by ON Media, recognizing his leadership and positive impact on the arts community in Phoenix.
He is an active member of AMEA and currently serves as the Tenor Bass Repertoire & Resource Chair on the ACDA Western Division Board. He has also held state-level repertoire leadership positions supporting children’s and community youth choirs. Herbert resides in Chandler with his wife, Yadira, and their sons, Elian and Yadian.
9th & 10th grade Mixed
Marie bucoy-calavan
Marie Bucoy-Calavan is Artistic Director of the Choral Arts Society of Washington and a conductor known for “destroying stereotypes and breaking boundaries in the arts and choral music.” She has led ensembles ranging from youth and community choirs to collegiate, professional choruses, and opera, and has conducted in major venues including the Kennedy Center, Severance Hall, and Cincinnati Music Hall. She has also prepared symphonic choruses for performances with conductors including John Williams, Eric Whitacre, Keith Lockhart, Benjamin Zander, James Conlon, and Louis Langrée in leading venues such as Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and Carnegie Hall.
She previously served as Director of Choral Studies at The University of Akron, where she conducted choirs and taught conducting and choral literature, with a focus on innovative, cross-disciplinary collaboration. Under her direction, the University of Akron Chamber Choir was selected to perform at the 2023 American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, one of the nation’s premier gatherings of choral musicians. An in-demand clinician and speaker, she has presented nationally and internationally, including in Munich, Germany, and at Chorus America.
Bucoy-Calavan holds degrees from California State University, Fullerton and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Her work also reflects a commitment to breaking barriers in the field and increasing representation, particularly as a conductor and parent, advocating for greater visibility and support for “mom conductors.” She is also a certified group fitness instructor and coach, and frequently speaks on the connection between movement, leadership, and performance.
Senior Treble
Dr. marcela molina
Dr. Marcela Molina, a native of Bogotá, Colombia, is a choral conductor, educator, and arts leader recognized for her artistry and transformational leadership. Her choirs have been described as “powerful and mesmerizing” and “sublime sound coupled with mature stylistic sensitivity.”
Since 2006, Dr. Molina has led the Tucson Girls Chorus, initially serving as Artistic Director and becoming Executive Director in 2011. In addition to guiding the organization's artistic and executive vision, she conducts the Advanced Choir (grades 9–12) and the Alumnae Choir. Under her leadership, the Tucson Girls Chorus has experienced significant growth in programming and community engagement, evolving into a vibrant, inclusive, and nationally respected organization that serves both young singers and music educators year-round.
Dr. Molina’s work is grounded in a commitment to breaking barriers to participation and building meaningful connections through music. This commitment has inspired the development of innovative programs that expand access to transformative musical experiences and foster growth, belonging, and artistry for both young women and educators. As a result, the Tucson Girls Chorus is frequently invited to share its programming strategies as a model for innovative community-based initiatives.
Dr. Molina holds degrees from Westminster Choir College and the University of Arizona. She has contributed articles to Antiphon and the books Teaching Through Performance in Choir, Volume 2 and Choral Reflections: Insights from American Choral Conductor-Teachers. In 2019, she was named Choral Director of the Year by the Arizona American Choral Directors Association (AzACDA).
A frequent clinician and guest conductor across the United States and abroad, Dr. Molina serves as Director of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus and co-edits the Molina/Brown Choral Series at La Voz Publishing. She has served on the boards of AzACDA and the ACDA Western Division and currently serves on the board of Chorus America.
Senior Tenor/Bass
reginal wright
Reginal Wright is a distinguished educator, conductor, and composer with over 20 years of experience in public school education. His dedication to teaching has earned him numerous accolades, including the Outstanding Teacher Award, Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, and the prestigious Secondary Educator of the Year Award.
Reginal's musical journey has taken him across Europe and the United States, where he has performed and conducted with great acclaim. He is a sought-after clinician for both middle and high school choirs, frequently leading honor choirs across the nation. As a conductor, his choirs consistently achieve top honors, including sweepstakes in concert and sight-reading contests, and are regularly recognized with “Outstanding in Class” awards at state and national music festivals.
As a composer, Reginal’s works have resonated with choirs of all levels—from middle school to professional ensembles. His compositions have been showcased by All-State Choirs and at prestigious conventions. Notably, his piece "Invictus" was performed at the 2021 ACDA National Convention and by the 2022 Texas All-State Tenor-Bass Choir. His powerful compositions "Where are the Bodies" and "Opportunity" were both featured at Carnegie Hall, with "Where are the Bodies" performed in collaboration with the renowned Dallas-based Turtle Creek Chorale and "Opportunity" presented in 2023 by the Tomball Memorial High School Choir.
Reginal’s compositions are published and distributed by leading music publishers, including BriLee, Carl Fisher, Graphite, Hal Leonard, Oxford University Press, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, MorningStar, Walton Choral Music, and his own Reginal Wright Music.
He holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Music Education from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Recently, Reginal served as the head choral director at Mansfield High School, where his leadership led to significant achievements, including the Mansfield High School Varsity Treble Choir’s selection as an invited choir for the SW-ACDA Convention in 2012 and 2022, and the ACDA National Convention in 2023. In 2018, the Varsity Tenor-Bass Choir was honored as a Texas Music Educators Association Invited Choir.
Currently, Reginal is part of the esteemed choral music faculty at Baylor University, where he continues to inspire and shape the next generation of musicians. He resides in Arlington, Texas, with his wife, Renetta, their son, Gabrien, daughter, Reece, and their beloved Yorkie, Cooper.
11th & 12th grade Mixed Chorus
Dr. alicia walker
Alicia W. Walker is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at the University of South Carolina, where she directs the Concert Choir and Garnet Chorale (SSAA) and supervises the graduate conducting program. Dr. Walker has taught continuing education workshops for choral directors in South Africa, and she is frequently invited to conduct and teach in the UK and in Taiwan. Dr. Walker has conducted in significant venues around the world including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Cadogan Hall, Canterbury Cathedral, St. Peter’s Basilica, Thomaskirche in Leipzig and St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. Her choirs have been selected to perform for NCCO (2021, 2023), SCMEA (2016, 2018, 2022), for South Carolina’s ACDA conference (2018, 2022, 2024, 2026) and Piccolo Spoleto (2025). Dr. Walker’s pedagogy and professional interactions are marked by a commitment to excellence, collaboration, and inclusion.
An experienced music educator, Dr. Walker taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, followed by appointments at the University of Georgia and the University of South Carolina, where she supervised Secondary Choral Music Education. She is a Past President of Southern Region ACDA (2015-2017) and Georgia ACDA (2009-2011), and she developed ChorTransform, ACDA’s service-learning initiative for student chapters. She was the Program Chair for the 2024 Southern Region ACDA Conference in Louisville, and South Carolina ACDA recognized her with the Leadership & Service to the Profession Award in 2024. Currently, Dr. Walker is President-elect for South Carolina ACDA.
Her focus on professional mentoring led Dr. Walker to found Facets,™ a leadership retreat for women conductors. In Columbia, she conducts a chamber choir of music educators called Limited Time Only, and she maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator. A long-time church musician, Dr. Walker served churches in Florida, Kentucky, Georgia, and South Carolina. She was a committee chair for the development of Celebrating Grace, a hymnal published in 2010, and is a contributing author for Sacred Choral Music Repertoire: Insight for Conductors. Dr. Walker was guest editor of the February 2021 Choral Journal, ACDA’s focus issue on pedagogy. She is the author of “The Holistic Conductor,” an online graduate conducting text; her research interests include conducting pedagogy and choral composers of the English Musical Renaissance. She is a Life Member of ACDA and holds memberships in NAfME and NCCO.