About the Conductors

A Legacy of the Teaching of Artistry

Since its inauguration, the Choral Institute at Oxford and the work of the Westminster Williamson Voices and Westminster Choir have impacted the lives and artistry of over one hundred conductors. The Westminster Choir and the faculty of the Choral Institute at Oxford welcome this year’s class of conductors into our unique family. This Institute, in countless ways, fulfills and continues the vision of outreach of Westminster Choir College’s founder, John Finley Williamson.

Full Conductors

ADAM BERSTRESSER serves as Director of Music and Organist at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. In addition to worship planning and other administrative duties, he leads adult, youth, and children’ s vocal and handbell choirs, as well as ad hoc instrumental ensembles throughout the year. Adam is passionate about working with volunteers and collaborating with professional musicians to create a meaningful and uplifting worship experience for both participants and congregants.

Outside of church, Adam teaches private lessons on organ and piano, and is taking violin lessons himself, studying with Eileen Telly. He is also a member of the Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble, an advanced-level bell choir in the PA-NJ area, and will be co-directing the group in the fall.

Adam is a graduate of Westminster Choir College with a Bachelor Degree in Organ Performance and Sacred Music, where he studied organ with Alan Morrison and Daryl Robinson.

TIMOTHY CARPENTER has studied conducting with Wyn Davies, Karyn Grylls, Uwe Grodd, Rupert D’Cruze, Christopher Seaman, Tecwyn Evans, and has gained his Masters of Music in Conducting with first-class Honours from the University of Auckland, NZ. He holds a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music in Cello with Distinction, a Bachelor of Music from the University of Waikato and an Honours degree in Performance Organ from the University of Auckland. For five years and until July 2021, Tim was the Director of Music at St Paul’s Collegiate School, Hamilton NZ, the Musical Director of Hamilton Civic Choir, and the conductor of Youth Orchestra Waikato. He has worked extensively as a guest conductor in New Zealand with organisations such as the New Zealand Secondary School’s Symphony Orchestra, Opera NZ, Naukau Symphony Orchestra, St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra, Devonport Chamber Orchestra, Nay of Plenty Symphonia, and Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra. Tim has been a member of Symphony Australia, conducting the city Symphony Orchestras of Melboune, Western Australian, Tasmania, Auckland, as well as the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. He has also been a member of the New Zealand National Youth Orchestra, the New Zealand Youth Choir and Voices New Zealand. Now based in Sussex, UK, Tim is the Music Director of the Esterhazy Chamber Choir, organist of a local parish church, and from September 2022, will become the Director of Music at Ardingly College.

CHARLOTTE BOTHA is an Assistant Professor of Music and the Director of Choral Activities at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, where conducts the College Choir and the Hamilton Voices choral theater ensemble. She teaches courses in Music Theory and Musicology. While at the University of North Texas, she served as conductor of the Women’s Chorus, assistant conductor of the University Singers, and assistant conductor of the Dallas Symphony Chorus. Charlotte’s tenure as conductor of the Drakensberg Boys Choir solidified her passion for making music with and composing for young singers. She has performed and presented workshops around the globe, most notably as a member of the World Youth Choir alumni group TIME Ensemble. Her research interests include phonetics, choral text-painting and equitable practices for including the music of and by marginalized members of the music community in choral programs. Charlotte earned a DMA in Choral Conducting with Music Theory as related field at the University of North Texas. Her M.Mus. is from Nelson Mandela University and her B.Mus. is from the University of Pretoria. She feels particularly fortunate to imagine, create, and share music for a living, and is honoured to do what she loves at the Choral Institute at Oxford this year.

KAITLYN DAVROS is the Director of Traditional Music and Worship in Charlotte, NC, where she leads a comprehensive music program for adults, youth, and children, three handbell choirs and a men's choir, while creating authentic and creative worship from the organ. She holds a BM in Organ Performance from Hope College and is currently working on her Masters of Sacred Music from Westminster Choir College of Rider University. Kaitlyn also holds the Director of Young Singers certificate after graduating from the Choristers Guild Institute. She has enjoyed traveling abroad to Amsterdam, London, and Paris to perform, research, and study church music. As a worship leader, Kaitlyn enjoys leading congregations in glorifying and worshiping God through song with the use of strong and varied repertoire as well as innovative hymn accompaniments. She is also passionate about children and youth music programs and engaging the larger community in events. Kaitlyn has served churches in eastern and western Michigan, Colorado, and North Carolina. Kaitlyn currently serves on the board of the Charlotte AGO and will be joining the Presbyterian Association of Musicians board this coming term.

DEVIN EMBRICH is a rising Sophomore Music Education student from West Palm Beach, Florida, currently studying at Westminster Choir College. He studies as a Countertenor under Dr. Jay Carter. Over his years as a choral singer, Devin has taken part in many honor choirs ranging from district, state, regional, and national levels. Most notably, Devin was selected as a singer in the 2020 NAfME All-National Mixed Choir under the direction of Dr. Frances Fonza and the National Youth Honor Choir at Carnegie Hall under the direction of Dr. Rollo Dilworth in 2018. Most recently, Devin was accepted into the American Choral Directors Association(ACDA) National Student Leadership Academy in 2021. He is also the current President of the ACDA Chapter at Westminster Choir College. A frequent soloist, Devin most recently performed Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms as the ‘boy alto’ at a graduate recital this past Spring at Westminster. As a student conductor, Devin has prepared and conducted many choirs in rehearsal and in concert such as the Princeton Girlchoir, the Young Singers of the Palm Beaches, the Palm Beach Honors Handbell Choir, as well as his previous middle and high school. A frequent adjudicator and clinician, Devin has aided various middle and high school choirs in Palm Beach County for their annual state choral assessments in Florida. Over the years, Devin has had the privilege of being conducted under, and working closely with the likes of Dr. James Jordan, Dr. Michael Barrett, Dr. Maria Guinand, David Stern, Dr. Rollo Dilworth, and Dr. Martha Shaw.

A native of Modesto, California, MURRAY KIDD lives in Boston, Massachusetts. He holds several jobs as a choral educator, including Director of Choral Activities at Xaverian Brothers High School, Director of Music at Christ Congregational Church (UCC), Artistic Director of Polymnia Choral Society and the Jubilate Chorale. As a tenor soloist and chorister he had a long association with the Handel & Haydn Society of Boston and Boston Baroque which led him to record several albums and work with such conductors as Christopher Hogwood, Sir Roger Norrington, Seiji Ozawa, Dame Jane Glover, John Finney, Robert Spano, Grant Llewellyn, Harry Bicket, Harry Christophers, Giselle Ben-Dor, and Martin Pearlman. Mr. Kidd has taken part in many of the world’s most prestigious music festivals including: BBC Proms, Casals (Puerto Rico), Tanglewood, Ravinia, Edinburgh, All-Beethoven Easter Festival (Poland), Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and Boston Early Music Festival. He studied conducting with William Dehning and Robert Halseth at University of the Pacific in California and completed his master’s degree at New England Conservatory in Boston. His mentors included Daniel Pinkham, Craig Smith, and Terry Decima. He led the choral department at University of Massachusetts at Lowell. While there, he prepared the University Choir in a collaboration with Keith Lockhart and the Boston

Pops for a Sony DVD recording of Handel’s Messiah Rocks! by Jason Howland. He is also conductor of large ensembles of Vermont Music and Arts Center. In 2009, Mr. Kidd founded the Boston Singers Relief Fund to help professional singers in New England.

Canadian saxophonist and conductor DANIEL RUBINOFF has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in France, Canada and the United States. His discography includes The Old Castle, Daniel Rubinoff Plays the Music of Srul Glick, The Canada Song, The Dance of the Blessed Spirits, and Daniel Rubinoff Plays Denis Bédard. His recordings are broadcast on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and have received favourable reviews on CBC Radio and in the American Record Guide. Rubinoff ’s original compositions have been performed by many of Canada’s leading musicians and ensembles, including the Elmer Iseler Singers, members of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, Hilario Duran and Joe Macerollo. Since 2014, Rubinoff has served as Music Director at Jubilee United Church where he is developing innovative approaches to choral composition and performance. Additionally, he has led performances of Vivaldi’s Gloria for the Canadian Amateur Musicians of Canada (CAMMAC) and other community groups. Rubinoff is a frequent music festival adjudicator with expertise in choral, band, orchestra and chamber music. Rubinoff is an Artist-Representative for the Selmer Saxophone Company of America, and has adjudicated wind examinations for the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music. He is also the recipient of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Fellowship in support of his work in saxophone composition and research. He holds a PhD in Musicology from York University where he studied Dalcroze Eurhythmics. His innovative work in music-based fall prevention exercises for seniors resulted in his development of www.rimbala.com. In August, 2022, he will begin a tenure as Director of Music at Lawrence Park Community Church in Toronto, where he will direct choirs, perform on the organ, piano and saxophone and create a thriving concert series featuring eclectic music and artists from around the world.

MIGUEL ANDRES RUIZ is the Director of Parish Music at Messiah Lutheran Church in Keller, Texas, where he serves as organist and director of vocal and handbell ensembles. He also teaches at the congregation’ s school, directing a graded Kindergarten through 8th choral program and teaching early childhood music in the pre-school. He studied music at San Diego Christian College and is wrapping up a Master of Music Education, choral emphasis, through Westminster Choir College this year. He is the proud father of four sons with his wife Ei, and expecting a daughter in November.

DANIELA SIKORA was born in Mannheim, Germany and raised in Chicago. Her music education took her from the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Dusseldorf, Germany, to Northwestern University, where she majored in Voice. After graduation, Daniela studied Voice and Arts Management at Indiana University’s Graduate School of Music. Originally pursuing a career as a professional singer, Daniela began conducting in 1995 when asked to form and lead a music program at her church. She sought out professionals in the field to work with her on conducting skills, repertoire and practice, sat in on rehearsals when she could to observe as many conductors as possible and studied all she could about the craft. In addition to her work with individual conductors, including Dr. James Jordan, Daniela has attended programs at Eastman School of Music, Oberlin College and the CIO. This year marks Daniela’s 5th year with the Choral Institute. 1n 1998, Daniela took on the role of Conductor and Artistic Director of The Ridgefield Chorale in Connecticut, a post she still holds today. She also leads the Founders Hall Singers. Daniela has served as a Vocal Consultant for Thrown Stone theater company and as Chorus Master and Vocal Coach of ACT-CT, Connecticut’s newest Equity theater. In addition, Daniela has

worked with SPHERE, an organization that offers artistic opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities, as the Choir Director of Temple Shir Shalom, the Choir Master for the Ridgefield Opera and the Ridgefield Symphony, and as a music director for numerous musical and other theatrical events. In 2018, Daniela was honored with The Williamson Voices Window Tribute Award from the CIO. Because of her commitment to the arts in the community, Daniela has been honored with A Ridgefield Arts Council Behind the Scenes award, the Nancy Comstock Andrews Superlative Teaching/Mentoring Award, the Spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for her work in social activism and, most recently, Daniela received the 2021 State of Connecticut Arts Hero Award. In addition to her work as a conductor and artistic director, Daniela maintains a voice studio, is a vocal soloist and a respected concert producer, music arranger, composer and teacher.

FELICIA VILLA received her Bachelor of Music, graduating summa cum laude from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. Ms. Villa sang under the direction of Amanda Quist in the Chapel Choir, James Jordan in the Schola Cantorum Choir, and Joe Miller in the Symphonic Choir and Westminster Choir. Ms. Villa sang with Joe Miller in the American debut performance of The Path of Miracles at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. Ms. Villa has toured across the United States and internationally with these choirs; traveling as far as Beijing, China. Ms. Villa had the opportunity to sing with the Hamilton Opera Choir under the direction of Sabatino Vacca performing selected opera works.

Felicia Villa currently holds the position of Choral Director for the Point Pleasant Borough High School and Middle Schools. Ms. Villa was hired immediately after graduation to rebuild, expand and return the choral programs to the formal tradition of classical music. Ms. Villa is a vocal coach for the NJ All Shore Chorus and teaches piano privately.

Summer of 2022 will find Ms. Villa furthering her education at the highly regarded Cambridge Choral Summer Course in Cambridge, England and with James Jordan and James Whitbourn at the Choral Institute at Oxford. Her upcoming performance with the Barcelona Choral International will be heard in Barcelona, Spain under the direction of Grant Gershon, music director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale.

Associate Conductors

JULIE BILLHEIMER grew up in a family of music educators and performers. From an early age, music- making was an outlet of self-expression. Relationally, making music with others is where she has experienced some of the richest community life. Her undergraduate degree is in Music Education (Choral emphasis) from West Virginia University, where she received a full scholarship for piano, and minored in voice and pipe organ studies. While at WVU, Julie had a number of accompanying duties for the music department, and also accompanied the Pennsylvania Southeast district High School Honors Choir. She did graduate work at Liberty University in Music Education, but continues to pursue growth as a musician and music director.

Early in her career, Julie taught K-12 classroom music. She then went on to open a private voice and piano studio, while also serving as a church musician. It was at this time that she began working as a musical director and accompanist for a local community theater. She would later add accompanying the Campbell Voices, a select group of singers drawn from the Campbell University Choir in Buies Creek, North Carolina. Julie has a passion for composing. Over the years, she has written music for new musicals as well as for school and church choirs. In the last six years, she has gone back to her first love of working with middle and high school choirs. Julie currently serves as the Director of Upper School Music and Choirs at Trinity Academy in Raleigh, NC.

JENNIFER MOORE has taught PreK-12 music in the northern Adirondacks of New York State for nearly 15 years. She holds a BFA in Piano

Performance from Purchase College, a MM in Music Education from the Crane School of Music and is currently a DMA candidate in Music Education at Boston University. As a teacher, Jennifer is interested in seeking deep learning opportunities for both herself and her students through participation in a wide variety of authentic musical and cultural experiences. As a performer, she seeks to continually place herself in new musical environments, always seeking a deeper understanding of musical connections between people, places, and cultures. As a new scholar, Jennifer’s interests include rural music education, place-based education, community-school partnerships, and teacher identity. In addition to teaching and navigating her research interests, Jennifer serves as Music Director for St. John’s Episcopal Church in Essex, NY. She is an active member of the Piano by Nature Board of Directors coordinating a robust virtual and live concert series as well as educational outreach programming throughout the region. Jennifer is a member of the Depot Theatre’s Education Committee, a professional theatre organization dedicated to providing rich learning opportunities for all students both on and off stage. She has enjoyed decades of performance opportunities on stages large (Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, UNESCO, Chicago Cultural Center) and small (Middlebury Town Hall Theatre, Piano by Nature, Harborside Concert Series, and a host of public schools) as collaborative pianist, chorister, and conductor. This is her third summer session at the CIO.

Past Participants at the Choral Institute at Oxford

2013

Full Conductors: Scott Bennett, Alexander Constantine, David Dehner, Lauren Derkin, Fiona Ellis, Beth Fubank, Janellen Farmer, Jacob Finkle, Phillip Ganir, Brian Krajcik, Bradley Krueger, Alexander Pryor, Nina Rodman, Louis Spinelli, Eleanor Wallace, Alan Wellman, Tucker Wheatley Associate Conductors: John Hudson, Thomas Kimball, Christopher Wheeler

2014

Full Conductors: Tim Baker, Scott Bennett, Jack Cleghorn, Alexander Constantine, Jacob Finkle, Peter Fischer, Amelia Garbisch, Molly Getsinger, Stephanie Gravelle, Rob Hobgood, Darren Hochstedler, Lucy Hole, Sarah Mae Lagasca, Mark Loria, Darren Magee, Nicholas Malinowski, Sandre Miller, Christopher Nakielski, Jessica Pierpont, Michael Shake, Vivian Suen, Shane Thomas, I-Hsing Tseng, Patrick Walker, Tyler Weakland, Michael Zubert Associate Conductors: George Grace, Garrett Khestinejad

2015

Full Conductors: Mary Buehler, Zachariah Carlson, Alexander Constantine, Lachlan Craig, William Estep, Robert Fogle, James Galdieri, Daniel Hall, Jon Hamey, Paula Kremer, Dominic Lam, Garah Landes, Ryan Manni, Susan Nace, Monique Orvoine, Irene Pointon, Levi Tarrant Pratt, Taya Rosenberg, Daniela Sikora, William Skaff, James Sullivan, Emily Sung, Patrick Walker, Alan Wellman, Cory Wikan Associate Conductors: Jeannine Ary

2016

Full Conductors: Maria Bravo, Alicia Prozovich, Dallis Byrne, Stephanie Chorba, Alexander Constantine, Kathleen Dunn, Luke Duroc-Danner, Rachel Giuseppetti, Nicole Hounjet, Jeremiah Kraniak, Théophile Krosi-Douté, Anna Kreuther, Justin Lewis, Joel Michalchuk, Sarah Rodeo, Taya Rosenberg, Daniela Sikora, Georgia Simmons, Frank Van Atta Associate Conductors: Jolene Hethcox, Lucy Hole, Victoria Peacock, Sarah Rose

2017

Full Conductors: Ellen Aroune, Jonathon Bligh, Alise Brown, James Burritt, Carey Cannon, Lane Cheney, Lachlan Craig, Aimee Deibert, Michael Diorio, Sue Ellen Echard, Dan Funsch, Paul Georgeson, Claire Hughes, James R. Jones, Steven Klimowski, Christine Micu, Jay Risser, Claudia Rodrigues, Kelsey Rose, Daniela Sikora, Elaine Sonnenberg, Jacob Truby Associate Conductors: Cassandra Fenton, Grace Francis, Jennifer Moore, Eliza Nicholson

2018

Full Conductors: Paul Abbott, Christin Barnhardt, Thomas Bowers, Emily Carter, Michaela Gleason, William Gotmer, Kristin Hingstman, Whitney Huang, Arthur Jack, Steven Johnson, James R. Jones, Sarah Mclean, Chiak Yin Ong, Lorenzo Quattropani, Elizabeth Reyna, Melissa Richardson, Meaghan Sheehan, Daniela Sikora, Zach Ullery, Christopher Walters, Benjamin Watson, Matthew Webb, Daniel Wells, Carol Zeven Associate Conductors: Dimitri Arnauts, Emily Batemen, Gerald Bodine, Daniel Chacón, Krystel Dib, Hayley Hoss, Daniel Lavin, Susanna Saw, Rosalyn Smith, Eliza Triolo, Nicholas Walters

2019

Full Conductors: Randolph Alexander, Dimitri Arnauts, Adam Bergstresser, Ekaterina Borissenko, Valerie Clayton, Ashley Dupont, Elizabeth Farr, Christopher Filice, McDowell Fogle, Simon Jackson, Elizabeth Kluegel Niblock, Robert E. Lamb, Kristina Lazdauskas, Wenhong Liu, Huili Luan, Kyoko Tagami Meredith, Jennifer Moore, Wilhelmina Nelmes Vogtle, Wenhui Yu, Carol Zeven, Yiran Zhao Associate Conductors: Krystel Dib, Margaret Folkemer, Myles K. Glancy, Jeremy Hoy, Bob Johnson, Abraham H. Leach, Barry Lyons, Casey Okabayashi, Elaine Zajano Observing Conductor: Sue Ellen Echard