Honors Choir Directors
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High School Honors Choirs |
| Ashley Ward is in her sixteenth year as a music educator. This is her eleventh year as director of vocal music at Walled Lake Northern High School in the Walled Lake Consolidated School District, where she directs three curricular choral ensembles, two extracurricular choral ensembles, and teaches a Piano and Acting class. Her choirs include the Knight Singers, Advanced Women, Bel Canto, Octet, and Chamber Singers. She also is the vocal director and producer of the school musical. Her choirs consistently earn highest ratings at district and state festivals, and her students have participated in Regional, State and All State Choirs, as well as District and State Solo and Ensemble Festivals. Her choirs have performed in Chicago, Disney World and New York City. Before her tenure at Walled Lake Northern, Ashley previously taught at Bloomfield Hills Middle School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (2009-2014). |
| Matthew W. Smith is the Director of Choirs and also the Performing Arts Department Chair at Lake Orion High School in Lake Orion, MI. He is currently in his 7th year at LOHS and, overall, his 17th year of teaching. In those 17 years, Matthew has taught K-12th grade music in Livonia Public Schools, Rochester Community Schools, Lake Shore Public Schools, and Lake Orion Community Schools. |
| Throughout thirty-six years in education, Dr. James Borst has taught Kindergarten through college level students. He taught K-12 music at North Muskegon Public Schools, K-12 music at Kentwood Public Schools and 8th-12th grade choral music at East Grand Rapids Public Schools. Borst also taught choir and music education courses at Grand Valley State University and Calvin University. His career includes teaching at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, St Cecilia Music Society and the North American Choral Company. |
Honors Choir Director Qualifications & Selection Process
With the exception of the All-State Choir, Honors Choir Directors are selected through the annual election process using the following criteria:
- Potential candidates must be MSVMA members and can be from any educational level.
- Potential candidates must have taught a minimum of seven years with two years at the same academic level.
- The choirs of potential candidates must have received a large proportion of Excellent final determinations at district or state festivals.
Brief overview of the process:
- Nominees from DMs/Membership at fall and spring district meetings, submitted via Nomination Form
- MSVMA Board of Directors Past President reaches out for acceptance of nomination, bios, and vetting
- Honors Choir Directors Nomination Review Committee selects up to three candidates for each choir for consideration by the Honors Choir Directors Final Selection Committee
- Honors Choir Directors Final Selection Committee selects Directors
- Directors are chosen, presented to the Board of Directors, and announced at MSVMA Annual Meeting and Reception at MMC
6789 HONORS CHOIR DIRECTORS
| HIGH SCHOOL HONORS CHOIR DIRECTORS
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ALL-STATE HONORS CHOIR DIRECTORS
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Michigan School Vocal Music Association
P.O. Box 1131
Big Rapids, MI 49307-1131
(231) 592 - 9344
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