Tim Fitzpatrick - Women's Choirs
 A versatile musician with many areas of expertise, Tim
Fitzpatrick has pursued a career that is supported by outstanding academic
achievements and diverse musical endeavors. He received his Bachelor
of Arts degree in piano from Western Washington University in 1982. His
areas of focus included piano, harpsichord, choral music and accompanying.
In 1985, Tim received his Master of Music in
Piano Performance from The University of Texas in Austin where he studied
piano performance and pedagogy.
After three years of teaching at Summerstar,
a private music school in Bellingham, Tim moved to San Francisco While
there, he conducted a male chorus entitled The Songbirds, worked
as Minister of Music at St. Bartholomew’s Church in San Mateo, received voice
training and studied choral conducting at San Francisco State University
where he also accompanied, coached private voice and taught singing classes.
Tim coached voice and taught piano privately, prepared singers for the
San Francisco Symphony Chorus, coached numerous vocal ensembles and performed
at Max’s Opera Café, a popular San Francisco restaurant
that featured opera, classical, jazz, Broadway and pop music.
In 1996, Tim was offered a position in
WWU’s music department as professional accompanist and worked there
until 1998. Since his return to Bellingham, he has established a private
teaching studio and worked as Director of Music with the Bellingham Unitarian
Fellowship.
In the summer of 2002, Tim completed a Master of Music
degree in Choral Conducting from WWU and has served there as adjunct
choral faculty, directing the University Women’s Chorale, Men’s Ensemble and
University Choir. In March 2006, he was hired to the position of Assistant
Professor of Choral Music/ Vocal Education. His choirs have toured Canada
and recently been featured at the Northwestern ACDA Division Convention.
Tim serves as ACDA R & S Chair for Men’s Music,
and is active as a choral and vocal adjudicator around the Northwest.
He is also founder and artistic director of the Bellingham Chamber Chorale,
established in 2003. |
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Joel Ulrich,
Music in Worship
 Joel Ulrich served as Choral Director/Music Dept. Chair at Bellevue Christian H.S., 1969-2008. He has also served as Choir Director and/or Organist at Crossroads Baptist Church, 1971-1977; Newport Covenant Church, 1979-1983; 1st Presbyterian Church, Bellevue, 1983-1989; Westminster Chapel, Bellevue, 1993-1995;1st Presbyterian Church, Snohomish, 1995-2002; 1st Covenant Church, Seattle, 2006-present. His choirs have done concert tours of all the western states/Canadian provinces as well as four European concert tours.
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Sacred Reading Lists at Summer Institute - 2008
Gary Cannon
Vicky Thomas |
Brian Mitchell, Senior High Choirs
 Brian Mitchell has been teaching choral music at Mark Morris High School in Longview since the fall of 1995. Currently, Mark Morris High School has four choirs: treble choir, jazz choir, beginning large mixed choir and an advanced chamber choir. He also co-directs the Columbian Choral Ensemble, a community choir. In 2002, Brian received his Master of Music Education and in 1995 he received his Bachelor of Music degree, both from Central Washington University.
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High School Reading List
Summer Institute - 2008
Bernie Crouse
Judy Filibeck |
Leora Schwitters, Treasurer
 Leora
Schwitters, who is also Vice-President, retired after 25 years in public education in 2006,
most of which was at the junior high level in Kent, WA. She holds
a B.M. from the Yankton College Conservatory of Music in South
Dakota and a M.A.T. from the University of Washington. She now
directs Rainier Youth Choirs. Active as a clinician and adjudicator,
Leora serves on the board of the Tahoma Chapter of NATS and has
presided over the Green River Music Region organization. She
and retired husband, Larry, are avid birders.
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Julie Whalen, Junior High/Middle School Choirs
Though c urrently on leave from teaching, Julie Whalen taught in the Puyallup School District, Puyallup, WA 1998-2009. She directed junior high choir all eleven years, in addition to spending five years as an elementary general music specialist, and leading a handful of junior high drama classes. She hosted two Valley Regions MS/JH Solo & Ensemble Contests, as well as co-conducted the Puyallup District Elementary Honor Choir spring of ‘99 and ‘01. Julie graduated PLU in 1994 (Vocal Performance), then attended the University of Montana, Missoula graduating in 1998 (Music Education, K-12 Music), and in 2002 she earned her Masters Degree title of Curriculum & Instruction in The Arts from Lesley University.
Presently, Julie is the Secretary and Repertoire & Standards Chair for JH/MS Music on the WA-ACDA Exec Board, and she also spends time singing in local semi-professional choirs. These days Julie is blessed to have been given the opportunity to be a full-time mom for her two young boys. And, though not currently teaching, Julie is passionate about teaching and sharing music with children. “I believe that it teaches them so much more than singing or playing an instrument. Learning the musical fine arts is a pathway to team collaboration, ownership of a product (of sound & being), pride in oneself, right and left-brain dexterity, sharing feelings, and learning to the ability to emote. Teaching music has been humbling and made me a better person. It has been a way for me to connect with students and people from varying backgrounds, find life-long friendships, and share a common voice with them.” |
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Sue Green,
Western Liaison
 Sue Lundy Green has been a K-12 vocal music specialist
for twenty years. She teaches at Meeker Middle School in Kent. Sue taught five years in elementary
music and choir at Jenkins Creek Elementary, also in the Kent School District. Prior to that
Sue previously directed secondary choirs for the Scappoose School District
in Oregon, headed the music program at Portland Public Schools’ performing
arts high school magnet program, and directed choirs in Banks and Roseburg,
Oregon.
She has a Masters of Music from the University of Arizona
and a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Willamette University. Sue
is currently the Western Liaison for Washington ACDA, and was the Membership
Chair for Oregon ACDA before moving to the Puget Sound area. She
is married to Jonathan and is the stepmother to two boys, Matthew & Joshua. |
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Howard
Meharg,
Webmaster
 Howard Meharg taught choral music in the schools of Castle
Rock, Kelso, and Longivew for 30 years. He retired from choral work at
Mark Morris High School, in Longivew, in 1995 and came back to Mark Morris
to head a program for at-risk ninth grade students for seven years.
He is still active as a choral conductor, directed music
at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Longview, and men's choir that sings
a monthly Compline service in the community.
Howard holds a Master's Degree in Music Education from
Western Washington University. His career includes two tours with the Norman
Luboff Choir. He is also the founder of Male Ensemble Northwest, a professional
ensemble made up of choral dirrectors from all across the northwest. He
retired from singing in the group in 2000. In 2009 Howard founded and continues to conduct "Chor Anno," (the annual choir) made up largely of choral professionals who direct choirs in the northwest.
He has served as president of WA-ACDA twice...in 1969
and then again in 1995-96. Under his leadership (with the able assistance
of a good many far-sighted board members) he helped start the Summer Institute.
Howard is webmaster for WA-ACDA, the NW division, Oregon, Alaska, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho ACDA. He also built and maintains the ACDA website for the state of Arkansas. He served as editor of the WA-ACDA newsletter, UNISON,
for about ten years. |
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Justin
Wisness, Multicultural
 Justin begins teaches at Puyallup's Rogers High School. He taught previously at Squalicum
High School in Bellingham. Justin graduated from Western Washington
University with a Bachelor of Music Education degree in 2003.
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Reading Sessions 2008 Summer Institute
Stacy Winn
Kurt McKee |
Jennifer Price, Children's Choirs
 Jennifer Price has been teaching music in public schools for 19 years. She has spent the past 11 years at Mountain Way Elementary in Granite Falls teaching general music and has a thriving elementary choral program. Previously, she taught high school and middle school choirs in New York. She has also had the pleasure of conducting several elementary honor choirs in New York and Washington.
Jenny received her Bachelor of Music degree from SUNY at Fredonia and her Master’s in Liberal Studies from SUNY at Stonybrook. Her Master’s thesis was on the performance of sacred music in the public school, which she has successfully defended to many principals throughout her career.
Jenny has sung with some of the finest choirs in America, including Voices of Ascension and the New York Choral Society, which performs regularly at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. She currently enjoys singing in all three choral ensembles of Seattle Pro Musica. She also serves on the board of the Seattle Children’s Chorus.
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Reading Sessions at 2008 Summer Institute
Oberfield
Windham
Price |
Ron Bayer,
Two-year College
 Ron is the director of choirs at Green River Community College, where
he is also fine arts division chair and teaches courses in theory and
appreciation. He also directs Rainier Chorale, a Kent based community
chorus.
Ron holds a B. A. from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, with K-12
certification in both instrumental and vocal music and a Master of Music
degree in choral music from the University of Illinois where he assisted
Harold Decker as rehearsal pianist. He has also pursued post graduate
work at Western Michigan University where he assisted Steve Zegree, studying
jazz and traditional choral music.
Following the lure of the mountains, he left the Midwest to teach
at Mt. Vernon High School, after successful teaching stints in
Wisconsin and Minnesota. He is currently in his fourteenth year
at the college.
Ron has served three terms on the WMEA board, most recently
as treasurer and was installed in the Washington State Music Teacher’s
Hall of Fame in 2004. An avid mountaineer is his off time, he also finds
time to relax at home and build furniture in his shop. |
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Giselle
Wyers, Youth and Student Activities
 Dr. Giselle Wyers is Assistant Professor of Choral Studies and Voice
at University of WAshington, where she where she conducts the University
Chorale and teaches courses in voice, undergraduate choral conducting,
graduate choral repertoire, and music methods. In 2008, University Chorale
will make its debut with Seattle Symphony in performances of the Genesis
Suite (Gerard Schwarz conducting) and a Pops concert directed by Marvin
Hamlisch.
Her research interests include Laban movement theory
for conductors, contemporary American composers, and the use of choral
music as a form of social activism. |
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Kristina
Ploeger,
Jazz Choirs
 Kristina Ploeger has been a part of the Spokane Arts
Community for eight years. She is currently a full-time Assistant Professor
at Eastern Washington University serving as the Music Education Coordinator
and the Director of Vocal Jazz and Concert Choir.
Kristina is also the
Artistic Director for the Spokane Area Children’s Chorus. As SACC’s Artistic
Director, her responsibilities include overseeing all music staff, choosing
repertoire and performance venues. She conducts Concert Ensemble and
Ensemble Choirs, and serves as the Theory Instructor at Saturday Academy.
Previously in Spokane, Kristina taught Choral Methods
at Gonzaga University and observed student teachers for Whitworth College
as well as teaching Middle School Choir at St. George’s School and High
School Choir at West Valley High School in the Spokane Valley.
Before moving to the Spokane area, she taught at Everett High School,
Ephrata High School, and AC Davis High School.
Kristina Master’s Degree is in Choral Conducting. For her Bachelor’s
Degree, she studied with Dr. Geoffery Boers and Dr. Patricia Bourne,
earning a Music Education degree. She is a member of ACDA, MENC, EWMEA, WMEA
and IAJE. Kristina has presented numerous
times for the state and all-northwest MENC/WMEA conventions as well as
the 2004 and 2007 WA-ACDA Summer Institutes. She is also proud to have
co-founded the EWU Jazz Dialogue Summer Camp with her husband, Rob Tapper.
A sought after clinician for many jazz and choral festivals, Kristina
enjoys being a part of the vibrant northwest choral community. Directing
Honor Choirs in the Tri-cities, Spokane area, and Boise, Idaho, has given
her the chance to work with a wonderful array of choristers. She has
performed jazz residencies at Amherst College, University of Massachusetts
Amherst, and Smith College. In 2005, Kristina Ploeger and Rob Tapper
were awarded the “Arts in Education Award” by the Spokane Arts Commission
of the City of Spokane. As a professional musician, Kristina performs
often in the Spokane area. |
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Barbara A. Tappa
 Barbara Tappa has been the Director of Choral Music at Joel E. Ferris High School in Spokane, Washington since 2007. Barbara has directed junior and senior high school choirs in Moses Lake and Woodinville, Washington; Anaheim, California; and Havelock, North Carolina. She taught elementary school in Oslo, Norway and elementary music in Spokane. Barbara has been a cantor and choir director at churches in the United States, Japan, and Norway.
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April Duvic, Community
 April Brookins Duvic is the Vocal Music Program Director at Clark College where she conducts the Concert Choir, Women's Choral Ensemble and co-directs the Clark College Chorale. She teaches courses in applied voice, music education, and music
appreciation. She is a two-time recipient of the Clark College Exceptional Faculty Award for educational excellence.
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Community Choirs Reading Session Summer Institute
2008
Solveig Holmquist
Richard Nance |
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sh Viles - Editor, UNISON