Faculty and Administration

Elisabeth Baker (Uniting Voices Chicago alumna) was born and raised in Chicago and is currently the conductor of the Rogers Park Neighborhood Choir and various In-School Choirs of Uniting Voices Chicago. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from New York University and a Masters of Music in Music Education from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey.

Ms. Baker taught in the New York City public schools for several years as an elementary and middle school choral and general music teacher. Her choirs received Gold ratings at the New York State School Music Association Festival, and for three consecutive years placed first at Hershey Park’s Music in the Parks competition, where her choir received superior and excellent ratings.

While at Westminster Choir College, Ms. Baker was the conducting assistant for Williamson Voices, under the direction of Dr. James Jordan. The choir has performed numerous concerts in New York City, as well as abroad at the Conducting Institute at Oxford, and is featured on several critically acclaimed albums.

Ms. Baker is an avid choral performer, and has performed with world-renowned orchestras and choirs including the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, and Berlin Philharmonic.

Elisabeth is a proud alumna of the Uniting Voices Chicago and enjoys exploring the city with friends and family.

Born and raised in St. Charles, IL, Dewey Bolz is excited to share his background in Voice, Percussion, Jazz, Drama, and Arranging with the Uniting Voices Chicago community.

During his participation with musical ensembles in St. Charles, Dewey was presented with incredible musical opportunities such as performing at Carnegie Hall, Jazz Education Network (JEN) in Louisville, KY, and singing overseas in Ireland. Throughout many theater productions and other performances, Dewey developed a deep love for music and passion for education.

Dewey received a Bachelor of Music Education from Western Michigan University. There, he was a member of the internationally acclaimed vocal jazz ensemble, “Gold Company”, and several other vocal ensembles. After graduating, he briefly taught Choir and Drama in Michigan.

Dewey strongly believes that music is an essential part of a student’s social and emotional development, and enjoys collaborating with students and parents to facilitate a safe and nurturing learning environment.

Choral conductor, baritone, and producer Alex Bravos draws from their instrumental and vocal experience to discover new ways of teaching in an ever-evolving landscape. Alex is a small business owner, co-operating the Bravostudio with dedication to fostering a vibrant and inclusive musical environment for all types of learners.

Along with being a recording artist with original music on platforms including Spotify and Apple Music, Alex has made frequent appearances at Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Center and Lincoln Hall. They have also performed in revolutionary spaces such as Santiago, Chile, and Prague, Czech Republic. Alex believes that artistic integrity, coupled with a commitment to excellence and continued learning, creates champions in the vocal space.

Being the youngest in a musical Greek-American family, Alex was immersed in music education from a young age through lessons and rehearsal but also through cultural education. Between dancing traditional Greek dance, singing Byzantine hymn and chant, and leading dialogue around the value of arts and music in Ancient Greek societies, Alex has found themself at a unique approach to music education.

Alex received a Bachelor of Music from Millikin University in Decatur, IL. There, Alex was instrumental in founding student-lead vocal ensembles, college chapters of professional organizations and organizing peers before graduating and teaching in Park Ridge, IL, having worked to secure National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence status at St Paul of the Cross.

Alex believes strongly in the power of diversity as a driving force for our youth, with music and the arts as the ultimate vehicle. They know that music has the power to spark joy, innovation and curiosity and that through music, we find a deeper embrace toward humanity and to our shared world.

Born and raised in Auburn, AL, Farlanda Buchannon found his love for the arts through vast choral experiences and the harmonious melodies of Southern gospel music in church. Growing up, he had exposure to various performance venues, most notably the Grand Ole Opry, as a singer/dancer in his high school show choir, Auburn Varsity Singers. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Music with a concentration in Vocal Performance. For the last four years, Farlanda has traveled throughout the southern United States and beyond as a choreographer and vocal coach for several middle and high school show choirs.

In addition to his conductor commitments, Farlanda serves as the in-house choreographer for Uniting Voices Chicago. He believes that teaching students from different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds through diverse choral literature builds community and facilitates creativity. He also believes his identity as an African-American male plays an important role in his work as an educator.

Outside of Uniting Voices Chicago, Farlanda enjoys traveling and exploring the city of Chicago. He loves taking dance classes and spending time choreographing for the many show choir ensembles he instructs.

George “Geo” Cooper is a world-class pianist and composer who has recorded for both the Polygram and Capitol Records labels. His professional credits include Little Richard, the Isley Brothers, Peabo Bryson, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan and the S.O.S. Band. He has performed in venues around the globe including Tokyo, Singapore, Milan, Monte Carlo and Cannes. He studied at the Chicago Conservatory with Faygon Teverbaugh and at Fisk University with Matthew Kennedy, where he was a member of the world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers. Since returning to his native Chicago, Cooper has served as music chairperson for Marshall Metro High School, as Assistant Minister of Music for his home church St. Mark A.M.E. Zion and founded the Ella Sheppard School of Music. He is presently the Minister of Music at The Congregational Church of Park Manor and a conductor/accompanist for Uniting Voices Chicago, formerly Chicago Children’s Choir.

Choral conductor, singer and music educator from the Dominican Republic, Magdalena Delgado currently serves as the conductor of the Hyde Park Neighborhood Choir as well as an In-School Choir.

Prior to her move to Chicago, Magdalena served as Artistic Director of the children and youth choir, Voces del Mar, based in Veracruz, Mexico, and was the Founder and Artistic Director of Audimus, a professional chamber ensemble based in Xalapa, Mexico. While in Mexico, she also worked as an adjunct faculty member on the choral and voice faculties of Instituto Superior de Música Esperanza Azteca and the Centro de Estudios de Jazz of the Universidad Veracruzana (JazzUV), where she taught voice and voice techniques classes, courses in choral literature and conducted the preparatory vocal jazz ensemble.

In 2014, Magdalena earned her Master of Music in Choral Conducting, with distinction, from Westminster Choir College where she studied with Drs. Joe Miller, James Jordan and Amanda Quist. During her master’s studies, she served as Assistant Conductor of the Westminster Chapel Choir, was an integral member of the Westminster Symphonic Choir and served as a section leader for the world-renown Westminster Choir. While at Westminster, she performed on tours throughout the U.S., and alongside some of the greatest orchestras in the world under the direction of conductors of the highest stature. Prior to her master’s studies, Magdalena studied vocal performance at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and has served as a guest conductor for choirs of all ages throughout the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Magdalena received her bachelor’s degree in music education from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo where she graduated magna cum laude.

As a native of Santo Domingo, Magdalena began her musical study at age five where she studied piano, recorder and most importantly was a member of the children’s choir at her area music school, which served as her initial inspiration for her career path. Magdalena’s unique background and experiences inspires Uniting Voices Chicago singers.

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, John Goodwin holds degrees in piano performance from Birmingham-Southern College and Northwestern University. He has been a featured soloist with the Alabama, Shreveport, Beloit-Janesville, and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra, and the Northbrook and Park Ridge Civic Orchestras. Mr. Goodwin was a featured performer in five productions of the widely acclaimed multimedia series Beyond the Score with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. A versatile artist, interested in all aspects of piano playing, he has performed with such diverse artists as William Warfield, Joshua Bell, Kurt Elling, and Bobby McFerrin. Mr. Goodwin can regularly be heard in performance both as soloist and collaborator throughout Chicago and beyond, and has performed in such prestigious venues as Orchestra Hall (on piano, fortepiano, and organ!), Preston Bradley Hall, Ganz Hall, The Ravinia Festival, The Kennedy Center, and Carnegie Hall, as well as the great concert halls of South America, Europe and Asia. On most weeknights, Mr. Goodwin can be heard on public radio stations across the country playing the opening theme music for Bill McGlaughlin’s popular program Exploring Music.

Mr. Goodwin was a collaborative pianist for the Steans Institute Program for Singers at the Ravinia Festival, exploring the art of the Art Song with world-renowned singers and pianists. He was on the faculty of Northwestern University, coaching and performing a wide variety of choral, instrumental and vocal repertoire with students and faculty alike. He has also been a featured performer at the national conventions of the American Choral Directors’ Association, Chorus America, the International Double Reed Society, and the National Flute Association, where he collaborated on the world premiere of Jean Francaix's Flute Sonata. Mr. Goodwin is currently a pianist for the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Principal Pianist/Conductor in Residence of Uniting Voices Chicago, and pianist for the Roosevelt University Conservatory Chorus.

In 2016, he appeared with the Northbrook Symphony, conducted by Lawrence Rapchak, performing the world live premiere of the Christmas Piano Concertos of George Greeley, the great Hollywood pianist/ composer/arranger of the 1950s and 60s — a concert that was repeated in 2018 by overwhelmingly popular demand. His most recent solo recital in April 2019 featured piano works by composers who blurred the line between Classical, Popular, and Jazz styles, and in November 2019, he performed an all-Beethoven concert, featuring the Moonlight Sonata, the Clarinet Trio, and the Choral Fantasy. Throughout 2020 he taught Music History and Theory virtually for Uniting Voices Chicago, and in June 2021 was thrilled to perform for live audiences again at the Midsummer’s Music Chamber Music Festival in Door County, Wisconsin. Begun during lockdown, Mr. Goodwin continues to record a wide variety of music from home, from Bach’s complete Well-Tempered Clavier, to original compositions for piano, all of which will soon be available on all streaming platforms.

A native of Michigan’s upper peninsula, Stephanie is a passionate music educator, conductor, and lyricist with nearly a decade of experience teaching music in Chicago. She is currently pursuing a PhD in music education at Northwestern University. Her academic interests include gender and sexuality in music education, world music pedagogy, and identity development in group music making. Stephanie is the host and producer of the interview-based podcast Music Education, Genderally Speaking, discussing topics of gender and sexuality with innovative music educators and scholars in the field. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education and creative writing from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree in music education from Northwestern University.

Stephanie is an avid proponent of life-long learning and singing as a tool for social justice. She has traveled multiple years as a singer with the international ensemble Village Harmony to Cape Town and Polokwane, South Africa, learning musical traditions and political history from master teachers in both regions. She co-authored an article on cross-cultural engagement in choral music for social justice in The American Choral Directors Association’s Choral Journal (October 2018).

As a lyricist, Stephanie has been commissioned to write for composers across the Midwest and East Coast. Her poetic composition, Home, with music composed by Sam Al-Hadid, was featured at the 2016 National American Choral Directors Association Conference by Western Michigan University’s Cantus Femina women’s ensemble. Her lyrics have also been presented by the Gettysburg Children’s Choir and the 2018 Connecticut State Middle School Honors Choir.

Prior to her graduate studies, Stephanie served for five years as a conductor with Uniting Voices Chicago, directing the neighborhood choir program in Hyde Park as well as many in-school choirs throughout the city. She is excited to be back with the choir, conducting Prelude and in-school programs!

In her 23rd year on staff with Uniting Voices Chicago, Judy Hanson collaborates with the President to create the artistic vision for the overall organization and co-directs the world-renowned Voice of Chicago. She serves as stage director and one of the choreographers, and co-directs select ensembles within this group including Groove, which she developed to perform more difficult choreography. In 2006, Ms. Hanson received a Jeff Award nomination (Choral Choreography) for Uniting Voices Chicago's original world musical, Sita Ram. In addition to her work with Voice of Chicago and the organization’s artistic initiatives, Ms. Hanson works her magic with all of the choir's singers in special Uniting Voices Chicago events such as the Black History Month Concert Series and Paint the Town Red.

With over 35 years of experience working with middle school singers, Ms. Hanson is a master teacher at this level. At Uniting Voices Chicago, she formulated the model for the ensemble Dimension, which is a group that specifically guides singers with voices that are transitioning to the lower register. Due to Ms. Hanson’s expertise in this area, she has presented many sessions at colleges and universities on the topic of middle school choral music.

A nationally known clinician, adjudicator and conductor, Ms. Hanson has conducted middle school and high school honor choirs throughout the United States at American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) individual chapters and division conventions, choral festivals and at Illinois Summer Youth Music (ISYM). She has judged many national show choir competitions and has been a clinician at Show Choir Camps of America for 29 years.

Ms. Hanson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois and a Master of Music degree in Music Education from Northwestern University. In 1993, Ms. Hanson received the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching—an award given each year to 10 outstanding Chicago area teachers. From 1985 through 2001, Ms. Hanson was the Director of Vocal Music at Eisenhower Junior High School in Darien, IL, where she was the conductor for six choirs and produced eight musicals. Eisenhower choirs performed at the 1996 Illinois ACDA Fall Convention, at Walt Disney World Resort, and were selected on three separate occasions for the Chicago production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, starring Donny Osmond.

Gavin Harper is thrilled to be a part of the Uniting Voices Chicago team! Gavin comes with over a decade of music directing and conducting experience. Gavin is an active musician, performer, and educator. Born and raised in Chesapeake, VA, Gavin recently made the big move to Chicago in 2022. Gavin holds a Bachelors of Arts in Vocal Music from the University of Valley Forge and a Masters in Music Education with a focus in conducting from Old Dominion University. Gavin was the Assistant Director for the ODU Choirs, organizing tours and managing daily operations, while also conducting and training the singers.

Gavin taught elementary music for four years producing and writing multiple original musicals for the students. He has a strong background in arts administration and worked as the Creative Director at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts in Suffolk, VA. He oversaw the theatrical productions, the educational programs, and the art gallery exhibits. He worked through the pandemic and pioneered the virtual programs throughout the shutdown creating a virtual performance season reaching over 20,000 people, and 120 arts educational videos for students in the community. He also founded and directed the Suffolk Children's Chorus before the pandemic and produced a virtual choir performance during the shut down.

Gavin is a professional vocalist who has performed in numerous places, including Carnegie Hall (NYC), Washington Cathedral (Washington, DC), St. Mark’s Basilica (Venice, Italy) and the Wells Cathedral (Wells, England). When not singing classical repertoire, Gavin enjoys being on stage and has over a dozen musical theater credits to his resume. He also enjoys being behind the scenes and has been the vocal director for multiple musicals. Gavin's goal in life is to present opportunities for everyone to experience the arts and believes that when people come together to sing, hearts are uplifted, connections are built, and lives are changed.

Bailey Haynes (Uniting Voices Chicago alum) is a Chicago native and current conductor of the Beverly Neighborhood Choir and School Programs through Uniting Voices Chicago. Haynes found her love for music at a young age from her experiences of hearing and singing music in church and from listening to different Jazz Bands throughout the city of Chicago.

Haynes received her B.S. in Music Education from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) where she was provided numerous performing opportunities as a member of the FAMU Concert Choir, Jazz Band, and the FAMU Connection. Upon completing her degree at FAMU, Haynes became a member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Following the completion of her degree at FAMU, Haynes received her Masters in Music Education from the University of Louisville.

Over the years, Haynes has become increasingly aware of the lack of resources and arts education opportunities in many communities. Because of the experiences provided to her through music, Haynes has decided to pursue a career in music education so that she can provide students with the same rich multicultural musical opportunities she received. Her goal, through music, is to assist with increasing the students' awareness of their responsibilities as global citizens and effective leaders.

“Music is more than notes on a page. Through the breadth of our programming, our children are learning diverse social codes and through their voices are able to bring cultures together. Uniting Voices Chicago helps our singers become cultural diplomats and world citizens in our global society.”

- Josephine Lee

Emmy-winning and Grammy-nominated conductor, pianist, singer, producer and non-profit leader Josephine Lee has made a widespread impact in the fields of music and education through an array of engagements across the globe. Ms. Lee has worked with a sterling roster of international artists and currently serves as President of Uniting Voices (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir), a nonprofit organization that empowers and unites 3000+ diverse youth annually to find their voice and celebrate their common humanity through the power of music.

Through her vision for Uniting Voices, Ms. Lee has doubled the number of students served, tripled the organization’s budget and established Uniting Voices Chicago as one of the city’s premier civic and cultural institutions, creating a performance-based learning experience built around innovative creative partnerships. Lee led Uniting Voices Chicago singers in performances of Carmina Burana with Choral Arts Society at the Kennedy Center; recordings of James Lee III’s Pitch In with Pacifica Quartet and Stacy Garrop’s Terra Nostra with classical label Cedille Records; Colombian pop superstar Karol G on Saturday Night Live and at Lollapalooza (2023); with Peter CottonTale on the viral work Together in Google’s Year in Search video (2020) and on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (2021); PBS Great Performances national broadcast of Bernstein’s Mass with Ravinia Festival (2020); with Bobby McFerrin & The SpiritYouAll Band at Ravinia Festival (2019); recording of Chance the Rapper’s debut studio album The Big Day (2019) and Grammy Award-winning Coloring Book (2016); the world premiere of a hip hop version of Homer’s Odyssey Long Way Home (2018); the original world musical Sita Ram with Lookingglass Theatre (2003, 2006, 2012); and performances with Yo Yo Ma, Luciano Pavarotti, Solange, Al Green, Eddie Vedder, Wyclef Jean, Buddy Guy, the Eagles, Andrea Bocelli, and more. Uniting Voices recently released Ms. Lee’s groundbreaking composition, Multiverse, across all streaming platforms. For over two decades, Ms. Lee has prepared Uniting Voices Chicago ensembles to serve as the youth ensemble for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, among other cultural cornerstones. Ms. Lee uses music as a tool for cultural diplomacy; Uniting Voices was the first non-Korean civilian group to be granted permission to enter the Yeolsei Observation Platform in the Korean Demilitarized Zone. In recognition of her leadership, Ms. Lee received the Kennedy Center’s National Committee for the Performing Arts Award for Arts Advocacy, the Roman Nomitch Fellowship to attend the Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program, the Jesse L. Rosenberger Medal from the University of Chicago, the 3Arts Artist Award from MacArthur Foundation, and other esteemed awards.

As an independent artist, Lee delivered a “sensuous and bluesy” performance (The New York Times) in Pulitzer Prize finalist Ted Hearne’s Place at its Brooklyn Academy of Music world premiere, as well as performances with the LA Philharmonic and Festival Musica in Strasbourg. As a composer, she was commissioned for a suite for piano and cello, Ascension, and a piece for piano, The Good Goodbyes. Ms. Lee has conducted the National Philharmonic at Strathmore with Grammy Award-winning artist Lisa Fischer and her band Grand Baton, Choral Arts Symphonic Chorus and Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, Chicago Sinfonietta, Oregon Symphony, Grant Park Orchestra, Sphinx Virtuosi, Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Lonnie Norwood, Jr. grew up with an unquenchable passion for music and community service. He knew early on that both would be integral parts of his life's work. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Luther College where he studied under the late world-renowned conductor, Weston Noble. He went on to earn a Master of Music degree with an emphasis in Voice from Florida State University. Upon completion, Lonnie taught K-12 music in schools in Leon County (Tallahassee) and the Chicago area, including both public and private schools. He has enjoyed career highlights working as a versatile singer and arranger alongside such artists as Lizz Wright, Nona Hendryx, Nadine McKinnor, Lemmie Battles, Audrey DuBois Harris, Felicia Coleman-Evans, Sunn m’Cheaux, 79rs Gang, Ricky Dillard, Sweet Honey in the Rock, and a host of Chicago local artists.

Lonnie joined the artistic staff at Uniting Voices Chicago, formerly Chicago Children’s Choir, as a conductor in 2012 and opened its vivacious Englewood Neighborhood Choir (2013). His ensemble has performed for live television and radio broadcasts, at numerous city venues including the Chicago Symphony Center and The McCormick Convention Center, and has completed four national choir tours, including Puerto Rico learning and performing Bomba y Plena with the famous Ayala Family of Loíza. Additionally, Lonnie serves as Director of Africana Studies and conductor of the Lincoln Park/DePaul Neighborhood Choir at Uniting Voices.

Lonnie is a sought-after expert in traditional African American sacred music, educating educators and ensembles on its historical significance, vocal techniques, and the Black liberation aspects within the extensive musical repertoire. Norwood holds workshops frequently with high schools, colleges and universities, and community choirs. He has lectured for various ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) branches and universities, including Harvard University, Temple University, and Indiana University. Lonnie collaborates frequently as a clinician and singer with the international organization Village Harmony, including two tours to South Africa. He co-conducts the Chicago World Music Chorus with Mollie Stone and Patty Cuyler and was elected president of the Village Harmony Board for 2024-25. Other educational outreach efforts include exchanges in Nassau, The Bahamas with members of the Bahamas National Youth Choir and Bahamian musicians, Victory Vocals of Accra, Ghana, various choral directors and vocalists in Trinidad and Tobago, Nigerian diasporan musicians, and SongRoots (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada). He has also authored articles along these lines of interest, including co-authoring a piece for the American Choral Directors Association’s Choral Journal (October 2018).

Lonnie's 1st EP entitled ROOTED, a collection of songs tracing the spiritual, musical, and emotional journey of Trans-Atlantic African ancestry, was released in August 2021. He was honored by the Chicago Reader as the Best Music Teacher in Chicago for 2022. In 2024, Lonnie joined the Holtschneider School of Music at DePaul University as the Concert Choir conductor. Learn more about Lonnie and his music at lonnienorwood.com.

Mitchell Owens (Uniting Voices Chicago alum) is a composer, arranger, singer and instrumentalist. Beginning as a drummer at the age of two, his musical gifts were later nurtured by 10 years in Chicago Children’s Choir under the direction and mentorship of Josephine Lee. Owens studied percussion formally with Patricia Dash of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Douglas Waddell of the Lyric Opera Orchestra as part of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Percussion Scholarship Program and studied piano at DePaul University with Regina Serkin.

At the age of 16, Owens was commissioned by Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) to compose a piece for its 50th Anniversary season, resulting in “We Need a Word,” inspired by Mitchell’s own life experiences and his understanding of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Owens went on to write and arrange for the organization as its Composer In Residence, including arranging the score for the original world musical Sita Ram, which saw three sell-out performances at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in 2012.

Over the past few years, Mitchell has assumed the roles of producer, composer, writer and conductor, and has worked with artists such as Chris Brown, Rockie Fresh, Jason DeRulo, Ciara, TGT (Tyrese, Ginuwine, Tank), Lil’ Dicky, Trevor Jackson, Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment feat. Chance The Rapper, and many more. He has also worked on two film scores and is a co-composer with Grammy Award-winning Justin Timberlake on “The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.”

Mitchell’s compositions embrace a variety of musical styles and mediums, with a passion for ensuring that musicians of all cultural backgrounds are free to express their own culture in their music. He wants his music to be universal. As Composer In Residence for Uniting Voices Chicago, Mitchell is excited and honored to contribute to the organization that has played such a pivotal role in his musical development.

Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, Veronica has been passionately inspiring young middle school voices to step into their greatness through her energetic and compassionate principles of choral instruction. Veronica draws from her Puerto Rican and Mexican American heritage to guide her use of inclusive teaching strategies and the study and performance of music representing diverse cultures and identities.

Throughout Veronica’s fifteen year tenure in Indian Prairie School District 204, she had the opportunity to work in the communities of Aurora and Naperville as a middle school choral director at Still Middle School and Fischer Middle School. Veronica has contributed to many workshops and training sessions on topics including choral curriculum writing, equity in education and diversifying teaching strategies in education.

Heather Stewart directs the West Town and Garfield Park/Off The Street Club Neighborhood Choirs as well as School Program choirs for Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir). She also serves as chair of the Social-Emotional Learning Committee for the organization.

Prior to joining the faculty in 2018, Heather pursued many formative roles as an educator and musician in diverse schools and cities across the country. She taught general music, bands, choirs, and gained extensive experience working as an autism therapist and teacher in special education classrooms. One of Heather’s most treasured roles was that of director of the Academy of Music and Arts for Special Education (“AMASE”) Community Choir during her time at Northwestern University.

Throughout her many experiences, Heather found her distinct love for choral music education and became a decorated conductor, having coached her choirs to many highest-rated, “Superior” level performances at state and regional competitions across Texas. Heather has performed with esteemed ensembles such as the Isthmus Vocal Ensemble, and Madison Chamber Choir (WI), and the Alexandria Choral Society and Alexandria Symphony Chorus (VA). She studied choral conducting with Dr. Bruce Gladstone and Grammy Award-winning choral conductor Dr. Donald Nally. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Education degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Masters of Music Education from Northwestern University.

Heather believes that everyone has the potential to inspire and change lives through singing. Not only is Heather passionate about empowering singers through voice science education, but she is also passionate about addressing social justice through music and culturally responsive pedagogy.

Conductor Daniel Wallenberg has been with Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) since 1993 and has worked with the In-School Choir Program and the after school programs for the Humboldt Park Neighborhood Choir. Mr. Wallenberg has also worked with the Uniting Voices Chicago’s world-renowned Concert Choir (now Voice of Chicago) with whom he toured Ukraine and the United States.

Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Mr. Wallenberg earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Choral Conducting from the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem and Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. In Israel, Mr. Wallenberg founded several adult and children’s choirs and sang with the Cameran Singers, a professional choir in Tel Aviv. He has extensive experience conducting collegiate, community, professional and children’s choral groups throughout the world and has many choral arrangements to his name. Mr. Wallenberg is also an amateur cellist and is an avid chamber music player.

Mr. Wallenberg is the conductor of the Music Institute Chorale, affiliated with the Music Institute of Chicago. Mr. Wallenberg is the director of the junior and adult choirs at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation and was the founder and artistic director of “Zemer Am,” the Chicago Jewish Choral Festival.

Amanda is a proud native Chicagoan who grew up on the north side in the Mayfair neighborhood. She began her music career at a young age, starting with violin at age 7 followed quickly by piano. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL and went on to receive her Masters in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood.

Amanda began her work as a music educator in grad school, teaching private voice lessons for the VanderCook Community Music Program to students of all ages. In 2009, she joined the teaching staff at Merit School of Music where she has taught group piano and choir to children age 5-18, and several years of Merit’s Summer Voice Camp, leading musical theatre and pop music classes. In 2011, she was fortunate to also become part of the wonderful choral family at Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir), as a part-time conductor for the In-School Program, grades 3-8.

In addition to teaching, Amanda maintains a rigorous performance career. Between 2000 and 2005 she performed extensively in Chicago’s storefront musical theatre scene, and participated in three USO tours, singing and dancing for overseas troops throughout the Mediterranean. In 2006, Amanda became the female vocalist with the Alan Gresik Swing Shift Orchestra, a 14-piece big band with whom she performs weekly at Chicago’s famous jazz club, The Green Mill Lounge. Amanda also joined Chicago swing band, the Flat Cats, as lead vocalist in 2008, performing biweekly at downtown Chicago’s Drake Hotel. With both these groups and a host of others she has appeared at countless events and venues, including the Taste of Chicago, Chicago SummerDance, Chicago Humanities Fest, WGN TV & WGN Radio, Andy’s Jazz Club, the Jazz Showcase, and Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing in NY.

Outside of music, Amanda has a love of cooking, nature, and yoga. She received her Yoga Teacher certification in 2015 from Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, MA, which also led her to the study of kirtan, a musical tradition based on ancient chants, having roots in India. She has taught yoga to both adults and within school programs, and loves incorporating pranayama (yogic breathing) into her choir rehearsals. She is so happy and eternally grateful that she gets to share her greatest passions with the next generations of young people throughout this amazing city.