Melissa Ai-Ling Walsh, a native of Toledo, Ohio, is the Director of Choirs and Musical Theater Productions at Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis where she has been teaching since 2005. Her responsibilities at PMHS have included instructing courses in piano, music theory and composition, Early College music history, and choir. In the 2014-2015 school year, she was selected as the PMHS Teacher of the Year. For the past seventeen years, she has directed the PMHS choirs and has been the stage and vocal director for the school musicals. Among other achievements under her direction, PMHS choirs have on multiple occasions been ISSMA State Finalists in the categories of Univoiced Concert Choir, Mixed Concert Choir, and Vocal Jazz. Walsh has also freelanced as a violinist and vocalist, directed with community…
Amy Branahl is the Director of Choral Activities at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. There, she is an adviser, Choral Director, Music Director of the Frosh-Soph Musical Workshop, and the co-teacher for the Choir-Opera Musical. Mrs. Branahl is the President of the Illinois American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). She graduated from the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) with a BME(Voice/Piano) and MME (emphasis in choral conducting) degrees in Choral Music Education. She also graduated with a master's degree from Northeastern Illinois University for her Principal Licensure Degree. Mrs. Branahl also serves as the Varsity Girls’ badmiNTon Assistant Coach. Amy and her supportive husband Jared have three wonderful and hardworking boys. Mrs. Branahl is active in the community. She is a member of these organizations: ACDA, ILMEA, Jazz Education Network…
Thomas Blue retired from teaching public school choral music 6-12 after 34 years. He has continued his passion by teaching elementary music part-time at Oakland Christian School bringing the joy of music and singing to the K-5 students the past 4 years. The choirs in which Mr. Blue conducted consistently received the highest ratings at both District and State Choral Festivals. Mr. Blue has a B.S in Music Education from Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York, a M.M. in Music Education with a choral cognate from Michigan State University and completed coursework on a Ph. D. in Music Education with a cognate in choral conducting. Mr. Blue is a Michigan School Vocal Music Association Emeritus Member and is the President of the American Choral Directors Association, Michigan Chapter. He…
Dr. Dara Gillis is Director Emeritus of the Delaware Hayes Choral Program and the director of both Consort and Cantabile ensembles at Capital University. She received her undergraduate and master’s degrees in music education from Ohio University and her Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from Ohio State University. Her article, “African American Spirituals in the Public School Classroom: Our Most Powerful Weapon Against Racism” was published in the October 2021 edition of the Choral Journal and was excerpted from her dissertation on the same subject. During Dr. Gillis’s tenure with the Delaware City Schools, the choral ensembles at Hayes High School received consistent superior ratings at both district and state adjudicated events and performed at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Dr. Gillis is an active…
