Register to attend the 2025 Michigan Music Conference today!

MSVMA Member: Educator   $110

MSVMA Member: Educator ONE DAY   $80

One-day registration for Friday, January 24 or Saturday, January 25

MSVMA Member: Full-Time University Student   $25

MSVMA Member: Retired   $55

Attendees may book lodging directly with the Amway, JW, and/or Courtyard using this online link.

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The 2025 Michigan Music Conference will feature Dr. Amanda Quist from Western Michigan University as the MSVMA headliner. Dr. Quist is the newly appointed Director of Choral Activities at WMU.  

Friday, January 24

10:30 AM - noon, JW Marriott Ballroom

Building Sound and Spirit

"Nothing can dim the light that shines from within - Maya Angelou"  Our voices illuminate what is inside our mind. The potential colors of a voice or group of voices carry expressive impact into singing and the choral rehearsal and performance. This immersive session will look at the intersection of the pedagogy and science of voice in a group setting, and the spiritual nature of collective singing. Topics will include group resonance, overtones, singer's formant, easy to use software, and vocal tips and tricks that will help build the choir's sound and spirit.

Friday, January 24

2 PM, JW Marriott Ballroom

Voicing and Seating the Choir

A session focused on methods for voicing choirs, and different options for inspiring your singers to feel engaged and comfortable as they find a space that allows their voice to shine within the group.

Saturday, January 25
10 AM, Amway Grand Plaza

We are the Choir

This session will include repertoire that builds on the previous sessions' concepts, with an emphasis on a diverse body of composers and pieces. We will sing pieces that aid us in teaching concepts of group singing, while honoring our singers' varying backgrounds and experiences.

Saturday, January 25

10 AM, Amway Grand Plaza

Q & Panel Session

                                                                                                         
Dr. Amanda Quist, Director of Choral Activities

Western Michigan University

Dr. Amanda Quist joined Western Michigan University’s Irving S. Gilmore School of Music as Director of Choral Activities beginning Fall 2024. A WMU alum and Michigan native, Dr. Quist comes to Western from the University of Miami, where she has served as Director of Choral Studies for the Frost School of Music for the past five years. Quist’s previous post was at Westminster Choir College, where she served as Chair of the Conducting, Organ, and Sacred Music Department. She is the recipient of Westminster Choir College’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the Mazzotti Award for Women’s Leadership, and she was named the Carol F. Spinelli Conducting Fellow. Prior to her tenure at Westminster, Dr. Quist was Director of Choral Activities at San José State University, and taught high school and middle school music in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education and MM in Choral Conducting from WMU, and earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of North Texas, and Doctoral Cognate in Voice Pedagogy and Science.

The New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and New York Classical Review have described Amanda Quist’s work as “transformative,” “beautifully prepared, gripping,” “bridging the vocal and instrumental textures with perfect intonation,” and “leaving the audience breathless.” Dr. Quist has collaborated in choral preparations with the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, New World Symphony, Palm Beach Symphony, Dresden Staatskapelle, and the Spoleto Festival. Her early music ensemble, Westminster Kantorei, won first place in the 2018 American Prize for Choral Performance. Under Quist’s direction, Kantorei was invited to perform at the American Choral Directors Association’s (ACDA) Eastern Division Conference, Boston Early Music Festival, American Handel Festival, and Interkultur, and released its first commercial recording in 2017, Lumina, distributed by Naxos. Quist’s other honors include the James Mulholland National Choral Award and the Audrey Davidson Early Music Award. Quist was invited to serve as a clinician in Indonesia, Australia, and to participate in the International Exchange Program in South Africa through the American Choral Directors Association.

Quist frequently serves as a guest conductor, and upcoming engagements include the Texas All State TTBB Honor Choir, headlining the Voices United Conference for the American Choral Directors Association, New Mexico SATB Honor Choir, headlining the Michigan School Vocal Music Conference, and guest conducting professional choir Seraphic Fire. A professional member of the GRAMMY recording academy, Dr. Quist recently served on the Choral GRAMMY Screening Committee for the 64th awards ceremony. Her research is published in the Choral Journal, Lexington Books, and GIA Publications. Her choral compositions are published by Walton Music and GIA. Dr. Quist serves as the editor for the Amanda Quist Choral Series, one with Walton Music, and with Gentry Publications.

Pre Conference Opportunities - Thursday, January 23

MSVMA Choral Conducting Symposium

Dr. Amon Eady

Director of Choral Activities, Central Michigan University

9 AM – 11 AM

Additional fee for this session; fee does not include lunch

$40 - Conducting Member; $20 - Observer Member

20-minute sessions with six participant conductors, focusing on conducting and rehearsal technique. This pre-conference event will allow participants to conduct traditional choral repertoire with a featured rehearsal ensemble, and receive live feedback and instruction from a guest clinician. Teachers have the opportunity to apply as either a Conductor or as an Observer (reduced fee). College students may apply as an Observer. Both new and experienced choral conductors can benefit from observing or conducting.

MSVMA Collegiate Networking Sessions

4 PM - 7 PM in the Imperial Ballroom

There are three interest sessions being offered on Thursday. These sessions are open to anyone and there is no additional charge to attend. Collegiate members as well as professionals who are just getting started in their education career are encouraged to attend.

4 PM - MSVMA Partner Program Meet and Greet - Sarah Stockton

5 PM - Organize to Energize: Building Your Student Organization from the Ground Up - Claire Gilling and Lauren Geates, CMU

6 PM - I Survived My First Year of Teaching - Alex Cross, Hopkins Public Schools

MSVMA Adjudication Conference

8 AM - 1 PM in the Imperial Ballroom

You may register for this event here.

4.25 SCECHS are available for this Conference.

If you have considered being an adjudicator for MSVMA, plan to attend the Adjudication Conference on Thursday, January 23 in the Imperial Ballroom. Virginia Kerwin will be the choral adjudication clinician and Jolene Plotzke will be serving as the sight-reading clinician. If you are a new teacher, you are welcome to attend as well. Attending the Adjudication Conference is a great way to learn about the process and educational goals of the festival experience. 

For more information, please contact Kelli Falls at kellifalls@msvma.org.

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General Conference Sessions & Performances

In addition to educational sessions we will also have musical performances from our 6-7-8-9, high school traditional and Jazz Honors Choirs, Choral Hour is back on Friday and time to gather as we celebrate the members of MSVMA with election results, 2025 MSVMA Teacher of the Year and social time to get together with friends and colleagues at the Friday evening Annual Meeting and Reception.

Thursday, January 23

2 PM - 6789 Honors Choir Performance

DeVos Performance Hall

Julie Rogers Davis, Director, SA Choir

Kent Wattleworth, Director, TTB Choir

Jessica Nieuwkoop, Director, SSA Choir

Friday, January 24

3 PM - Choral Hour

JW Marriott International Ballroom

Plainwell Middle School, Honors Choir, Rachel Quillan, Director

Caledonia High School, Choralaires, Kara Stevens, Director

Walled Lake Northern High School, Bel Canto, Ashley Ward, Director

H. H. Dow High School, Chamber Singers, Adam Gardner-Northrup, Director

Saturday, January 25

1 PM - Specialized and Jazz Choral Hour

JW Marriott International Ballroom

Walled Lake Northern High School, Truman Columbus, Musical Theatre Intensive Soloist

Detroit Country Day School, Dale Mylod, Musical Theatre Intensive Soloist

Forest Hills Northern Singers, Michael Wheaton, Director

Dundee Descants, Megan Sinclair, Director

All-State Jazz Honors Choir, Dr. Jeremy Fox, Director

3 PM - High School Honors Choir Performance

DeVos Performance Hall

 Eric Reyes, Director, SSAA Choir

Steven Lorenz, Director, TTBB Choir

 Erin Colwitz, Director, SATB Choir