Mizzou High School Choral and Vocal Festival
Mizzou High School Choral & Vocal Festival
Monday, Sept. 28, 2026
The Mizzou Choral and Vocal Departments are excited to host the 2026 High School Choral & Vocal Festival at the Sinquefield Music Center and Missouri Theatre. Students experience high-quality leadership from guest clinicians, exciting and informative voice masterclasses with voice faculty, and choral performances by Mizzou choirs.
8:15-8:45 a.m.: Check-in/Registration at Missouri United Methodist Church
8:55 a.m.: Mizzou School of Music Welcome and Guest Introduction
Dr. Brian Silvey, Director, Mizzou School of Music
Dr. Austin Norrid, Asst. Professor of Choral Music Education
9–9:10 a.m.: Choral Warm-Ups
9:15–10 a.m.: Sectionals & Teacher Session
Soprano & Altos (MUMC), Tenors & Bass (Chapel)
Workshop Session with Dr. Jamie Hillman (Choir Room)
10:05–11:40 a.m.: Festival Choir Rehearsal
Dr. Jamie Hillman, guest conductor
Dr. Rachel AuBuchon, collaborative pianist
11:40–11:45 a.m.: Announcements & Dismissal
Dr. Brandon A. Boyd, Director of Choral Activities
11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m.: Lunch Break (on your own)
Note: All participants will change into your festival t-shirts during lunch.
12:50–1:45 p.m.: Festival Choir Dress Rehearsal in Missouri Theatre
Dr. Jamie Hillman, guest conductor
Dr. Rachel AuBuchon, collaborative pianist
2–2:45 p.m.: Vocal Masterclass for selected HS students with Mizzou Voice Faculty
2:50–3 p.m.: School of Music Admissions Presentation in Missouri Theatre
Mrs. Natalie Parker, SOM Admissions Coordinator
3–3:45 p.m.: 2026 Choral and Vocal Festival Showcase/Concert in Missouri Theatre
Featuring performances by Mizzou voice students and faculty, the University Singers, and the 2026 Festival Chorus, under the direction of Dr. Jamie Hillman and Dr. Rachel AuBuchon.
2026 Mizzou High School Choral and Vocal Festival Participating Schools and Directors
Helias Catholic, Jenni Moorman
Rock Bridge High School, Blake Bard
Marshfield R-1, Kimberly Guilford
Capital City High School, Keisha Jarrett & Lafe Arens
Pattonville High School, Melynda Lamb
Owensville High School, Bethanie Ward
Maplewood Richmond Heights , Nadia Maddex
Parkview High School, Kevin Grice
Battle High School, Dr. Andy Schroetter
Orchard Farm High School, Emma Hemingway
Columbia Independent School, Amanda Miller
Kickapoo High School, Dr. Nathan Cornelius
Hickman High School, Jordan Walker
New Franklin High School, Anna Pendergrass
Central High School Springfield, Eric Eichenberger
Kirksville High School, Rebecca Murphy
Jefferson City High School, Topher Otake & Andrew Alka
2026 Guest Conductor Dr. Jamie Hillman
Dr. Jamie Hillman
Chair in Conducting University of Toronto
Jamie Hillman is a Canadian and American conductor, singer, pianist, educator, and composer-arranger. He holds the endowed Elmer Iseler Chair in Conducting at the University of Toronto, where he is Director of Choral Studies and an associate professor. He conducts the U. of Toronto MacMillan Singers and leads the master's and doctoral degree programs in Choral Conducting.
Dr. Hillman's schedule of upcoming engagements includes conducting honour choirs and festival choirs in British Columbia, Manitoba, New York, Ontario, Québec, Virginia, and in China, Italy, and the UK; serving on the international juries of the Thailand International Choral Festival (Bangkok) and Bali International Choir Competition (Indonesia); and residencies at several Canadian and international universities. He is the curator and editor of The Jamie Hillman Choral Series published by Santa Barbara Music Publishing. Choral pedagogical curriculum that he has co-written with composer Dan Forrest is published for Beckenhorst Press. He is also co-editor of Beckenhorst Press' Concert Series. Hillman has written articles on choral literature and choral pedagogy that have been published in International Choral Bulletin, Massachusetts Music Educators Journal, and Mass Sings.
Hillman earned an associate diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto) and a Bachelor of Music from Western University (London, Canada). In 2024, he was inducted to Western's Don Wright Faculty of Music's Alumni Wall of Fame. He completed his Master of Music at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the Doctor of Musical Arts at Boston University, where he studied with Ann Howard Jones. He is the 2012 laureate of the Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting.
Dr. Brandon A. Boyd, Director of Choral Activities
boydba@missouri.edu