Meet the Conductors

*Jennaya Robison, ABD*
Co-Artistic Director and co-founder, Jennaya Robison, is in demand as a conductor, clinician, and soprano throughout Arizona and the United States. She has held faculty and teaching positions at the University of Arizona, Luther College, and the University of New Mexico. She has conducted orchestras at the University of Arizona, Luther College, and as well as community orchestras in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona. She has been the conductor for the Collegium Musicum of the University of Arizona as well as the University Singers, Kantorei, and Honor Choir of the University of New Mexico. She was honored to prepare and conduct the Arizona Choir, the premiere choral ensemble at the University of Arizona, in concert and rehearsal. As a soprano, she has sung the Scottsdale Symphony, St. Andrews Bach Society, Tucson Masterworks Chorale, University of Arizona Choirs and Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Choral Arts, Chamber Orchestra of Albuquerque, Luther College Symphony Orchestra and has held leading roles in operas in Iowa and New Mexico. Most recently she performed the Joshua Rifkin edition of the Bach Mass in b minor. Her performance with Steven Moeckel, concertmaster for the Phoenix Symphony, was heralded as "brilliant coloratura" by the Tucson daily star. She has sung as a member of the Dale Warland Singers in Minneapolis, Minnesota under the direction of Dale Warland, Las Cantantes under the direction of Bradley Ellingboe, and in the Nordic Choir of Luther College under the direction of Weston Noble as well as performing with the Des Moines Symphony, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Her primary area of research is in the field of vocal health within the choral ensemble. Her dissertation topic includes the use of choral pivoting to alleviate tension due to high and low tessitura in the choral ensemble. The choral music of the Swiss composer, Frank Martin, is the focus of her research. Her teachers include Bruce Chamberlain, Elizabeth Schauer, Weston Noble, Bradley Ellingboe, Timothy Peter, Richard Nace, Kristin Dauphinais, and Mary Kay Schmidt. She is currently the director of music at La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church in Scottsdale, Arizona. Education Doctor of Musical Arts, Choral Conducting, ABD, University of Arizona Master of Music, Conducting and Voice, University of New Mexico Bachelor of Arts, Music Education and Voice Performance, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa

Brett Robison, ABD
Co-Artistic Director and co-founder, Brett Robison, has conducted choirs and orchestras at all levels for the past ten years. He has conducted the Scottsdale Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Albuquerque, as well as orchestras at the University of Arizona and University of New Mexico. His passion for conducting instruments is expressed through conducting the symphonic repertoire as well as choral-orchestral works. As a choral conductore, he has served on the faculty of Upper Iowa University and taught at the University of Arizona, and the University of New Mexico. He has conducted the University of New Mexico University Singers and started the University's first men's choir. He has conducted the University of Arizona Univeristy Singers and Honor Choir. As a public school educator, he has taught in the public schools of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Arizona where his ensembles consistently received superior ratings. Most recently he was the Assistant conductor of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus in Tucson, Arizona. His teachers and mentors include Bruce Chamberlain, Elizabeth Schauer, Bradley Ellingboe, Weston Noble, Timothy Peter and Richard Nace. He is currently the Director of Music and Arts at Shadow Rock United Church of Christ in Phoenix, Arizona. Education Doctor of Musical Arts, expected completion 2010, Choral Conducting, University of Arizona Master of Music, Conducting, University of New Mexico Bachelor of Arts, Music Education, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa