Kurtis Heinrich

Session 1 - Adolescent Voice Pedagogy: Diagnosing the Challenges

Session 2 - Adolescent Voice Pedagogy: A Deep Dive in the Toolbox Personalized Learning and Sight Reading

Brian J. Winnie, D.M.A., is the Director of Choral Studies at Western Illinois University where he supervises the graduate choral conducting program; teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in choral conducting, choral pedagogy, and choral literature; and conducts the Chamber Singers, Treble Choir, and the “flagship” ensemble, the University Singers. He is also the artistic director and founder of withonevoice, a professional non-profit, sixteen-member vocal ensemble based in Chicago, Illinois with a special focus on singing and teaching diverse voice qualities and repertoire. He previously served as the Director of Choral Activities & Voice and was chair of the music department at Southwestern College in Winfield, KS. Prior to his tenure in higher education, Dr. Winnie was the Artistic Director of ChoralSounds NW, a community choir based in Burien, WA, and he taught for seven years in public education at both the middle and high school levels.

An active festival conductor and adjudicator, Dr. Winnie has been artist-in-residence in Ekaterinburg, Russia and has worked with all-state and regional festival choirs throughout the United States in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Washington, Kansas, Oregon, and Alaska. He is a frequent guest lecturer/workshop leader and has presented at international, regional, and state conferences on “Contemporary Vocal Technique in the Choral Rehearsal”, “Redefining the Choral Warm-Up”, and “21st-Century Choral Pedagogy”. Dr. Winnie has published articles in the Voice and Speech Review, Choral Journal, Voice Foundation Newsletter, International Choral Bulletin, and ChorTeach, and he is the editor and contributing author to The Choral Conductor’s Companion and The Voice Teacher’s Cookbook: Creative Recipes for Teachers of Singing both published by Meredith Music Publications and distributed by GIA Publications.

Choirs under his direction have performed at regional and state conferences and received accolades in both international and national competitions. Most recently, the Western Illinois University Singers were invited to perform at the 2024 ACDA Midwestern Regional Conference, won the 2021 American Prize in the Performance of American Music (University/College division), and were first place winners of the 2021 International Choral Festival Wales. They have also won gold medals at the 2020 Rimini International Choral Competition (Italy) and the Harmony of Cultures International Competition (France).

An award-winning conductor and pedagogue, Dr. Winnie was awarded second-place in the 2020 national American Prize in Choral Conducting (Schools Division) and received the WIU College of Fine Arts and Communication award for “Excellence in Scholarly and Professional Activities, the “Exemplary Teacher Award” at Southwestern College, and the “Outstanding Young Conductor Award” presented by the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.

Dr. Winnie currently serves on the Editorial Board for the Voice and Speech Review, the Estill Voice International Certification Advisory Board, and the National Collegiate Choral Organization Board. His past positions have included, Illinois-ACDA College/University Repertoire and Resources chair, Secretary for the Central New Jersey Music Education Association, and Middle School/Jr. High Repertoire and Standards Chair for ACDA-PA.

A native of Pennsylvania, Dr. Winnie received his B.S. in Music Education from the Pennsylvania State University, Master of Music Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington. Additionally, he is a certified Estill Master Trainer and Estill Mentor and Course Instructor with Testing Privileges of Estill Voice Training. His research interests involve the integration of gesture and voice training in the choral rehearsal and the development of a 21st-century choral pedagogy encompassing all styles of music.