Individuals—no matter the walk of life—can recall from their music experiences greater confidence in front of people, a sharpened sense of listening, positive group collaborations, and artistic enrichment, while often making friends for life. No matter the vocation or measurement of achievement, The New York Times asks: Is Music the Key to Success?
It is with honor and privilege that Gregory Gentry’s teaching career has included instructing, guiding, conducting, and mentoring so many diversely talented students. Listed here are a few of the former CHORAL STUDENTS of GREGORY GENTRY and where life (after choir) has taken them:
Careers in Business, Advertising, Entertainment
Ashley Ball – Music Producer, Performer, Broadcast DJ, New York City
Joel Dow – Founder and Principal Consultant, 5and2 Group, Dallas, Texas
Cindy Hammel – Creative Director and Writer, Los Angeles, California
Pearl Thomas – Model, Film Actress, Stunt Woman, New York City
Careers in Medicine and Science
Jennifer Delavan – Juno Spacecraft Engineer, Lockheed Martin, Littleton, Colorado
Anna Weyand, M.D. – Anesthesiologist with US Anesthesia Partners, Littleton, Colorado
Erik Jensen – Ph.D. in Engineering, Regueiro Research Group, Boulder, Colorado
Daniel Garcia – Senior Staff Engineer (and inventor), Qualcomm Technologies
Careers in Diplomacy, Law, Communication
Amy Board – Head of Community Engagement, Believe Limited, Los Angeles, California
Daniel Baer – Senior fellow and author at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Nancy Leong, J.D. – Professor of Law, Sturm College of Law, University of Denver – author of the book Identity Capitalists: The Powerful Insiders Who Exploit Diversity to Maintain Inequality (Stanford University Press, 2021)
Brian Mason, J.D. – District Attorney, 17th Judicial District for the State of Colorado
Jeff Mason – White House Press Correspondent, Reuters, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Stephen Merino – Assistant Professor of Sociology, Colorado Mesa University
Anna Welch, J.D. – Cohen Refugee and Human Rights Clinical Professor, University of Maine School of Law
Choral Artists (conductors)
In Hwan Choi – Artistic Director and Conductor, Gimhae City Choir, Busan, South Korea
Emily Crile – Artistic Director (Colorado Children’s Chorale)
Kenneth ‘Jimmy’ Howe – Director (Rocky Mountain Chorale)
Clare Malinowski – Artistic Director (Sing Out Loud)
Dr. Kenny Miller – Founding Director (Helios)
Jana Minov – Co-Founder and Artistic Director (Riznica Chamber Choir)
Dr. Kevin T. Padworski – Artistic Director (Colorado Chorale)
Dr. Nathan Payant – Music Director (Laudamus Chamber Chorale)
Eric Christopher Perry – Founding Artistic Director and Conductor (Renaissance Men a.k.a. ‘RenMen’)
Dr. Kira Zeeman Rugen – Founder and Artistic Director (Solis Camerata)
Andrea Squires – Conductor (“Cadenza” with Phoenix Children’s Chorus)
Dr. Brian Stone – Artistic Director (Cantabile)
Choral Artists (singers)
Josef Curtis – Tenor (Helios, True Concord Voices, Solis Camerata)
Dr. Ryan Downey – Bass-baritone (True Concord Voices, Phoenix Chorale, Oregon Bach Festival, American Bach Soloists)
Nina Gargiulo – Soprano (Phoenix Chorale, Helios)
Dr. Ryan Garrison – Baritone (Kantorei, Phoenix Chorale)
Dr. Joshua Hillman – Bass-baritone (Phoenix Chorale, True Concord Voices)
Dr. Laura Inman – Soprano (Anúna, Manhattan Chorale, Phoenix Chorale)
Samuel Kreidenweis – Bass-baritone (Anúna, Skylark Vocal Ensemble, Conspirare, True Concord Voices, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Kinnara, Spire Chamber Ensemble)
Dr. Kenny Miller – Tenor (Helios, Phoenix Chorale)
Dr. Kira Zeeman Rugen – Soprano (Phoenix Chorale)
Choral Directors (University)
Dr. Emilie Bertram – Director of Choral Activities, Waldorf University, Forest City, Iowa
Dr. Andrew Briggs – Director of Choral Activities, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah
Dr. Corie Brown – Choral Music Education, San Jose State University, San Jose, California
Dr. Ashley Albey Conway – Choral Director and Music Education Coordinator, Brenau University, Gainesville, Georgia
Dr. Raul Dominguez – Director of Choral Activities, Regis University, Denver, Colorado
Dr. Jennifer Garrett – Director of Choral and Vocal Studies, Bakersfield College, Bakersfield, California
Dr. Aaron R. Harp – Assistant Professor of Music, Wofford College, Spartanburg, South Carolina
Dr. Elizabeth ‘Libby’ Hearn – Choral Music Education, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
Dr. Vernon Huff – Director of Choral Activities, State University of New York at Fredonia
Dr. Jerron Jorgensen – Director of Choral Studies/Vocal Studies, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, Oregon
Dr. Kenny Miller – Director of Choral Activities, Phoenix College, Phoenix, Arizona
Dr. Holly Powe – Music Instructor, Calhoun Community College, Huntsville, Alabama
Dr. Craig Robertson – Director of Choral Activities, Virginia State University, Virginia
Dr. Hannah Wunsch Ryan – Director of Choral and Vocal Activities, University of Virginia’s College at Wise
Church Musicians
Dr. Jeremy Peterman – Organist and Director of Carillon, La Casa de Cristo, Scottsdale, Arizona
Composers
Kurt M. Mehlenbacher – Composer
Dr. Kevin T. Padworski – Composer and Conductor
Sam C Henderson – Composer, Arranger, Professional Tenor and Vocal Percussionist
Dr. Beth Ratay – Composer and President, Ratajova Publishing; Teaching Artist at Santa Fe Opera
Dr. Kira Zeeman Rugen – Composer and Conductor
Dr. Benjamin Sabey – Composition and Theory Coordinator, San Francisco State University
Middle and High School Music Educators
Zach Brake – Music Director (band, orchestra, choir), Thunder Valley Middle School, Longmont, Colorado
Aaron Paul Brown – Director of Bands, Chickasaw City Schools, Chickasaw, Alabama
Travis Clement – Assistant Headmaster, Great Hearts Academy, Scottsdale, AZ
Carrie DeVries – General Music Teacher, Olathe School District, Olathe, Kansas
Nichol Elgin – Choral Music Teacher, Whispering Wind Academy, Paradise Valley, Arizona
Dr. Ryan Garrison – Director of Vocal Music, Denver School of the Arts, Denver, Colorado
Kenneth ‘Jimmy’ Howe – Choral Director, Skyline High School, Longmont, Colorado
Rebecca Knack – Vocal Music Teacher, East High School, Denver, Colorado
David Lonowski – Choral Music Teacher, Poudre High School, Fort Collins, Colorado
Dr. Jason St. Claire – Performing Arts Teacher, Pinnacle High School, Phoenix, Arizona
Allison Zema – Choir and Theatre Teacher, Lyons Middle/Senior High School, Lyons, Colorado
Solo Artists
Kristin Behrmann – American mezzo-soprano (St. Petersburg Opera, New Rochelle Opera, Amore Opera, Opera Omaha, Opera on the James, North Shore Opera, Opera Colorado, et al.)
Angela Brower – American mezzo-soprano (Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Den Norske Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, Dutch National Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Festival D’Aix-en-Provence, et al.)
Winona Martin – American mezzo-soprano (Washington Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Wolf Trap Opera Company)
Anne-Kathryn Olsen – American soprano (Antwerp Baroque, Graindelavoix, Tasto Solo, Festival Oudemusiek Utrecht, Resonanzen, Collegium 1704, Amsterdam Baroque Soloists, et al.)
University Administrators
Dr. Jay Dougherty – Music Department Chair, Director of Choirs and Choral Activities, Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio
Dr. Marcia Mitchell Hood – Chair, Department of Visual & Performing Arts/Director of Choral Activities, Albany State University, Albany, Georgia
Dr. Youn Ju (Grace) Kim – International Admissions Counselor, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California
Dr. Michele Paynter Paise – Director of the Kodály Institute of Kentucky