Alyson Greer, Conductor, Young Women's Chorus
Alyson Greer is Director of Choral Music at Hanover High School, where she directs five choirs, including honors and a cappella ensembles. Her Hanover High ensembles consistently earn gold ratings and medals at the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Directors Association (MICCA) and Heritage Music Festival statewide competitions, and have performed in MICCA’s gold medal showcase Stars @ Symphony at Symphony Hall and the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) All-State Convention Concert Hour. She is also the Co-Founder and Assistant Director of Quincy Point Music Academy and has been Director of Music and Choirs at Quincy Point Congregational Church since 2007. Ms. Greer holds a Bachelor of Music degree (magna cum laude) in Vocal Performance and a Master of Music Education degree, both from The Boston Conservatory. She was a Full Conductor Fellow at the Sarteano Chamber Choir Conducting Workshop (Tuscany, Italy), where she participated in masterclasses with Simon Carrington and Bronislawa Falinska and was a featured alto soloist in the Chamber Choir. A mezzo-soprano, Ms. Greer is an active performer in Boston.
Joseph Stillitano, Conductor, Young Men's Chorus
Joseph Stillitano has led the Handel and Haydn Society Young Men’s Chorus since its founding in 2006. He served as the High School and Middle School Choral Director for Westborough Public Schools from 2001–2012 and is currently the Middle School Choral Director and General Music Teacher. He served as the 2003–2005 Massachusetts American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Senior High School Repertoire and Standards Chair and the Festival Chairperson for the 2003 and 2004 MA ACDA High School Honor Choir Festivals. Mr. Stillitano was a vocal faculty member from 2003–2005 for the Boston University Summer Theatre Institute and a former conductor of the Ithaca College Men’s Chorus (a cappella). He holds dual Bachelor of Music degrees in vocal performance and music education and a Master’s of Music Education from Ithaca College, where he studied conducting with Dr. Janet Galvan. He has also sung as a tenor soloist and member of the Masterworks Choral and the Mystic Chorale.
jstillitano@handelandhaydn.org
Heather Tryon, Conductor, Singers and Youth Chorus
Now in her sixth season with Handel and Haydn Society, Heather Tryon has taught chorus, elementary honors chorus, and general music since 2000 for the Needham Public Schools. Ms. Tryon earned her BM (Vocal Music Education, magna cum laude) and MM (Music Education) from Ithaca College, where she studied conducting with Janet Galvan and voice with Carol McAmis. She also received professional certification from the Choral Music Experience program, designed by Doreen Rao. Before returning to Ithaca College for her Master's degree, Ms. Tryon served as the interim conductor for Youth pro Musica in 2003–2004. Her Needham Elementary Honors Chorus sang for the “Building Tone through Sensation” session with Emily Ellsworth at the 2006 Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) Conference and was a featured choir for a 2007 MMEA Conference Concert Hour. Ms. Tryon has also served as Secretary for the Massachusetts American Choral Directors Association since 2007.
Michael Becker, Music Theory Instructor and Piano Accompanist
Michael is currently on the faculty at All-Newton Music School and Music Director with the Riverside Theatre Works. He is also the accompanist for the Philharmonic Society of Arlington Chorale, Boston Conservatory and the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s Urban Voices Program. Michael earned his BM and MM degrees (Piano Performance) from Towson University and an MM (Collaborative Piano, summa cum laude) from New England Conservatory, with additional studies at the Eastman School of Music and the Longy School of Music Piano Pedagogy Institute.
Michelle Shoemaker, Music Theory Instructor
Michelle Shoemaker has taught Musicianship I and II since 2002, and currently teaches Musicianship I. She was recently appointed Director of Communications at All-Newton Music School, beginning fall 2011. She is a former faculty member at the Longy School of Music and was Chair of the Woodwinds and Brass Department from 2002–2010. Dr. Shoemaker earned a BM in Clarinet Performance from the Crane School of Music/SUNY Potsdam, an MM in music theory from Michigan State University, and a DMA in clarinet performance from New England Conservatory of Music. Her clarinet teachers include Alan Woy, Frank Ell, and William Wrzesien.
Christopher Martin, Music Theory Instructor
Christopher Martin earned both his BM in Performance and Music Education and MM in Music Education degrees at Ithaca College. Since 2005, he has been a faculty member at Coakley Middle School, Norwood (middle school choruses, advanced honors chorus) and a private vocal instructor for the Norwood Public Schools. Mr. Martin served as the 2011 Chairman of the Massachusetts All-State Chorus; he was the 2010 Assistant Chair for the All-State Chorus. His teachers include Lawrence Doebler and Janet Galvan (conducting), and Patrice Pastore, Beth Ray, and Kelly Samarzea (voice).
Matthew Guerrieri, Music Theory Instructor and Piano Accompanist
Matthew Guerrieri holds degrees in music composition from DePaul University (BM Composition) and Boston University (DMA Composition), and is an alumnus of the Tanglewood Music Center. He frequently writes about classical music for The Boston Globe, and has also written for Slate, NewMusicBox, and Vanity Fair magazines. Dr. Guerrieri also serves as Director of Music for the Presbyterian Church in Sudbury.
