Faculty
Dr. Kimberly Dunn Adams
Director of Choral Activities
Conductor of University Chorale, Collegiate Singers, and Grand Chorus
Dr. Delores Gauthier
Professor of Music Education
Conductor of Cantus Femina
Prof. Duane Davis
Assistant Professor of Music, Jazz Voice
Director of Gold Company
Dr. Matthew Steel
Professor of Music History
Director of the Collegium Musicum
Michael Wheaton
Part-time Instructor of Music, Vocal Jazz
Director of Gold Company II
Biographies
Dr. Kimberly Dunn Adams
Education
D.M.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison
M.M., Yale University
B.M., Oberlin College
B.A., Oberlin College
Bio
Kimberly Dunn Adams is the Director of Choral Activities at Western Michigan University, where she directs the University Chorale, Collegiate Singers, and Grand Chorus. She also teaches advanced conducting and choral literature.
Adams holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in religion from Oberlin College and a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from Oberlin Conservatory, where she studied voice with Lorraine Manz and conducting with Hugh Floyd. She received the Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the Yale School of Music, where she studied with Marguerite Brooks and Simon Carrington. Adams earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting with a minor in music theory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying with Beverly Taylor and Bruce Gladstone. Additionally, she participated in the Oregon Bach Festival conducting master class with Helmut Rilling and was a fellow in orchestral conducting at the Conductor′s Institute at the University of South Carolina with Paul Vermel.
Adams has earned numerous accolades throughout her career. She has received grants, academic awards, and honors, including the Lorna Wendt Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, the Hugh Giles Prize and the Hugh Porter Prize from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, and several awards from Oberlin College. As a graduate student, she received 2nd Prize at the American Choral Directors Association national conducting competition.
From 2006–11, Adams was the Director of Choral Activities and Lecturer in Music at Mount Holyoke College, where she taught conducting and directed the Glee Club, Chorale, and Chamber Singers. She has previously conducted the University of Wisconsin-Madison Masters Singers and Women′s Chorus, Yale Marquand Chapel Choir, Yale Repertory and Recital Choruses, and Oberlin Women′s Choir. In addition, she has served as Assistant Conductor for the Yale Camerata, the Madison Choral Union, the University of Wisconsin Concert Choir, and the University of Wisconsin Opera Theater. Adams has a particular interest in liturgical music and has enjoyed her time as a music director at churches in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Connecticut. She also maintains a performing life as both soprano and mezzo-soprano soloist with various ensembles.
An active member of the American Choral Directors Association, Adams has served as the Massachusetts ACDA Repertoire & Standards Chair for Women′s Choirs. She is also a member of Chorus America, the National Collegiate Choral Organization, the Conductors′ Guild, and Pi Kappa Lambda. Adams is a sought-after guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator.
Dr. Delores Gauthier
Education
Ed.D., University of Illinois
M.S,. University of Illinois
B.S., Eastern Illinois
Bio
With an undergraduate degree in choral/general music education, she taught in public and private schools before her master's and doctorate study at the University of Illinois—Champaign-Urbana.
Prior to her appointment at Western she was a member of the music education faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. At Western she is an elementary music specialist and teaches undergraduate and graduate music education courses. She is conductor of the Women's Chorus and the Coordinator of Intern Teachers for the School of Music. She chaired the Professional Education Area for ten years.
Her research interests include the use of children's literature in the elementary music class, rhythm development in first grade students, and issues surrounding women's choirs.
She is recognized as a general music and vocal education clinician and has made presentations at international, national, regional, and local levels.
Prof. Duane Davis
Education
M.M., Kent State
B.S.M.E., Knoxville College
Bio
Duane Shields Davis, originally from Cleveland, is Instructor of Vocal Jazz in the School of Music at Western Michigan University. He has taught in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area since 1969 where he recently retired as Director of Vocal Music at Grand Rapids Community College. He also previously served on the WMU faculty as director of Gold Company and GC II. Since 1986, Davis has served as Chorus Master for Opera Grand Rapids. He is the recipient of the 2003 ARTS Award, presented by the Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids, and most recently he received the Maynard Klein Award for Choral Excellence, presented annually by the American Choral Directors Association of Michigan.
Dr. Matthew Steel
Education
Ph.D., University of Michigan
M.A., University of Michigan
M.M., University of Michigan
B.M., University of Michigan
Bio
His areas of special interest include Medieval, Renaissance, early Twentieth Century, and Non-Western music.
He studied with scholars such as Gwynn McPeek, Leo Treitler, Hendrik van der Werf, David Crawford, Glenn Watkins, and William Malm.
In the field of Medieval music, he has presented papers at state, national, and international conferences.
His publication record includes essays, articles, and reviews in various newspapers and professional periodicals and books.
A scholar of the National Endowment for the Humanities Medieval Lyric Institute, he has been involved in Institute projects and publications.
He has taught at The University of Michigan (director of the Early Music Ensemble) and University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Fellowships and grants have helped support research in France, Italy, Britain, Switzerland, and Austria.
Early music performance teachers include Enid Sutherland (viol), Michael Lynn (recorder), Bruce Dickey (ornamentation), and Edward Parmentier and Philip Brett (orchestral and choral).
Michael Wheaton
Education
B.M. Western Michigan University
Bio
In addition to his duties as director of GCII, Michael Wheaton is a music teacher in the Webberville Community Schools. Wheaton served as the State Chair of Vocal Jazz and Show Choirs for the Missouri American Choral Directors Association and has been an active clinician and adjudicator in Missouri, Kansas, and Michigan. He has taught music for grades K-12, and his high school jazz ensemble performed at the Missouri State Choir Convention. He is the Executive Director of the Steve Zegree Vocal Jazz Camp.