Junior Division

Kelly Adams is a twice-over graduate of the University of Southern California; she received a Bachelor of Music degree in music industry, and a Master of Arts degree in music education. In 2013, she fell in love with Kodály’s revolutionary methods and ideology, and received her certification under Dr. Kathy Hickey and Kurt Cereske. She continues to build Kodály-based curricula for the Santa Monica-Malibu School District, National Children’s Chorus and Orange County School of the Arts. Kelly also serves as President-Elect on the Kodály Association of Southern California board, and recently was invited to teach Level I Pedagogy during KASC’s Summer Institute at Azusa Pacific University. When she’s not teaching, Kelly performs, writes and records with the band Karmina, runs Grammy-nominated composer John Powell’s record label (5 Cat Studios), and sings in feature films (How to Train Your Dragon, Wonder, Pan, The Lorax). She eagerly awaits her daughter Rudi’s first audition for the NCC’s Prelude Level!

Tonya Hylton is a vocalist, music educator and arts administrator with a passion for choral conducting and choral music. Tonya holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in music education from Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia and a Master of Arts degree in teaching K-12 choral and general music from the University of Southern California, in Los Angeles. She recently completed a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from California State University, Los Angeles, where she completed research on the performance practice essentials that are consistent throughout the history of the spiritual and the impact that various black composers had in assisting it to become a solidified choral art.

Laura Keverian Pitts is a native of Southern California and has spent her teaching career in both private and public schools, teaching music literacy and specializing in choral music. Her passion for choral conducting led her to study with master children’s and youth choral conductors Dr. Doreen Rao, Dr. Janet Galvan and Mr. Henry Leck. She received her Master in Music degree in choral conducting, studying with her longtime mentor, Donald Brinegar. Additional advanced musical study included Kodály pedagogy and methodology, and she was recently invited to be an instructor for the Kodály Association of Southern California certification courses. Mrs. Pitts teaches at Azusa Pacific University and Cal Poly, Pomona, focusing on aural theory, sight-singing and ear-training, and music education courses. A lifelong singer, Mrs. Pitts formerly performed with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and is currently performing with the Donald Brinegar Singers, with whom she is a founding member.

Ernest Harrison is a graduate of the University of Missouri where he received his Master of Music degree in choral conducting. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from Auburn University in 2014 and studied with world-renowned composer Dr. Rosephanye Powell and world-renowned choral conductor William Powell. Mr. Harrison, also a graduate of Tuskegee University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English liberal arts, studied voice with Dr. Wayne Barr, Head of Choral Activities. Presently, Mr. Harrison is a Graduate Student at the University of Southern California, pursuing a Doctoral degree in choral music and studies under Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe. While at Auburn, he performed many leading roles and was a soloist in several opera productions and oratorio performances. At the University of Missouri, he conducted, composed, and arranged for the jazz vocal a cappella ensemble “Hitt Street Harmony” and studied conducting under Dr. R. Paul Crabb. Ernest was the lead conductor of the Apollo Men’s Chorus for three years and is currently a professor of voice for the choral department at the University of Southern California, conductor for the Pasadena Conservatory of Music’s Chamber Choir, assistant conductor at Beverly Hills Presbyterian church, and in 2019 became a member of the international choral ensemble Conspirare. Ernest is an up and coming choral clinician and has helped to establish the annual High Desert High School Choral Festival in Palmdale, California.