Senior Division

NCC Associate Artistic Director Dr. Pamela Blackstone is a renowned and respected conductor on the national and international choral scene, where her expertise and innovative approach to singing have empowered performers of all ages to achieve the highest level of excellence in musicianship, performance, vocal technique and artistic creativity. Dr. Blackstone began her training as a pianist, violinist, singer, dancer and choreographer. Exemplifying unique musical and technical mastery, she obtained her Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from the University of Kansas (KU), a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance (UMKC), and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Following her passion for teaching, Dr. Blackstone has served as the Director of Choral Activities at Westark College in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and emerged as one of the Midwest region’s most sought-after choral clinicians, judges, and show-choir choreographers. She was also the Assistant Conductor of the Los Angeles-based Angeles Chorale, and has taught vocal and choral music at UCLA, Santa Ana College, and church organizations across the nation. Her conducting appearances include concerts at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Royce Hall and The Broad Stage, with international appearances in Oxford and London, England; Beijing and Xian, China; Rome, Florence and Venice, Italy, including the Vatican City; Berlin, Vienna, Prague, and Budapest; as well as the Korean Demilitarized Zone, Seoul, South Korea, and Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan. This summer’s tour will include Portugal and Spain with performances at the Sagrada Família in Barcelona. Recent musical collaborations include projects with Gustavo Dudamel, Grant Gershon, Nico Muhly, Meredith Monk and Caroline Polachek.

Throughout her career, her long-standing philosophy has been “performance excellence through personal excellence.” Combined with her expertise in the healing arts profession, Dr. Blackstone has advocated for an integrated, holistic approach to music education that embodies an eclectic array of modalities and methodologies, enriching her students mentally, emotionally and kinesthetically. In addition, Dr. Blackstone’s awe-inspiring energy revered as “positively contagious” has established her as an invaluable vocal instructor and in-demand performance coach across the nation. Recent students have been accepted with scholarships at top-level programs including the University of Southern California, University of California Los Angeles, Manhattan School of Music, New York University, Mannes School of Music, Northwestern University, Boston Conservatory, Berklee, Oberlin, University of Michigan, Peabody Institute, Indiana University, Stanford and Harvard.

Julia Morris is a conductor and vocalist native to the San Francisco Bay Area. She began her musical journey with the flute at age 7 and has since found her niche in song and the choral art. Julia recently completed her Master of Music degree in choral conducting at the University of Michigan, where she studied under Dr. Eugene Rogers. While at Michigan, Julia served as co-conductor of Orpheus Singers and as assistant conductor for the Women’s Glee Club and Michigan Youth Chamber Singers. Prior to her graduate studies, Julia served as assistant conductor for Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra for three years, where she conducted masterworks including Brahms’ “Ein deutsches Requiem”, Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass”, and a segment of Dvorak’s “Spectre’s Bride.” Working as an educator, she was an Artist-in-Residence in the vocal department of the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts, where Julia enjoyed directing the treble ensemble Anacrusis, coaching vocal performance students, and mentoring student conductors. She is ever grateful to composer/conductor Eric Choate and the community at the Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin in San Francisco who offered Julia her first opportunity to study choral conducting as their Conducting Scholar. Seeking additional growth as a conductor and leader, Julia participated in Chorus America’s 2023 Choral-Orchestral Conducting Academy as a Scholar, and she has participated in two summer Choral Artistry Institutes at Eastman School of Music. She is delighted to have sung with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus from 2018-2021 where she continued to nurture her love of singing. Julia graduated cum laude from Kenyon College in Ohio where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in music (departmental distinction) and psychology. Among her mentors and teachers are Dr. Eugene Rogers, Daniel Washington, Ming Luke, Eric Choate, and Dr. Benjamin Locke. Julia currently serves as an associate conductor with the National Children’s Chorus, and as artistic director of Vallejo Choral Society.

Julia Morris is a conductor and vocalist native to the San Francisco Bay Area. She began her musical journey with the flute at age 7 and has since found her niche in song and the choral art. Julia recently completed her Master of Music degree in choral conducting at the University of Michigan, where she studied under Dr. Eugene Rogers. While at Michigan, Julia served as co-conductor of Orpheus Singers and as assistant conductor for the Women’s Glee Club and Michigan Youth Chamber Singers. Prior to her graduate studies, Julia served as assistant conductor for Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra for three years, where she conducted masterworks including Brahms’ “Ein deutsches Requiem”, Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass”, and a segment of Dvorak’s “Spectre’s Bride.” Working as an educator, she was an Artist-in-Residence in the vocal department of the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts, where Julia enjoyed directing the treble ensemble Anacrusis, coaching vocal performance students, and mentoring student conductors. She is ever grateful to composer/conductor Eric Choate and the community at the Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin in San Francisco who offered Julia her first opportunity to study choral conducting as their Conducting Scholar. Seeking additional growth as a conductor and leader, Julia participated in Chorus America’s 2023 Choral-Orchestral Conducting Academy as a Scholar, and she has participated in two summer Choral Artistry Institutes at Eastman School of Music. She is delighted to have sung with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus from 2018-2021 where she continued to nurture her love of singing. Julia graduated cum laude from Kenyon College in Ohio where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in music (departmental distinction) and psychology. Among her mentors and teachers are Dr. Eugene Rogers, Daniel Washington, Ming Luke, Eric Choate, and Dr. Benjamin Locke. Julia currently serves as an associate conductor with the National Children’s Chorus, and as artistic director of Vallejo Choral Society.

Dr. Kristen Simpson was originally trained as a licensed civil engineer before pursuing advanced music degrees in choral music to facilitate a career change to music. She has taught courses at Santa Ana College, Texas State University and the University of Southern California. Prior to joining the NCC, Simpson was the assistant director and collaborative pianist at Villa Park High School, director of music at La Canada United Methodist Church, director of the Ebell Chorale, and co-conductor of choir at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA).  In addition to her work as a conductor, Dr. Simpson is well-known for her keyboard skills and has performed as a collaborative pianist at division and national conventions for the American Choral Directors Association, as well as for the undergraduate and graduate student conducting competitions at the 2015 American Choral Directors Association national convention. In addition to her work with the NCC, Simpson serves as assistant conductor Tonality, a professional choral ensemble based in Los Angeles that focuses on using music to encourage conversations on social justice topics. She also performs with Tonality as a collaborative pianist and completed a term serving on its Board of Directors. Most recently she prepared singers for a collaboration with Kronos Quartet for Michael Abels’ At War With Ourselves, and participated in a private performance for the Second Gentleman of the United States as well as administrators of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Simpson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Cornell University, a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from Texas State University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral music from the University of Southern California. While at Cornell, Simpson was one of two students selected as a chimesmaster to play the Cornell Chimes and continues to serve on its alumni advisory council to shape the future of this 150+ year musical tradition on campus.