Scott Tilley, Head Choral Director
Mr. Scott Tilley is a Music Educator and Tenor. He is the Head Choral Director at Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth ISD. Mr. Tilley has lived in California, Utah, and is beginning to call Texas home. Mr. Tilley has always loved choir and knows the impact music can have on student academics, morale, and development of life-long skills. He has a passion for creating beautiful music that moves his students and audiences to action in their lives and communities. Mr. Tilley has a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from the UNT College of Music and a Bachelor of Music Education from BYU-Idaho. Mr. Tilley has experience as a conductor, vocal pedagogue, and performer. He also loves Buc-ee's, Whataburger, crazy socks, grilling, and enjoys spending time with his wife, Rachael and their Mini Australian Shepherd, Cooper. Mr. Tilley and his wife have a 3 year old boy, Bridger and a 1 year old girl, Reagan! AYYYY HEIGHTS!! |
Jazmin Almendarez, Assistant Choir Director
Jazmin Almendarez is a conductor and educator born in Harlingen, TX. She has completed her M.M. in Performance at the University of Texas at Arlington, studying under the direction of Dr. Kenaston-French. Jazmin, former associate conductor of the Fort Worth Chorale has conducted choirs at UTA, including A Cappella Choir and University singers, and was a Student Conductor for the 2018 TCDA Convention. She is a member and former president of the Sigma Alpha Iota Zeta Nu chapter at UTA and received a Sword of Honor in 2019. |
Ashley Kimbrough, Choreographer
Ashley Kimbrough, 28, is a Texas based professional choreographer. She primarily focuses on Show Choirs and musicals for over 60 schools in the DFW area. Her accolades include 1st through 6th place victories, best choreography, best show, and peoples choice awards throughout her 11 year career. She is honored to get to work with such talented directors and students on a daily bases and hopes to keep making beautiful things with beautiful people.
Malcolm Payne Jr, Voice Teacher
Acclaimed for his silky baritone voice, Malcolm Payne Jr. is an alumnus of the University of North Texas with Performance degrees in Voice and Flute from Blytheville, Arkansas. Payne made his Dallas Opera mainstage debut as Il Conte di Ceprano in Rigoletto in 2022. He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a featured soloist with the Turtle Creek Chorale singing John Williams and Dick Rowland in the world premiere of Dreamland: Tulsa 1921.
Payne is a former Hattie Mae Lesley Resident Artist with the Fort Worth Opera where he originated the role of Stephen Biko in the world premiere of Stand Up composed by Joe Illick.
Future engagements include Friar Jean in Romeo et Juliette (The Dallas Opera), baritone soloist in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra and the Flower Mound Symphony Orchestra, and a guest artist recital in the Warfield Concerts Series.
Erik Danielson, Voice Teacher
Erik Danielson is an in-demand Bass-Baritone artist who has been described as “commanding attention” with a “barihunk instrument” and “silvery tone.” He has sung roles in opera, oratorio, and musical theater, including Escamillo in Carmen, Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte, Silvio in I Pagliacci, Leporello and Commendatore from Don Giovanni, Bill Sikes in Oliver!, and was the Bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.
He obtained his Bachelor of Music degree from Texas Christian University in Vocal Performance and Piano Performance in 2014, where he was a National Merit Scholar, the recipient of the Chancellor’s Scholarship for academic excellence, and a finalist for the Nordan Scholarship as both a vocalist and pianist. He then earned a Master’s degree in Vocal Performance and Conducting from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2017, before completing the Opera Institute Program at Boston University, ending in 2021. He was a member of the Texas Boy’s Choir for nine years, with whom he toured throughout the United States and Europe. In addition to his vocal and acting work, he is an accomplished church musician and a skilled collaborative pianist with over twenty years of experience, having begun accompanying high school clarinet students before the age of ten. |