People

Prior to this teaching assignment, she was the director of choral music at Shelbyville High School, Homestead High School, Ben Davis High School, and the Lynhurst7th and 8th Grade Center. While directing high school choirs, her groups were constantly state finalists in both concert and show choir. They have won grand championships and caption awards at several different competitions.  

Prior to this past year, the Avon Accents and Attraction show choirs were in the top three at the ISSMA State Show Choir Championships. This past year, the Avon Accents were undefeated in competition and won the ISSMA State Show Choir Championships with their famous “Olympics” show. In 2018 she co-directed the Avon “Allegros,” the 2018 ISSMA State Unisex Concert Choir Grand Champions. From2018-2025, the Accents and Chamber Singers were also ISSMA State Concert Choir Finalists.  

From 2007-2016 she served as the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) show choir site coordinator, which involved training judges and overseeing several Indiana show choir competitions. She is the Past President of the Indiana University Marching Hundred Alumni Association Board of Directors, where she received the Newell Long Service Award. As her children have gotten older, she has had more time to volunteer, so she has been a music director with Hendricks Civic Theater for the past two summers. She received her bachelor’s degree in music education from the Indiana University Jacob’s School of Music, her master’s degree in secondary education from Indiana University-Ft. Wayne and then completed her administrative license from Indiana University-Indianapolis. She resides in Monrovia, Indiana, with her husband, Jason, and their three children. 

Mr. Stainbrook is in his third year as Associate Choral Director at Avon High School. His teaching career began at Edgewood High School in Ashtabula, Ohio, followed by a relocation to the Indianapolis area to teach at New Palestine High School. He then served as Choral Director, Performing Arts Academy Leader, and Performing Arts Department Chair during his 19 years at Pike High School.  

Over the past 27 years, Mr. Stainbrook has worked with choirs who were consistent finalists in show choir invitationals and appeared in the ISSMA State Concert Choir Finals 27 times. He has been a member of the production teams for several musicals, including The Music Man, Aida, Little Women, The Wedding Singer, Cinderella, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and an original production, Hear to Heal (in partnership with Eliot Sloan of Bless id Union of Souls).  

Drew earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education with a Dual Emphasis in Choral and Instrumental Music from Bowling Green State University. He then earned his Masters of Arts in Education, Educational Administration and Supervision from Ball State University. Drew has been a member of the Circle City Sound barbershop chorus, and he has also performed with several barbershop quartets, including The Hot Air Buffoons, Quartizzle, and Insight.  

One of Drew’s greatest joys is supporting his wife and daughters in their musical activities. His wife, Melissa, is an incredible Choral Director at Brownsburg High School. Their daughters, Maddie and Alaina, regularly perform in musical theatre productions and school choir performances. One of their favorite events as a family is attending Show choir Camps of America each summer. Drew is grateful to the Avon Community and Avon Administration for their support and celebration of the Performing Arts! 

Jennifer Toney is a freelance choreographer, show & costume designer, clinician and adjudicator. Each season she travels across the Midwest designing and choreographing competitive show choir programs. As a director, Jennifer’s choirs have performed onstage and participated in workshops at Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando, FL., as well as competed around the nation. Her students have been a part of the Harlem Globetrotters Show, sang the national anthem at professional sporting events and held master classes with Broadway cast members. 

Jennifer is the owner of SHOWSTOPPERS Show Choir Camp, a fast paced, challenging, and exciting fundraising experience for young performers. SHOWSTOPPERS welcomes students of all ages to enjoy a week of show choir camp fun! Host schools have earned over $75,000 for their music and show choir programs. This summer Avon High School will once again, welcome students in grades K-8th to their SHOWSTOPPERS Camp June 16-20, 2025. All schools welcome! visit: http://www.SHOWSTOPPERSjt.com for camp details. 

Interested in hosting a SHOWSTOPPERS Show Choir Camp Fundraiser at your school? Contact Jennifer Toney: SHOWSTOPPERSjt@gmail.com 

Jennifer is the proud choreographer of Avon High School’s Attraction Show Choir. 

David Legg holds a Bachelors of Arts in Music Education from Liberty University as well as a Masters of Arts in Musical Theatre Performance from New York University. David taught in the public school system for eleven years where his choirs won numerous awards on both the state and national level. During his time as an educator, Mr. Legg instructed at the secondary and collegiate levels, received several honors for excellence in teaching and was the chairman of the West Virginia Music Educators State Show Choir Festival. David has arranged music for many top-ranking show choirs throughout the United States.  

He currently lives in West Virginia designing shows, writing music arrangements, and composing original works. While at New York University David worked with a variety of professionals from the Broadway community and had the unique opportunity to perform in events at Carnegie Hall and in a ceremony honoring Steven Spielberg and Robert De Niro.  

Some other performing credits include: My Fair Lady; Mame; Fiddler on the Roof; Starting Here, Starting Now; How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying; The Civil War; and a concert version of South Pacific with Brian Stokes Mitchell. Mr. Legg has acted as the music director for productions presented by the Charleston Light Opera Guild, Liberty University, Fee/Hedrick Family Entertainment, Alluvion Stage Company and Norwegian Cruise Lines, as well as composing the music for four original musicals performed in university and professional theaters.  

In his “free time”, David can be found judging show choir contests. He has been on the judging panel for such prestigious contests as FAME Show Choir Festivals and Show Choir Nationals held at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN. Over the years he has been invited to adjudicate contests from the East to the West Coast. 

Gordon L. Crawford, received his degree in Instrumental and Vocal Music at Ball State University and Masters at Indiana University. Since that time, he has been active as a Music educator, clinician, consultant, choreographer, and performer. As an educator Mr. Crawford has instructed in numerous venues and has been on countless adjudicating panels and even more clinician list. In 1996 Mr. Crawford was awarded the Southwest Allen County Teacher of the Year, 1997 Indiana State Teacher of the Year Semifinalist. In 1999 He was a Disney Teacher of the Year Nominee. 2014 Kentucky State Teacher of the year Nominee, 2015 River City Middle School Teacher of the year, 2018 Hilliard Lyons Excellence in Education Award. As an entertainer he would be most noted for his leading role in “Motown Christmas” the” Color Purple,” “Beauty and the Beast”. “The Lion King” Other major roles include “The Wiz”, “Big River”, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Ain’t Misbehaving”, and “Pippin”. From 1998-2001, Mr. Crawford was a featured performer at Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Vocals Inc. in Orlando Florida. Currently Mr. Crawford resides in Louisville, Kentucky where he is the Director Choral Activities and Performing Arts at Olmsted Academy North Middle School.  

He is extremely excited to be a part of this special event. He’d like to thank his beautiful wife Toni, and all special friends that have impacted his life. 

Bob Burns has been involved in virtually every aspect of music: education, composition, business, and performance.  He was an Assistant Band Director at Avon High School 2001-2024, and worked with marching and concert bands, small ensembles, and jazz ensembles.  His cooperation with the choir department included conducting or playing in the pit orchestra for school musicals, arranging/conducting/playing in the back-up band for show choirs, and judging AVI. 

Bob’s professional music performance career has spanned over 40 years.  He has played saxophone in all sorts of bands: jazz, rock, country, church, classical, and military.  In addition, he has performed professionally on multiple woodwinds, vocals, keyboards, and drums. 

After receiving his AS in Business Technology and BA in Music Education degrees from Glenville State College (WV), Bob attended Illinois State University, where he pursued Masters degrees in conducting and saxophone performance.  He graduated in 1995 with a Masters in Music Education. 

In addition to formal college programs, Bob has also received extensive training in piano tuning and repair.  Throughout the ’90’s he worked as piano product specialist in education, sales, and service.  He still tunes pianos locally. 

Bob was a member of the Army Reserve and National Guard for nearly 32 years, achieving various assignments, promotions, and awards.  Chief Warrant Officer 2 Burns retired from the 38th ID Band (INARNG) in 2016. 

He and his wife Deb recently moved to Memphis, TN, where Dr. Deb is the Dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts at the University of Memphis.  Their two sons still live in Indianapolis, and they are still members of Avon Christian Church, and so Bob and Deb maintain close ties to the Avon community. 

Amy Hoffman Hughley is the Associate Artistic Director of the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. Since joining the ICC staff in 2014 she holds artistic and administrative duties, directing Master Chorale (ICC’s high school division), directing the Anderson Area Youth Chorale, overseeing artistic staff, and assisting Executive Artistic Director Joshua Pedde. In addition to her roles at ICC, she teaches private piano lessons. She has also served as Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at DePauw University, and as an adjunct faculty member at Butler University. 

Mrs. Hughley has been a choral clinician and adjudicator for honor choirs and festivals throughout the United States and abroad. She has served on the board of the Indiana Choral Directors Association (ICDA), as president of the Georgia American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), as Honor Choir Coordinator for the Midwestern ACDA Division, and as Repertoire and Standards Chair for Men’s Choirs for Georgia ACDA. She also taught high school choral music in Georgia for 14 years, where she directed five choirs and both Advanced Placement Music Theory and International Baccalaureate Music. In 2011, she was named Riverwood High School’s Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Hughley’s choral articles have appeared in national and state ACDA publications. 

Mrs. Hughley’s choirs have been selected to perform at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Southern Division Conference, the Indiana Choral Directors Association (ICDA) Conference, and the Georgia Music Educators (GMEA) In Service Convention. 

She received her Master of Music Education from the University of Georgia and her Bachelor of Music degrees in Music Education and Piano Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. During her undergraduate studies, she was a three-year member of the Westminster Choir under the direction of Joseph Flummerfelt, where she toured to Korea, Taiwan, and France, and sang in many of the operas performed at the Spoleto USA Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. She studied piano with Ingrid Jacobson Clarfield, voice with Laura Brooks Rice, and conducting with Joseph Flummerfelt, James Jordan, Andrew Megill, Allen Crowell and Melanie Jacobson. As a pianist, she has led seminars on piano music at Westminster Choir College, and taught High School Piano Camp at Westminster Choir College for eight summers. 

Gail Kennedy is a native West Virginian.  She was born and raised in Charleston, WV.  Currently she is the retired vocal music director at Bonita Vista High School in, Chula Vista, CA.  She received her B.S in music education from West Virginia Institute of Technology.  

Her accomplishments in education include award winning marching bands, concert bands and show choirs.  In addition to teaching, Gail has been the alto soloist with the WV Symphony in performances of Handel’s Messiah, Verdi Requiem and Mozart’s Requiem Mass.   

She has also had leading roles in the University of Charleston’s performances of Mehitabel the Cat and Hansel and Gretel.  She currently resides in Charleston, WV, teaching Elementary School Music.  Most recently, Gail was inducted into the WV Band Director’s Hall of Fame. 

Dr. Scott Buchanan serves as Director of Choral Activities at Indiana State University in Terre Haute. A native of New Jersey, Dr. Buchanan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Bradley University, a Master’s Degree in Music Education from the Florida State University, and an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Education & Music Education from the Conservatory of Music and Dance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.  

Recognized as the “2015 Collegiate Educator of the Year” by the Indiana Music Education Association, Dr. Buchanan is in frequent demand as a choral clinician, conductor, and adjudicator. Choirs under his direction have performed throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2001 and has made numerous appearances there, including conducting a solo performance with the Indiana State University Concert Choir in 2004. In May 2010, he served as the Artistic Director of the National Memorial Day Choral Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. In November 2011, he conducted the High School Festival Chorus at the Asian Pacific Activities Conference in Daejeon, South Korea. In April 2014, he debuted at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center. In April 2016, he debuted at Orchestra Hall in Chicago. In summer 2019, Dr. Buchanan served as Chorusmaster for the 44^th Annual Classical Music Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria. He served in the same capacity again for the 50^th Anniversary of the Festival in summer 2025. Most recently, Dr. Buchanan received the prestigious “2026 Hoosier Musician Award”, a lifetime achievement award for excellence in music and music education. This is the highest award given by the Indiana Music Educators Association. 

He has served as music director for a number of churches throughout his career. And, for the past two decades, he has served as the State Director for the Melody Makers of Indiana. Additionally, he has previously served on the IMEA Board of Directors and is a past president of the Indiana Choral Directors Association.  

Sarah Wells is an arts and business professional originally from Plainfield, Indiana. She holds a BS in Music (Voice) from IU Jacobs School of Music with an Outside Field in Theater, as well as an MBA from IU Kelley School of Business. At Jacobs, she studied under Marietta Simpson. She is an alumna of the Juilliard Professional Apprentice Program and a former staff member of the Juilliard Drama Division, where she still returns once a year to help coordinate international student auditions.  

Prior to her time at Juilliard, she worked in casting under casting directors Pat McCorkle, Cindy Tolan, and Adam Caldwell. Casting: Broadway/Nat’l Tour: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. Off-B’way/Regional: Amazing Grace (Chicago pre-B’way), Avenue Q, The Effect (Barrow Street), Monsoon Wedding (development readings), Amadeus (Baltimore Center Stage), Breaking the Code, Dancing Lessons, An Enemy of the People (Barrington Stage). TV: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix), Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO), Happyish (Showtime), Odd Mom Out (Bravo). Film: Maggie’s Plan, Wildling, Breakable You.  

Outside of her day job as the co-owner and General Manager of Wells Family Counseling, Sarah can occasionally be found performing in local theater productions or singing at community events. 

2022 Latin GRAMMY® Award winning album vocalist Thaddaeus Bourne has been praised for his rich baritone (Brooklyn Discovery), his lyrical and touching singing (Parterre Box) and his suave stage presence (Opera News). Originally training as a flutist, he began voice lessons as a means of studying breath support and quickly discovered the joy of making loud noises in foreign languages while playing with swords. He has sung over forty roles performing in the USA, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. His work this season includes performances as King Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Indianapolis Opera, Jesus in Bach’s St. John Passion with the Bach Festival Choir of Winter Park, FL; Bass Soloist in Händel’s Messiah with the Saginaw Choral Society in Saginaw, MI; Vaughn Williams’ Five Mystical Songs at the Cathedral of St. John in Denver, CO; and an opera gala at the Baroque on Beaver Island Music Festival. Last summer he premiered Traci Mendel’s Evening Ponte al Mar in Bogotà, Colombia for the CMS International Conference and presented research on neuroplasticity in vocal training at the International Congress of Voice Teachers in Toronto, Canada with Dr. Brenda Smith. His previous faculty appointments include the University of Florida, Troy University, Butler University, Earlham College, and the University of Connecticut.

Nikki has been a professional choreographer for over 25 years. She is the co-owner of Mudita Movement, a dance studio in Auburn, In. She has choreographed for many award-winning studios, show choirs, and dance teams. Her choreography has been featured on the Showboat Branson Belle in Branson, Mo. She has choreographed at amusement parks such as Cedar Point, King’s Dominion, Va., Kings Island, Oh. Carowinds, N.C. and Dorney Park, Pa. Nikki has won 8 international choreography awards for amusement parks. She choreographs for NBA half time shows, America’s Got Talent finalists, The MOTHMEN, On the Fly Entertainment, and pageants. She is a dance convention teacher and judge for a number of different companies. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Musical Theatre with a minor in Dance from Ball State University, and is an Acro Arts certified instructor. She is the owner of AMP TAP BOARD, a portable tap board company. 

As a professional performer she has performed on Carnival Cruise Lines, Dolphin Cruise Lines, Legends In Concert, the Isle of Capri Casino’s, Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre, the Carousel Dinner Theatre, Cedar Point, a featured tap dancer with the Duke Ellington Orchestra NYC, and The Rhythm of Harlem Orchestra, the Elvis Birthday Tribute Tour, The Magic of Tim Hill, and many others. 

Mason Rutan, a 2024 graduate of Ball State University, is in his first year of teaching Choral Music and could not be more thrilled to start his career at Avon Middle School West, instructing grades 6-8 in Choral Music.  

During his time at Ball State University, Mason spent time performing with the Choral Ensembles under the direction of Dr. Andrew Crow and Dr. Kerry Glann. Mason also spent 4 years as an active member in the Ball State University Singers under the direction of Dr. Alan Aldar and Jodi Cotton-Street, serving in Production Member Roles and making the University Singers Carnegie Hall Debut in 2022. 

As an Indiana native with experience and training in Choral Music, Show Choir, Musical Theatre, and Private Voice, Mason is taking his passion, experiences, and drive for Choral Music to enrich the Music Education of our future musicians!

My name is Dalton Dietrich, and I am the choir teacher at Avon Middle School North. This is my fourth-year teaching in Avon after graduating from Ball State University with my Bachelor of Music back in May of 2022. During my time at Ball State, I was a four-year member and three-year choreographer/dance captain for our collegiate show choir, known as the Ball State University Singers.  

I am originally from Fishers, Indiana and I enjoy spending my free time outdoors in the summer, spending time with my friends and loved ones and binge-watching movies/tv shows with my adorable cats, Oliver and Piper. 

Mr. Kearns Nelson has been the choir director for Avon Middle School South for the last 3 years. Kearns hails from Noblesville, where he was heavily involved in the arts programs in his time through school. This led to Kearns studying Vocal Music Education at Ball State University, graduating in Spring of 2023.  

In that spring of 2023, Kearns was interviewed and offered the position at Avon Middle School South. It has been wonderful seeing the growth in the Middle School choir programs the last three years, and Kearns can’t wait to continue to look forward to growing the choir family in Avon! 

Jessica Miller is delighted to be back for AVI 2026! A graduate from Avon High School’s class of 2019, she was a dedicated member of the Avon choir program where she led as Head Female Dance Captain of Accents and Vice President of Chamber Singers. Miller was an ISSMA Unisex State Champion in 2018, show choir Grand Champion, two-time participant in the IMEA Indiana All-State Honor Choir, and recipient of the Director’s Award. Miller is a 2023 alumna of Purdue University, receiving her B.S. in Human Services with a minor in Spanish. She continued her involvement in music on campus through the Purduettes, an elite treble vocal ensemble within Purdue Musical Organizations. In PMO, she served in many capacities: Purduette Manager and Student Choreographer, PMO Dance Captain, President of PMO Manager’s Council, and Purduette Trio specialty member. Since graduation, she’s pursued work in her other passion of gerontology. Currently, she is a Social Services Coordinator at Westminster Village in West Lafayette, IN, and loves making a meaningful impact on the lives of her residents and their families. In her free time, she enjoys singing in the Lafayette Master Chorale, reading, concert-going, and adventuring around local parks. Jessica is incredibly thankful for her time in Avon choir and attributes her success to the wonderful program that will always feel like home. She wants to commend all of the performers, directors, and their supporters for their dedication and hard work to get to this point. Jessica wishes everyone the best of luck in their performance today and the rest of their competition season! 

Nate Lex is a lively and energetic alumnus of Avon High School and the Avon Choir Program. Nate is recently married and has thoroughly enjoyed the first five months of marriage.  He graduated from Ball State University with a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications with a concentration in Video Production. He leads a club at the high school called Lifesong and substitutes there as well. He is pursuing photography professionally and is still looking for clients for weddings, senior photos and more!  

You can check out his website candidcaptured.com for more information and to see his gallery. He hopes that you all enjoy your time here at AVI, and if you got this far through the bio, he wants you to find him and take a selfie with him during the day. Post that to social media with the hashtag #AVILoveShowChoir and tag him @candidcapturedphoto. He wishes you all the best of luck and asks you to count how many costume changes he has throughout the day. 

Coming from Monrovia, Indiana, Cooper Trigg is a Choral Music Education Major at Huntington University. Over the summers, he has taken on multiple leadership roles- most recently directing a youth choir summer camp for grades 2-8. Additionally, Cooper is the lead worship minister at his church’s youth group and also leads worship at Huntington University. Cooper’s performance repertoire includes appearances at prestigious venues such as Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael and The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts.  

At Avon High School, he was a featured soloist and the student director of the 2023 Avon Accents. He is a skilled instrumentalist with experience performing in jazz groups, concert band ensembles, marching band, and orchestra. 

Zachary is an Avon Alumni that graduated in 2020. He was heavily involved with the Avon choirs, performing with the Avon Accents under Leah Trigg and Chamber Singers under Rick Gamble. Zach went on to study Biology and Germanic Studies at Indiana University. During his time there, he sang with the Singing Hoosiers directed by Dr. Chris Albanese.  

After his time at IU, he went to work for the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department. He is now working in the biotechnology industry and looking to pursue a master’s degree soon. Zach is excited to return as emcee for the Concert Choir Division at AVI.