Ethan Wagner rejoined the NCC after conducting the Sonata Level and teaching Kodály classes from 2012-2015. Since 2015, he has taught middle school general music and chorus at Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York City, and additionally serves as music director and conductor for the school’s musicals. Also a pianist, he has served as accompanist for several choruses, operas and musicals. He has accompanied the choruses Glass Menagerie, Cerddorion and C4 in New York City, and Ars Nova in Kecskemét, Hungary. In Kecskemét, he studied piano pedagogy and musicianship at the Kodály Institute in 2009. As a twenty-six-year member of the Army National Guard, he serves as commander and conductor of the 42nd Infantry Division Band. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Whitman College in 2001.

Catherine Moore is a conductor, pianist, and mezzo-soprano based in Jersey City, New Jersey. Classically trained in piano and voice, Catherine has held professional engagements as a choral singer, accompanist, music director, and educator. Catherine serves as an Associate Conductor for the New York Chapter of the National Children’s Chorus, directing the Minuet Level, and as a vocal music teacher at Millburn Middle School (NJ). She is a staff singer at Grace Church of New York and sings with the Young New Yorkers Chorus. Additionally, Catherine has enjoyed work as a professional musical theater music director in diverse educational settings, including Montclair State University (NJ) and Ghostlight Theater (ME). She has performed as a soloist and choral singer in venues like Carnegie Hall, Little Caesar’s Center (MI), and Hill Auditorium (MI). Catherine received a Bachelor of Music degree with honors in choral music education, piano focus, from the University of Michigan. While at Michigan, she sang with the GRAMMY® Award-winning Chamber Choir, directed by Dr. Eugene Rogers. She was selected as an inaugural soloist for the Michigan Recording Project, an initiative to create high-quality recordings of non-canonical piano music. Among her mentors and teachers are Dr. Matthew Bengtson, Dr. JoAna Rusche, Professor Mark Stover, Dr. Julie Skadsem, and Dr. Marie McCarthy.

Karina Camile Parker is a New York-based director, soprano, and teaching artist. Karina has performed with organizations such as The United Nations, NBL, The Italian Academy, Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Opera Pacifica, and has worked under the direction of internationally renowned conductors Manfred Honeck, Gustavo Dudamel, Andrés Cárdenes, Gary Wedow, Harold Rosenbaum, Eph Ehly, and many more. As a teaching artist, she has worked with organizations such as the National Children’s Chorus, New York City Charter School for the Arts, Young Audiences New York, Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, and Pittsburgh Festival Opera. Karina received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in vocal performance and music education certification from Carnegie Mellon School of Music.

John Verkuilen is the Assistant Conductor of the Oratorio Society of New York, a soloist with Musica Viva NY, and is on faculty with Berkshire Choral International. John recently completed a year as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Muhlenberg College, where he conducted the Chamber and College Choirs and taught applied voice. Prior to beginning doctoral studies, John served for two years as Artistic Director of Sine Nomine (Fall River, MA), was guest conductor of the Falmouth Chorale and Chamber Choir (Falmouth, MA), and spent a year as Interim Artistic Director of Calliope, a collaborative chorus and orchestra in Boston. Before his time in Boston, John was appointed Assistant Choral Conductor at Macalester College, completed a yearlong music liturgy internship at St. Olaf Catholic Church in Minneapolis, and performed two seasons as a member of the Minnesota Opera. He has served as Assistant Conductor of the Newburyport Choral Society (Newburyport, MA) and has been on faculty of the Boston Conservatory Vocal/Choral Intensive and MSM Summer. In addition to conducting, John frequently performs with ensembles across the country as a chorister or featured soloist, including Artefact Ensemble, MACC Ensemble, Taylor Festival Choir, and others. John earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting from Manhattan School of Music, a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from Boston Conservatory, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies and music from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where his interdisciplinary focus was world music.