The Men of MEME
Teachers who sing to strengthen the choral art in the state
Clayton Parr is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Albion College, and the "convener" of MEME. A native of Detroit, he graduated from Albion with degrees in music and physics. He taught music and mathematics in the public schools in Michigan and New York, and received his Master’s and DMA from Michigan State University. He previously taught at DePaul University in Chicago and Miami University in Ohio. He was a Fulbright scholar at the Sarajishvili State Conservatoire, Tbilisi, Georgia.
As a performer, Parr has sung with the Cincinnati Opera, Oregon Bach Festival, Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago, the Billings Symphony Orchestra, the Battle Creek Symphony, and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. His articles have been published in the Choral Journal, Music Educators Journal, and International Choral Bulletin, and he is editor for the series “Music of the Republic of Georgia” for earthsongs publishing. He is Executive Secretary of Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, President-elect of the Michigan chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, director of the Battle Creek Community Chorus, and music director of Ensemble Alioni, a Chicago-based group dedicated to the performance of Georgian folk song.
He lives in Albion with his wife of 29 years, Rev. Lois McCullen Parr, and likes to hear from their sons Nathan and Cullen, who live on the West Coast. If you catch him when he isn't singing, teaching, or thinking about singing and teaching, ask him about his worm farm, his next trip, his musical banknote collection, or the Detroit Tigers.
As a performer, Parr has sung with the Cincinnati Opera, Oregon Bach Festival, Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago, the Billings Symphony Orchestra, the Battle Creek Symphony, and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. His articles have been published in the Choral Journal, Music Educators Journal, and International Choral Bulletin, and he is editor for the series “Music of the Republic of Georgia” for earthsongs publishing. He is Executive Secretary of Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses, President-elect of the Michigan chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, director of the Battle Creek Community Chorus, and music director of Ensemble Alioni, a Chicago-based group dedicated to the performance of Georgian folk song.
He lives in Albion with his wife of 29 years, Rev. Lois McCullen Parr, and likes to hear from their sons Nathan and Cullen, who live on the West Coast. If you catch him when he isn't singing, teaching, or thinking about singing and teaching, ask him about his worm farm, his next trip, his musical banknote collection, or the Detroit Tigers.
Dustin Morris has been teaching at Vicksburg Middle School and High School since 2006. He directs six choirs during the school day, one afterschool men’s singing club, and two musical theater shows per year. Prior to this he directed the choirs at Kalamazoo Christian High School, church choirs, and community choirs. Dustin holds a bachelor of music from Kalamazoo College and a Master of Music in choral conducting from the University of Utah, where he studied under John Cooksey. Dustin has sung with the Utah Opera Company Chorus, the Baroque Artists of ChampaignUrbana, and the Camerata Singers of Muskegon. He lives in Vicksburg with his wife, Hadley.
Jeff Cachero has been teaching music and choir at Lakeview Schools in Battle Creek since 2002. He taught elementary general music and directed the district's elementary choir until 2008 when he moved to Lakeview Middle School to teach 6th, 7th, and 8th grade choirs and general music. Jeff began his studies at Macomb Community College, and earned his bachelor’s degree in music education at Western Michigan University. He earned his Master’s degree in music education from WMU in 2010. Jeff has been in various community music ensembles such as Kalamazoo singers and a Kalamazoo-based pop a cappella group named Notified. He has also been in several musical productions with the Kalamazoo Civic Theater including as Cabaret, Camelot, Ragtime, and Les Miserables. Most recently, he played the role of Bernardo in the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra’s concert production of West Side Story. When Jeff is not teaching or singing, he races mountain bikes, builds and races drones, and spends time with his wife, son, and daughter.
Chris Ludwa is the Music Director of Kalamazoo Bach Festival and Assistant Professor of Music at Kalamazoo College, where he conducts the College Singers, teaches voice, music history, and arts and social justice classes. He is also Artistic Director of Bay View Music Festival in Petoskey, Michigan, where he conducts the 100-voice festival choir, 16-voice collegiate chamber choir, orchestra, and musical theatre productions. Previously, Ludwa served as the Director of Music at The Federated Church Cleveland, where he led 4 ensembles and presented an annual concert series. In 2014, he founded Kaleidosong, a professional vocal ensemble that specializes in a huge range of styles such as Palestrina, R&B, jazz, American songbook, and spirituals. In Indianapolis, he was Artistic Director of Encore Vocal Arts for ten years. Chris is also a seasoned orchestral conductor, having held positions with Bloomington Pops Orchestra, Bloomington Symphony, Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, and Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra. He has worked for Indianapolis Opera as Apprentice Conductor/Outreach Administrator and guest conducted for numerous organizations including Butler University Lyric Theatre and Webster University Opera Theatre. He lives in Kalamazoo with his wife, Melissa, and their two boys Alex and Elliott.
Chris Hodges is the principal of Gaylord High School. He was the Vocal Music Instructor for Gaylord Community Schools from 2008-2016. His teaching duties there included teaching choir at Gaylord Middle School and Gaylord High School, 4th grade general music, assisting with 6th grade band and co-directing the annual GHS musical. Before teaching in Gaylord, Chris taught choir at Central High School in Pageland, South Carolina. Chris graduated Cum Laude from Albion College in 2007 with a B. A. in Music Education and from Central Michigan University in 2012 with a M.M. in Choral Conducting. When Chris is not teaching, he enjoys spending time with his lovely wife Aleece and their two dogs.
Michael Peterson , a native of Clarkston, Michigan, received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Masters Degree in Conducting and Voice Performance from Central Michigan University. Mr. Peterson's teaching career of 21 years has included both classroom and choral music education in the Reese, Clarkston, and Walled Lake school districts in Michigan. He has also enjoyed the past 6 years teaching Junior High and elementary programs at the internationally known Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan. His choirs have performed for the Michigan Music Educators Conference; consistently receive Excellent ratings at both District and State Michigan School Vocal Music Association festivals. His choirs have toured and performed in New York City, Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Orlando as well as internationally in Venice, Montecatini Terme, and Rome.
He is an active member of Michigan School Vocal Music Association and American Choral Directors Association. He is also an active adjudicator for both Solo and Ensemble and Choral Festivals throughout the state of Michigan.
He is an active member of Michigan School Vocal Music Association and American Choral Directors Association. He is also an active adjudicator for both Solo and Ensemble and Choral Festivals throughout the state of Michigan.
Ian Bäby has been teaching music at Marshall Public Schools since 1999. In his time at Marshall, he has taught various grade levels and ensembles and is currently the Director of Marshall Middle School Choirs and the Director of the Alternative High School music program. Ian holds a double Bachelors in Music Education and Vocal Performance from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) where he sang in several opera productions including The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, and La Traviata. He was student conductor of Miami University Men's Glee Club and Miami University Choral Union. He also holds a Masters of Music Education from Western Michigan University. Ian sings with the Battle Creek Community Chorus and is the founding director of the Marshall Summer Community Chorus with the Marshall branch of the Battle Creek Community School of Music. When he's not making music, Ian attends gatherings of the Society for Creative Anachronism and spends time with his wife Sara, who is the group's unofficial photographer.
Locations in the state of Michigan
Thomas Kaiser has just been appointed director of choirs at Grand Blanc High School, his alma mater. Tom comes to Grand Blanc after several years teaching in Lapeer.
