Tulsa Chorale Executive Artistic Director: Tim Sharp

TIM SHARP (BM, MCM, DMA) is in his twelfth year as Artistic Director of Tulsa Chorale. Tim has just concluded thirteen years as Executive Director of the American Choral Directors Association, the national professional association for choral conductors, educators, scholars, students, and choral music industry representatives in the United States. He represents choral activity in the USA to the International Federation for Choral Music and serves as Vice-President, and is Vice-President of Musica International, the world’s largest database of choral music. He has recently been appointed as Director of Innovation for Trevecca University’s (Nashville, TN) Center for Community Arts Innovation.

Sharp, an active choral conductor, researcher, and writer, has varied his career with executive positions in higher education, recording, and publishing. Prior to his leadership of ACDA, Sharp was Dean of Fine Arts at Rhodes College, and earlier, Director of Choral Activities at Belmont University. He has varied his vocational work in fields including higher education, non-profit arts administration, recording and music publishing and distribution, and music performance.

Tim’s research and writing focuses pedagogically in conducting and score analysis, and various published essays and books betray his eclectic interests in regional music history, acoustics, creativity, innovation, and aesthetics. He has conducted university, community, church, and children’s choirs, and continues to serve as choral conductor and clinician in the United States and internationally.

Sacred Choral Music Repertoire: Insights for Conductors is Tim’s latest book for choral conductors. Other publications in choral conducting are Relevance in the Choral Art, Innovation in the Ensemble Arts: Sustaining Creativity, Mentoring in the Ensemble Arts: Helping Others Find Their Voice and Collaboration in the Ensemble Arts: Working and Playing Well with Others.

Dr. Sharp is a Life Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge University, with degrees in music and conducting from The School of Church Music of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Belmont University, and Bluefield College.

Taylor Jack Conley is the Choir Director at Skiatook High School, where he conducts choirs and teaches other vocal and general music courses. Taylor received his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Tulsa, and his Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Georgia State University, where he was named the Robert Shaw Choral Scholar. He studied conducting under Dr. Deanna Joseph, and voice under Dr. Kim Childs and Rick Clement. Taylor has a great passion for choral singing and sacred music, and has experience with university, church, community, and men’s choirs. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the National Association for Music Educators, and the American Choral Directors Association, and is the Past-President of Northeastern Oklahoma Choral Directors Association. Taylor has sung professionally with choirs and worked as a choral clinician in Oklahoma, Georgia, and North Carolina. Currently, Taylor sings with the Southminster Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir in Tulsa, OK as a chorister and soloist. Outside of music, Taylor enjoys the outdoors, cooking, and DIY projects. Taylor resides in midtown Tulsa, OK, with his cats, Hiccup and Nora, and partner, Hope.