Jennifer Kane,
Artistic Director
Jennifer Kane comes to Massachusetts from Atlanta, GA, where she was the Artistic Director of the Spivey Hall Young Artists, a 50-voice treble ensemble which serves as the training choir for the nationally renowned Spivey Hall Children's Choir. She was also the Artistic Director of Viva Voce, a summer choral camp sponsored by Spivey Hall and the Atlanta Chapter of the American Composers Forum, as well as a frequent clinician and adjudicator for children's choral music.
In addition to her work with children's voices, Kane was the Artistic Director of Atlanta Schola Cantorum, an auditioned ensemble specializing in Renaissance polyphony and Twentieth century compositions. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution described Kane's work with Schola: "Such depth of expression - a fusion of harmonies and texts - was the hallmark of Kane and her singers." Most recently, Kane was the Artistic Director of PALS Children's Chorus in Brookline, where she prepared the chorus for collaborations with the Back Bay Chorale, Boston Musica Viva, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Kane received a BA in Music from Furman University, an MM in Choral Conducting from Georgia State University, and is currently a doctoral student at Boston University as a student of Ann Howard Jones.
Philip Montgomery, Associate Director
Philip Montgomery is an Associate Conductor of the Worcester Children's Chorus where he directs the Da Capo choir. He also serves as President of the Worcester Children's Board of Directors. Mr. Montgomery is Music Department Chairman of the Fay School in Southborough, MA. where he teaches general music, piano, and chorus. He holds a Masters Degree in Organ Performance from The Boston Conservatory, where he studied with James David Christie. He holds an additional Masters Degree in Music Education, with Kodály emphasis, from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Mr. Montgomery is a certified instructor in both the Orff-Schulwerk and Kodály methodologies of music education. He has also participated in the complete "Creating Artistry Choral Conductors Workshop" with Henry Leck, founder and director of the Indianapolis Children's Chorus. In addition to his work with the WCC and Fay School, Philip Montgomery is the Organist and Choirmaster of Saint Mark's Church, Episcopal, in Southborough, MA. In the 1990's, he served as Assistant Organist at All Saints Church in Worcester, MA.
Jamie Hillman, Associate Conductor
Jamie Hillman is a multi-faceted musician who is active as a singer, pianist, composer, and conductor. His recent engagements as tenor soloist include Messiah with the Clark University Chorus & Orchestra, Dett’s The Chariot Jubilee with the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Saint-Säens’ Christmas Oratorio with the Rosebud Masterworks Choir, and Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with the Studio Cantorum Choir & Orchestra of Indonesia. As a pianist, Hillman has worked with numerous organizations including the Boston Children’s Chorus, the Rhode Island Children’s Chorus, and the Jeannette Neill Dance Studio. Hillman’s choral compositions have been performed in Asia, Europe, and North America by ensembles including the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto, Les Choristes, the Oakville Children’s Choir, and Rosa Cantorum. From 2006-2008, he served as Lecturer in Voice at Prairie Bible College in Three Hills, Alberta, where he conducted choirs and taught voice and vocal pedagogy. He is an examiner for Conservatory Canada and has adjudicated at regional and international festivals in North America and Southeast Asia. Hillman holds an Associate diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto) and degrees from the University of Western Ontario and the University of Illinois. He is currently a doctoral student in Conducting at Boston University.
