OrlandoFest is honored and privileged to have some of the nation’s leading music experts adjudicate our festival performances and serve as clinicians for our performing arts educational workshops. Please see our list of those professionals that will be assisting us for the 2011-2012 season of OrlandoFest.
Choral Adjudicators
Ms. Michelle Amato- Professional Singer- Ms. Amato is a dynamic vocalist whose abilities convey the deep passion of a lyric, as well as soar effortlessly through the stratosphere are making her one of the most in demand names is music today. She has performed and recorded with an incredibly diverse array of artists, including Liza Minelli, Al Green, Sandi Patty, Jon Secada, Donna Summer, Michael McDonald, Ira Sullivan, Jon Hendricks, Celia Cruz, Rita Marley and world renowned composer Yanni. Michelle’s Master’s Degree from the prestigious University of Miami School of Music has created great demand for her expertise as an educator and clinician.
Mr. Joseph Caulkins- Artistic Director Key Chorale, Sarasota, FL- Joseph has led the Chorale on an interesting journey performing rarely heard works like Campra’s Requiem, Charles Ives’ The Celestial Country, and a dramatic performance of Richard Einhorn’s dynamic oratorio, Voices of Light, written to accompany Carl Dreyer’s 1928 silent film classic, “The Passion of Joan of Arc” at the Sarasota Opera House—a collaboration with the Sarasota Opera and the Sarasota Film Society. In addition to Key Chorale, Mr. Caulkins was also Associate Conductor and Director of Choruses with the Southwest Florida Symphony (Fort Myers) for nine seasons. During his tenure, Mr. Caulkins founded the Stained Glass Series, led semi-staged opera productions with students of the Juilliard School, conducted their annual Holiday Pops and Messiah concerts, directed numerous regional premieres, and released two chorus CDs.
Dr. Beth Gibbs- Director of Choral Studies at Florida Southern College- Beth earned the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL, Master of Music degrees in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC, and the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Stetson University in DeLand, FL. Dr. Gibbs spent six years teaching at the high school level in Atlanta, GA. She has recently conducted in the Chartres Cathedral in France, St. Paul’s Cathedral in Vatican City, and at the International Festival of Choirs in Santiago de Cuba. Active as a performer, she was a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Chorus under the direction of Norman McKenzie, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale with conductor Joshua Habermann, and sang under the batons of Michael Tilson Thomas and Helmuth Rilling.
Dr. Joseph Holt- Artistic Director of Gloria Musicae, a professional chorus based in Sarasota, FL- Dr. Holt served more than 20 years with The US Army Chorus in Washington, DC and was Associate Music Director for the Choral Arts Society of Washington before moving to Florida. He has performed throughout the United States, Europe and South America and will be taking a group to the Amalfi Coast Music Festival in Italy in July, 2012. He holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Shenandoah Conservatory and the Catholic University of America.
Derric Johnson- Professional Singer and Composer- Mr. Johnson has written 150 original songs, 1500 vocal arrangements, 32 cantantas and musicals, and has produced 115 albums on 22 labels. Served for 6 years on the Musical Faculty at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. For 30 years was a Creative Consultant in the area of music and programming for Walt Disney World where he arranged, staffed and produced the Voices of Liberty and the Christmas Candlelight Processional.
Michelle Mailhot- Professional Singer and Composer- Ms. Mailhot studied extensively with both Phil Mattson and Dr. Stephen Zegree and received her Bachelor of Music Degree from Western Michigan University. As an educator she has taught at the Phil Mattson Workshops, the Disney Sings Workshops, and Zegree Vocal Jazz Camps. She has been an adjudicator for festivals throughout the country and the world taking her to Singapore and Japan. Michelle has performed extensively at Walt Disney World and has also been featured on several Walt Disney recordings. Michelle tours and performs with the Drama Desk Award winning group Toxic Audio and is a sought after jazz artist and session singer. Michelle’s vocal arrangements are performed by high school, college and professional ensembles throughout the world. Michelle has performed with Bobby McFerrin, the Billy Taylor Trio, Mel Torme, Max Roach, Sheila Jordan, Sandy Patti, Thomas Dolby, Don Shelton of the Hi-Lo’s and Liza Minelli. She is a session singer for radio and television commercials and album recording projects around the country. She can be heard most recently on her own solo release “
Ms. Sarah Moore- Professional Singer and Composer- Ms. Moore has sung with and led vocal groups of all ages in thousands of sessions for theme parks, publishing houses, corporate clients, artists/labels, jingles, station ids and various other users of recorded music throughout the world. She also has multiple screen credits for music performance supervision, and has over 500 published compositions.
Mr. Gregory Ruffer- Music Department Chair at the Patel Conservatory and Chorus Master for Opera Tampa- Mr. Ruffer is recognized as a master voice teacher and has trained exceptional young singers for over 20 years. He oversees the Opera Tampa Apprentice Program and is the director of the Vocal Arts Academy at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. Prior to this, Mr. Ruffer spent six years as the Director of Choral Activities and Applied Voice at the College of Central Florida. Mr. Ruffer holds the B.M. and M.M. degrees in music education from Bowling Green State University and is currently completing his doctoral degree from Columbia University Teachers College in New York City.
