Music, vocal, and choral educators who exemplify MET’s six pillars of excellence: Musicianship, Scholarship, Mentoring, Artistry, Leadership and Teamwork.
The Renaissance Center 2005 Choral Retreat
Sherry Littley, Angela Roberts, Karen Mueller and Ronda Armstrong
Dickson, Tennessee
Read Across America Day, 2005
Angela Roberts and MET Singers
Metropolitan Nashville Education Association
Let Freedom Sing!
Rehearsal with Ronda Armstrong and Chad Witemeyer (far left)
Jackson Hall, Tennessee Performing Arts Center
January 15, 2005
ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES
Karen Mueller
Artistic Associate since 2001
Karen Mueller, composer Bruce Saylor, Sandi Johnson
2002 Premier : Proud Music of the Storm
Mrs. Karen Mueller has been teaching elementary music in Rutherford County, Tennessee since 1992. She was one of the founding directors of the Rutherford County Elementary Choral Festival, which began in 1993 with fifth and sixth graders and expanded to include fourth graders in 1994 with Margaret Campbelle-Holman as the first clinician.
Mrs. Mueller holds an A B.A. degree in Speech Education from Marquette University. She holds a M.S. degree from Belmont University. Furthering her professional artistry has included work with the Nashville Symphony Chorus, and includes summer study with The Robert Shaw Festival Singers. She studied with maestro Shaw and toured with the Festival Singers, including a concert in Carnegie Hall under his baton.
A leader in many professional music education organizations, she also directed the MET Singers premier of Hand Me down My Mother’s Work in 2005 during their annual performance in the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. She has also taught English, Speech and Theater in elementary, middle and high school.
She is the inspiration behind singers’ articulation, reading skill spiral and vocal stamina. A strong believer in the total body approach to singing, she challenges participants to simultaneously process singing: read, vocally produce and interpret. As air is needed for humans to breathe, so oxygen is needed to stimulate brain activity, a singer’s brain must be engaged in the learning and performing processes. Body warm ups are a criterion for all singers to assist in focusing their whole being on the artistry at hand.
Nita Modley Smith
Artistic Associate since 1998
Nita Modley Smith Artistic Associate since 1998. Mrs. Nita Modley Smith, a graduate of Hillsboro High School (MNPS), has taught classical piano, general and choral music for 13 years. In 2005, she returned to Hillsboro as director of choir and vocal studies. Active in professional vocal and choral education associations, her performance ensembles lead the way for surrounding communities with high standards of musicianship and community service. She holds a B.S. degree in Music Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and M.A. Ed. degree in Music Education from Tennessee State University.
She is on the music ministry staff at Fifteenth Avenue Baptist Church and a member of the Princely Players Theater Troupe. The Princely Players is a professional performing arts ensemble that performs across the United States and has produced CD’s of traditional African American spirituals holding to their historical context from which they evolved, a cappella.
She is the inspiration behind thought provoking discussions which challenge singers to think without a box and dig deep for relationships across communities and life as we know it. Though focused on high school singers during the day, her mentoring energizes all ages involved in MET rehearsals.
Married to Robert Smith, they have 2 daughters, Melissa (a MET Alumnus and currently, a college student) and Elizabeth (a current MET Singer and future WBA All Star).
Debra E. Tillery
Artistic Associate since 1996
Debra E. Tillery was educated in the Metro Nashville Public Schools. She is a graduate of Fisk University where Ms. Tillery performed with the world renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers. She is a Music Specialist for Metro Nashville Public Schools and is a student herself, pursuing an Ed. S. Degree in Higher Education. She has shared her vocal artistry in Sweden and Japan master classes. Locally, she has performed with The Tennessee Chamber Ensemble, The Nashville Symphony Chorus, The Nashville Opera Association, and as the classical component for Dr. Bobby Jones Gospel on BET Network.
Her artistic goals are always set high and put into service to enrich our local community as seen in her 2004 production, Three Divas and a Tenor. In 2006, she steps forward again as Marian Anderson in Middle Tennessee State University’s premier production of historical African American divas.
She is the inspiration behind Guest Artist visits that bring to light student artists. Constantly looking for potential in every student, she seeks to highlight young, local artists who are honing their craft in hopes of generating reciprocal inspiration for singer and artist.
LEGACY ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES
Ronda Armstrong
Artistic Associate since 2001
Ms. Armstrong has been teaching in a public school setting since 1994. She has a B.A. in Music Education from Indiana University and an M.S. from The University of Arizona. She has completed Level III Orff Schulwerk Certification under renowned Belgium composer Jos Wuytack whose mentor was Carl Orff. A member of numerous professional music organizations, she is also a thriving Music City songwriter. Prior to her involvement in the Nashville community, Ms. Armstrong taught elementary music and chorus in Indiana, Arizona and Florida.
She is the inspiration behind Mini MET, a new ‘stepping stone’ for MET singers beginning in 2006. Mini MET allows music and choral explorations for aspiring singers in grades 2 and 3. Occurring the third Saturday of April, May and June, Mini MET will be offered in the hiatus between MET seasons.
Sherry Littley
Artistic Associate since 2004
Sherry Littley is in her sixth year as Music Specialist at Charlotte Park Elementary in Nashville. She received her B.S. in Music Education from Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC with a Proficiency in Flute performance and a secondary Proficiency in Piano. She received her M. Ed. from David Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee with an emphasis in Educational Leadership.
Raised in a family of professional musicians Mrs. Littley began the study of flute and piano at an early age. In addition to her parents’ university and performing careers, they maintained a vibrant musical ministry in their church and from childhood, Ms. Littley was active in the church choir and piano accompaniment. She continued her post college instrumental studies in the flute studio of the esteemed former Dean of the Julliard flute school and principal flutist of the New York Philharmonic, the late Mr. Julius Baker. Ms. Littley maintains a strong commitment to furthering the music education of young people in a broad range of settings, including instrumental, choral and classroom instruction.
She is the inspiration behind meaningful repertoire and artistic processing that challenges singers to perform at a higher level of interpretation. As a flutist, she discusses and demonstrates why there is a need for sensitive and objective approaches to skills that exhibit artistry. Likening flute playing to a singer’s vocal production, she brings logical thinking steps to young and newer singers so their understanding of artistic processing is stimulated.
Mrs. Littley is an avid cyclist and with and husband Tony, has renovated and opened a B & B nestled in woodlands along the Natchez Trace.
Angela H. Roberts
Artistic Associate since 2000
Angela Roberts is a K-12 Vocal Music Specialist who earned her Bachelor of Music Education from Kansas State University in 1993. She holds Level III Kodaly Certification from Oklahoma State University and has continued professional training with Level I Orff Certification from the
University of Missouri, Kansas City and Belmont University.
Mrs. Roberts currently teaches K-4 General Music for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools at Gateway Elementary. Prior teaching experience includes pre-K – 6th grade general music, middle school and high school choir and band in Missouri and Kansas. She is active in numerous professional education organizations, serves as faculty representative for Metropolitan Nashville Education Association, and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
She is the inspiration behind long term skills for improved interpretation so singing is more expressive no matter the music’s style or genre. Leaving this out of singers’ groundwork stymies their growth potential and leaves them dependent on the director. She is a strong advocate for independent thinking and its contribution to singers’ ability to express themselves confidently and artistically as they sing.
Mrs. Roberts lives in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with her husband, Jim.
Chad Witemeyer
Artistic Associate since 2004
Mr. Witemeyer has been teaching general and vocal music in Metro Nashville Public Schools for six years. Currently teaching at Bass Middle School, he is also a member of diverse professional music organizations, including the American Guild of Musical Artists. He holds Bachelor Degrees in Voice Performance and Music Education from Abilene Christian University and a Masters Degree in Voice performance from the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music. Prior to working in Metro Public Schools, he has taught Opera Workshop classes, and throughout his musical career, he has performed in numerous opera ensembles: The Cincinnati Opera, Nashville Opera, and other smaller companies.
He is extremely excited to be working with the young voices of such a prestigious group of singers. Mr. Witemeyer is the inspiration behind boys barbershop harmonizers and Tech Ten, both introduced during MET C.A.M.P., 2005. Tech Ten has become a standard during weekly rehearsals allowing small groups or individual singers mini vocal pedagogy lessons with a teacher. Designed to meet needs of new and seasoned clientèle, sessions allow singer and teacher to ask and answer questions as well as provide additional guidance with personal goal setting/assessment which might not normally be accessed during rehearsals.
Mr. Witemeyer resides in Murfreesboro, TN with his wife, Leslie, and they have 3 children, Lily, Elliott and Conor who all love to sing. Their father hopes they will be part of The MET Singers someday!
ARTISTIC STAFF
