Concert Chorale

About the Artists

McKenna King

McKenna King is pursuing the Master of Music in Choral Conducting under the direction of Dr. J.D. Burnett. Ms. King is currently the Associate Conductor for the University Treble Choir and the Butler Chamber Treble Choir. She previously taught Secondary Music in Bastrop ISD where she was privileged to re-invigorate the Bastrop Middle School choir department with growth and success. Her choirs have received Superior ratings at the University Interscholastic League evaluation and during her tenure, the program nearly doubled in size. During her undergraduate degree, she was a piano primary studying under Dr. AndrewBrownell, a member of the UT Concert Chorale, and studied conducting with Dr. Suzanne Pence. She has sung professionally in the Central Texas area with the Capital City Chamber Choir, the Austin Masterworks Choir, and with Chorus Austin for their collaborations with the Austin Symphony Orchestra. King holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Choral Music Studies from UT Austin, a Texas EC-12 Teacher Certification, and is a member of both TCDA & TMEA

Eric Newell

Eric Newell is in his first year pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at the Butler School of Music, where he studies conducting with Dr. J.D. Burnett and conducts the University Treble Chorus, as well as assists with the Concert Chorale. Outside of UT, Eric also serves as Assistant Director of Sacred Music at St. Louis King of France Catholic Church, where he works with the King’s Choir, Children’s Choir, Contemporary Choir, and Vespers ensemble. Prior to his time in Austin, he was the Director of Choirs at the Kirby School in Santa Cruz, CA, as well as the Director of Music at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Walnut Creek. He has sung with Volti, the American Bach Soloists, and the Atlanta Master Chorale. Eric holds the Bachelor of Business Administration from Emory University and a Master of Music in choral conducting from the University of Georgia. When not conducting or singing, he loves jazz, tennis, cooking and baking. 

Joseph Seth Zamora

From rural Tularosa, New Mexico, Joseph Seth Zamora is a doctoral candidate in piano performance and a teaching assistant in collaborative piano at The University of Texas at Austin.  Zamora currently manages Zamora Piano Studio in Far West Austin and is the current pianist/organist at Northwest Hills United Methodist Church. He holds a bachelor of arts in Ppano performance from New Mexico State University and a master of music in piano performance from The University of Texas at Austin. Seth has had an active musical career throughout New Mexico and Texas, as a performer, collaborator, teacher, freelancer, and composer. His recent performing endeavors includes a state-wide tour in New Mexico, consisting of lecture recitals contextualizing works from all major eras of music and presenting them so all audiences can engage with classical music. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, exploring new restaurants in Austin, composing, and playing Dungeons and Dragons!

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concert chorale

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