Congratulations Julia Jenkins Holt

2025 Teacher of the Year!

Julia Jenkins Holt serves as the Vocal Music Director at Eisenhower High School and Malow Junior High School in Shelby Township, MI. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Music Education from Michigan State University and holds a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Oakland University.

Julia received the honor of being named the Macomb County High School Teacher of the Year in 2014. Actively engaged in MSVMA, she currently holds the roles of Treasurer and State Scheduling Coordinator and has previously served as Co-Manager of District 16. Julia has been the conductor of the Session 2 SSA Choir at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp since 2014 and led the 2016 MSVMA 6-7-8 SA State Honors Choir. From 2013 to 2023, she was the lead music teacher for the kindergarten through 5th grade students in Kensington Community Church’s Kaleo performing arts program. Committed to nurturing the next generation of vocal music teachers, she opens her classroom to student teachers and observers, paying forward

the support she received from educators in her own past.

Under Julia’s direction, the choirs at Eisenhower and Malow consistently achieve top ratings at MSVMA festivals since her arrival in 2003. They have showcased their talent in many venues including the MSVMA All-State Festival, Michigan Youth Arts Festival, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Many of Julia’s students have earned positions in the 6-7-8-9 State Honors Choirs, High School State and All-State Honors Choirs, as well as the All-State Jazz Honors Choir. Most recently, the Eisenhower Show Choir was chosen as the MT S&E East Site ensemble to perform at the All-State Gala Concert in May. Julia’s teaching philosophy emphasizes achieving the highest technical performance level across multiple genres, while creating a deep emotional connection to the music and fellow performers. Julia lives in Troy with her extremely supportive band director husband, Gregory, and their two budding musicians, Anna and David.

The celebration, collaboration and excitement of friends and colleagues getting together at the 2025 Michigan Music Conference rang throughout the hallways of the Amway Grand Plaza, DeVos Place and JW Marriott. Our headliner,

Dr. Amanda Quist, led us through inspiring and unifying sessions, Building Sound and Spirit, Voicing and Seating the Choir and We are the Choir. The conference provided opportunities to connect through informative interest sessions as well as inspirational performances. 

The conference began on Thursday with attendees refining skills as conductors at our Choral Conducting Symposium with Dr. Amon Eady and his Chamber Singers from Central Michigan University. The 6-7-8-9 Honors Choirs, under the direction of Julia Davis, Kent Wattleworth and Jessica Nieuwkoop, brought students together from around the state of Michigan in life changing performances. We were pleased to have so many MSVMA members together during the networking sessions Thursday afternoon. MSVMA Mentors and Mentees in our Partner Program came together for authentic discussions. Claire Gilling and Lauren Geates brought useful information through their session “Organize to Energize: Building Your Student Organization from the Ground Up.” The final session focused on “I Survived My First Year of Teaching” presented by Alex Cross. Special thank you to Brian Leduc who guided the discussions and logistics of the Thursday afternoon sessions with his continuous enthusiasm for MSVMA.

Friday and Saturday were filled with interest sessions that gave us food for thought as well as practical tips to use in our classrooms. A huge THANK YOU to presenters Catherine Bennett, Michael Mitchell, Christopher Mason, James Borst, Kara Stevens, James Cumings, Jacob Berglin, Maxwell Trombley, Jenny Ribeiro, Clayton Parr, Emerick Dee, Rachel Ware Carlton, Stuart Hill, Blake Rosser, Rob Stow, Jami Lercher, Bailey Tallman and Anthony Funaro for sharing your passion and knowledge with us. 

There are many people involved in helping and planning to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. Once again, MSVMA members stepped up and offered their time and talents. Special thanks to the following who assisted by presiding over the interest sessions and performances: Sarah Stockton, Gail Worden, Eric Cadena, Julia Holt, Amy Schroeder, Brian Leduc, Michelle Wilson, Zach Everly, Andrew Hathikhanavala, Brian Wyman, Matt Snell, Claire Gilling, Annika Lipar, Carli Tower, Jed Scott and Megan Sinclair. We also appreciate all the state supervisors and coordinators who have spent time throughout the fall overseeing activities that culminate in final performances and experiences at MMC.

Friday and Saturday were also filled with inspiring performances in the MSVMA Choral Hours and the High School Honors Choirs. Congratulations to Rachel Quillian and the Plainwell Middle School Honors Choir, Kara Stevens and the Caledonia High School Choralaires, Ashley Ward and the Walled Lake Northern Bel Canto, and Adam Gardner-Northrop and the H.H. Dow High School Chamber Singers who performed in the Friday MSVMA Choral Hour. Saturday’s Specialized Choral Hour featured musical theater intensive soloists Truman Columbus from Walled Lake Northern High School, director Ashley Ward and Dale Mylod, Detroit Country Day School, director Cate Gasco. Also featured were ensembles KRESA (Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency) Advanced Musical Theatre Ensemble, under the direction of Denene Mulay Koch, as well as the Dundee Descants from Dundee High School and their director Megan Sinclair. High School singing musicians were taken on a musical journey under the conductors of our Honors Choirs and All State Jazz Ensemble. Dr. Jeremy Fox led the All-State Jazz Ensemble, the SSAA Honors Choir was under the direction of Eric D. Reyes, Steven Lorenz conducted the TTBB Honors Choir, and the SATB Honors Choir under the direction of Dr. Erin Colwitz. 

This conference is the culmination of a year-long process and we express our gratitude to these MSVMA representatives on the MMC Executive Board and Planning Committee.

MMC Executive Board - Erik Jacobson, Gail Worden

MMC Planning Committee - Eric Cadena, Matthew Callaghan and Sarah Stockton 

Thank you to all who attended MMC 2025. We ask for your feedback on your conference experience by completing a short survey. This information is used directly to improve next year’s conference. 

Did the MMC leave you feeling inspired with new ideas? Submit a session proposal to be considered to present at the 2025 MMC. Deadline is Friday, April 25th. 



Submitted by: Eric Cadena, MMC Planning Committee

Michigan Music Conference Board of Directors

MSVMA Representatives

Erik Jacobson and Gail Worden

Michigan Music Conference Planning Committee

MSVMA Representatives

Sarah Stockton, Eric Cadena, and Matthew Callaghan

Wendee Wolf-Schlarf was recognized for her outstanding contributions to the Michigan Music Conference. Wendee was a committee member for the conference when it was known as the Midwest Music Conference in Ann Arbor and played a pivotal role in the relocation to Grand Rapids. Wendee served on the MMC Executive Board and Planning Committee as well as the additional role of Planning Committee Chair. Her depth of knowledge and historical perspective for the conference was truly appreciated and we are very grateful for her many years of ​dedicated service.

Submitted by: Eric Cadena, MMC Planning Committee

The Emeritus Membership Program honors retired MSVMA members, whose lives have been devoted to the enhancement of choral music in secondary schools. Nominations are made at spring District meetings and submitted to the MSVMA past president by June 1 for Board of Directors review. Those nominees who are awarded emeriti status are recognized at the MSVMA Annual Meeting held at the Michigan Music Conference. A one-time selection fee of $100 per candidate is paid by their District.

• Taught vocal music or been actively involved with a choral music program for twenty-five or more years.
• May have spent part of his/her career as a supervisor, coordinator, chairman or director of a school music program which includes choral music.
• Demonstrated significant service to MSVMA.
• Spent part of their careers in Michigan and with credit given for choral teaching or supervising and active vocal music organization membership in other states.



Lifetime membership in MSVMA is granted to recipients of Member Emeritus status. Members Emeritus may not serve as officers. 

From Left to Right - Jolene Plotzke, Robert Doyle, Michael Peterson, G. Byron Turner,

Carmelle Atkins , Sheryl Hauk, Dr. James Borst, Katherine Letovsky

Not pictured - Emeriti Nathan Degner and Emeriti Cate Windleborn

6-7-8 SA Honors Choir

Julie Rogers Davis, Director

Jackie Stilger, Accompanist

Anne Lawrence, SA State Coordinator

7-8-9 SSA Honors Choir

Jessica A. Nieuwkoop, Director

Victoria Walker, Accompanist 

Christopher Knapp, SSA State Coordinator 

7-8-9 TTB Honors Choir

Kent Wattleworth, Director

Todd Schreiber, Accompanist

Tim Peterson, TTB State Coordinator 

High School SSAA Honors Choir

Eric D Reyes, Director

Aaron Goodyke, Accompanist

Candice Sytsma, SSAA State Coordinator 

High School TTBB Honors Choir

Steven Lorenz, Director

Seohyun You, Accompanist 

Jaylon Sims, TTBB State Coordinator 

High School SATB Honors Choir 

Erin Colwitz, Director

Joseph Daniel-Hoste, Accompanist

Maxwell Trombley, SATB Coordinator 

Honors Choir

Plainwell Middle School

Rachel Quillan, Director

Choralaires

Caledonia High School

Kara Stevens, Director

Bel Canto

Walled Lake Northern High School

Ashley Ward, Director

Chamber Singers

H.H. Dow High School

Adam Gardner-Northrup, Director

Northern Singers

Forest Hills Northern High School

Michael Wheaton, Director

Dundee Descants

Dundee High School

Megan Sinclair, Director

Musical Theatre Intensive Soloist

Walled Lake Northern High School

Truman Columbus

Musical Theatre Intensive Soloist

Detroit Country Day School

Dale Mylod

All-State Jazz Honors Choir

Dr. Jeremy Fox, Conductor (left front) Jed Scott, Coordinator (right front)

Eric Floetke, 678 SA

Kathryn Becksvoort, 789 SSA

Rachel Niewiada, 789 TTB

Dr. Brandon Ulrich, HS SATB

Dr. Jonathan Reed, HS TTBB

Julia Jenkins Holt, HS SSAA

Visitors to the MSVMA's booth at the MMC Exhibit Hall could register to win professional development opportunities and fun organization activities.

Drawing winners are:

Thomas Larner

MSVMA Summer Conference

Michele Maples

Choral Student Leadership Conference

Anna Saladin

Detroit Tigers Tickets

Non-Profit of the Night

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and entered our drawings!