Henry Leck
July 1-10, 2007

"Musica Mundi's festivals are phenomenal in all aspects."

Henry Leck is Founder and Artistic Director of the Indianapolis Children's Choir, a program now of approximately 850 children in twelve choirs, in residence at Butler University in Indianapolis where Mr. Leck is an Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities. In 1990 Mr. Leck founded the Indiana All-State Children's Honor Choir which he conducted for three years and took to MENC in New Orleans in 1992. In 1993, 1994 and 1995 he founded and conducted the Indiana Middle/Junior High School Honors Choir. Mr. Leck has conducted Men's, Women's, Junior High and Children's all-state choirs and festival choirs in nearly every state and is also a frequent conductor of regional and national honors choirs.

In sharing his specialty of working with the child's voice, Mr. Leck looks forward to being conductor at the inauguration of the Copenhagen International Children's Chorus Festival in 2005 and another rewarding musical festival experience for all singers, and to returning as conductor of the 10th Tuscany International Children's Chorus Festival in 2006.

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Anne Tomlinson
July 3-11, 2006

“This Festival provides wonderful musical experiences while fostering cultural enrichment of the highest caliber.”

Anne Tomlinson, Director, Los Angeles Children's Chorus, and Children’s Chorus Mistress, Los Angeles Opera

Anne Tomlinson, Artistic Director and Director of the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, conducts the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, and is responsible for the educational and artistic development of the Los Angeles Children's Chorus. She is also Children's Chorus Mistress for the Los Angeles Opera.

Anne Tomlinson believes every child needs to sing. Fifteen years ago Anne set out to create the Los Angeles Children's Chorus. Today, the two hundred choristers “are a mixture of cultures and races,” and they sing in many languages. “The children learn not only about music, but also about their world and their community.” At a time when support for the arts in our public schools is in decline, Anne Tomlinson's community-based organization gives children as young as seven from all over Los Angeles County an experience which enhances their sense of achievement and self-respect.

Anne holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and a Master's degree in conducting from Northwestern University, where she studied with Margaret Hillis. She is the American Choral Directors Association State Chair for Children's Choirs, and has recently been appointed as a National Representative for Chorus America's Caucus on Children and Youth Choirs. Anne received the Pasadena Arts Council's Arts in Education Award in 2000.

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Joan Gregoryk
July 4 - 12, 2005

"As a participating director in 1999 in this extraordinary festival, I am delighted to return as Conductor in 2005."

Joan Gregoryk, Founder, Children's Chorus
of Washington, and frequent guest conductor
of children's chorus festivals

Internationally recognized as a leader in children's vocal music, Ms. Joan Gregoryk taught for many years at Chevy Chase Elementary School where her work with the school's chorus won her considerable acclaim within professional music organizations, as well as invitations to perform within the United States and Europe. Her accomplishments earned Ms. Gregoryk and the Chevy Chase Chorus repeated honors, including, among others, invitations to sing at two Presidential Inaugurations (Presidents Reagan and Clinton) as well as preparing the chorus for conductors Mstislav Rostropovich, Rafael Fruebeck de Burgos, Erich Leinsdorf, Erich Kunzel, and James Paul.

Ms. Gregoryk is in constant demand as a workshop leader and guest conductor throughout the United States and Canada. At universities such as Westminster Choir College, Minnesota, she has taught music educator's courses on children's vocal development and the children's chorus for many years. She has also been a seminar leader for numerous Orff-Schulwerk, Kodály, American Choral Director's and Music Educator's chapters. She has frequently been a guest conductor for children's choral festivals, including performances in Louisiana, North Carolina, New York, Virginia, North Dakota and Pennsylvania. In addition to her exceptional work as a teacher, conductor and clinician, Ms. Gregoryk is also an accomplished writer. She was selected as the contributing author on children's vocal development and the children's chorus for the Macmillan McGraw Music Series, "Music and You," as well as their 1994 "Share the Music" texts. She is one of the authors of the MENC 1990 publication "Choral Music for Children."

Ms. Gregoryk looks forward with pleasure to her first conductorship of the 9th Tuscany International Children's Chorus Festival in 2005.

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Henry Leck
June 27 - July 4, 2005

"Musica Mundi's festivals are phenomenal in all aspects."

Henry Leck is Founder and Artistic Director of the Indianapolis Children's Choir, a program now of approximately 850 children in twelve choirs, in residence at Butler University in Indianapolis where Mr. Leck is an Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities. In 1990 Mr. Leck founded the Indiana All-State Children's Honor Choir which he conducted for three years and took to MENC in New Orleans in 1992. In 1993, 1994 and 1995 he founded and conducted the Indiana Middle/Junior High School Honors Choir. Mr. Leck has conducted Men's, Women's, Junior High and Children's all-state choirs and festival choirs in nearly every state and is also a frequent conductor of regional and national honors choirs.

In sharing his specialty of working with the child's voice, Mr. Leck looks forward to being conductor at the inauguration of the Copenhagen International Children's Chorus Festival in 2005 and another rewarding musical festival experience for all singers, and to returning as conductor of the 10th Tuscany International Children's Chorus Festival in 2006.

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Jean Ashworth Bartle
July 10 - 17, 2006

"On a scale of 1 to 10, the Tuscany International Children's Chorus Festival is an 11!"

Jean Ashworth Bartle, Founder,
Toronto Children's Chorus

Jean Ashworth Bartle is internationally recognized for her outstanding achievements as a conductor of children's choirs and is also in demand worldwide as a lecturer, clinician and adjudicator.

As director of the Toronto Children's Chorus Jean Ashworth Bartle captured first prize in the 1982 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales and continues to perform to great acclaim throughout the world. Ms. Bartle's ensemble was "Artists-in-Residence" children's chorus at the inaugural 1995 Tuscany International Children's Chorus Festival, and "Artists-in-Residence" at the inaugural 1999 'Sydney Sings' Children's Chorus Festival. Musica Mundi also arranged the Toronto Children's Chorus performance at the famed Spoleto "Festival of Two Worlds," at which Juan Carlo Menotti greeted the singers with great enthusiasm.

Fundamental to Ms. Ashworth Bartle's achievement with children's choirs is her passionate pursuit of the highest artistic standards. "Glorious music is for all children, everywhere."  Jean Ashworth Bartle will again share this passion as she returns as for the fourth time as conductor/clinician of the 8th Tuscany International Children's Chorus Festival in 2004.

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Judith Willoughby
July 9-16, 2007

“I look forward to conducting Musica Mundi’s newest, notable festival for children’s choruses.”

Judith Willoughby, Founding (former) Music Director, Temple University Children's Choir; Associate Professor of Conducting and Music Education, Northwestern University

Judith Willoughby has conducted children’s, adult, collegiate, high school, and junior high/middle school all-state, honor and festival choirs throughout the United States, Canada and abroad. She has appeared internationally as a guest conductor and clinician in China, Hong Kong, Australia, Hungary, Canada, the Czech Republic, St. Petersburg Russia, Puerto Rico and Wales. In 2003, Willoughby conducted the Women’s Honor Choir at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) national convention in New York City. During the same 2002-2003 concert season, she also made her professional debut in Chicago conducting the opening concert of the William Ferris Chorale and led a collaborative choral/dance project for Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Future guest conducting continues her work throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Ms. Willoughby holds degrees from Northwestern University and Temple University's Boyer College of Music, has served on the summer institute faculty of the Eastman School of Music and Westminster Choir College and is currently Associate Professor of Conducting and Music Education at Northwestern University.

Judith Willoughby lived and worked in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for many years. Two ensembles which she founded and led for ten and twenty years respectively, the Temple University Children's Choir and the Choral Society of Montgomery County, appeared numerous times with the Philadelphia Orchestra, in live performances on public television and radio, for contracted appearances on many regional arts series, and at national and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association and of the Music Educators National Conference. Both choirs also recorded and were featured on Chorus America's radio program, The First Art. In 1997, the Temple University Children’s Choir appeared at the national ACDA Convention in San Diego, California. In 2000, the Temple University Children's Choir performed in concert, and in collaboration with the Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra and Chorus, in Eugene, Oregon, under the baton of Helmut Rilling. Additionally, the Temple University Children's Choir was featured on recordings for the Silver Burdett Ginn Music Series published in 2002.

Well known in the Mid-Atlantic region, Willoughby served terms as state president of Pennsylvania’s branches of the American Choral Directors Association, the Collegiate Choral Association, and Pennsylvania (Arts) Presenters. She has served on panels for the National Endowment of the Arts, state arts agencies and private foundations. She has served nine years on the board of Chorus America (two as secretary), and currently dedicates her efforts to work on Chorus America’s conducting task force, and as national co-chair of the Children and Youth constituency group. Ms.Willoughby is a member of the International Federation for Choral Music, Chorus America, the College Music Society and the Music Educators National Conference. Judith Willoughby is a life member of the American Choral Directors Association.

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