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2024 ACDA Southwestern Region Conference February 27 - March 2, 2024 Denver, Colorado

Stephen F. Austin State University Timber Creek High School
A Cappella Choir Chamber Choir

The A Cappella Choir, under the direction of Dr. The Timber Creek HS choir program has been ac-
Michael Murphy, is the premier choral ensemble at tive in the competitive arena of choir for the last five
Stephen F. Austin State University. The select mixed years and has grown to be a consistent presence in
chorus has a distinguished tradition of performing dis- the online choral community. The chamber choir was
tinctive and diverse repertoire at the highest level of founded the year Adrian Kirtley started as the head di-
artistry. Throughout its rich and successful history, the rector, and since then they’ve been awarded first place
choir has had many guest appearances at state and na- at the 2019 and 2021 Madrigal Festivals, first place at
tional conventions including, Texas MEA, NAfME, the the 2022 Festival di Voce competition, and most re-
ACDA, and many international concert venues. cently performed as an invited choir of the 2023 Na-
tional ACDA Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Michael Murphy is the director of choral
activities and associate professor of mu- Adrian Kirtley has served as director
sic at Stephen F. Austin State University, of choral music at Timber Creek High
where he teaches choral conducting, en- School in Ft. Worth since 2019. He was
sembles, repertoire, and methods courses assistant director at Timber Creek dur-
and oversees the graduate conducting program. Mur- ing 2016 and 2017. All his choirs since
phy is an active clinician, adjudicator, and author. His 2019 have received UIL Sweepstakes ratings. Since
research interests include training and developing the 2016, thirty-eight of his students have been named all-
holistic conductor, rehearsal techniques, new choral state choir members. His groups have garnered honor
compositions, and investing and creating impactful choir recognitions (2020 and 2022) and were named
connections in our global community through music. Grand Champions (2019 and 2021) at the Madrigal
His choirs have been invited to perform for several and Chamber Festival. A Grand Champion award was
international, state, and regional ACDA and NAfME given at the Festival di Voce in 2022, and his ensemble
conferences, and he has held several international, na- was selected as a 2023 Honor Choir. In the summer
tional, and state leadership positions. of 2024 he has been invited to be a guest conductor at
Carnegie Hall by MidAmerica Productions.

CHORAL JOURNAL January 2024 Volume 64 Number 5 109