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2026 ACDA Northwestern Region Conference March 4-7, 2026 Tacoma, Washington

P
hoirs
Performing Choirs
er
orming C
f
Northwest Choirs Pioneer Middle School
Northwest Boychoir Advanced Treble Choir

The Northwest Boychoir, founded in 1974, is a cor- The Advanced Treble Choir of Pioneer Middle
nerstone of Seattle’s cultural landscape. As part of School is located in DuPont, WA. This auditioned
Northwest Choirs along with Vocalpoint! Seattle, it choir comprises singers in grades seven and eight. This
provides exceptional music education and performance small middle school of 760 students is located with-
opportunities to boys aged six through eighteen from in the Steilacoom Historical School District.The Ad-
across the Puget Sound region. Its members perform vanced Treble Choir is an auditioned group that sings
regularly with esteemed organizations such as the Se- music ranging from unison to SSAA. They have earned
attle Symphony, Seattle Opera, and Music of Remem- superior and superior plus ratings at regional solo en-
brance, and have contributed to major film and video semble contest and large group choir festivals. In 2015
game soundtracks. The Northwest Boychoir has also this group was selected to perform at the WMEA State
served as the official “Singing Ambassadors” of Wash- Conference, and in 2018 they performed at the NW
ington State, showcasing the rich musical talent of the WMEA Conference.
region.
Katie Elshire is in her thirtieth year
Jacob Winkler is the artistic director of of teaching and has taught at Pioneer
Northwest Choirs, an organization he has Middle School for ten years. She holds
been part of since childhood. A former a bachelor’s in secondary choral educa-
chorister with the Northwest Boychoir tion from Pacific Lutheran University.
and Vocalpoint! Seattle, he toured inter- Elshire was honored with the Middle Level Educator
nationally and performed with the Seattle Symphony of the Year Award by Washington MEA in 2018 and
and Seattle Opera. From 2009 to 2022 he led the Se- the Outstanding Educator Award by the Mountain Re-
attle Girls Choir, earning international accolades and gion MEA in 2024. Under her direction, the Advanced
commissioning numerous new works. Winkler teaches Treble Choir and Tenor/Baritone Choir were selected
conducting, orchestration, and music notation at the in 2015, 2016, and 2018 for the WMEA state and NW
Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program and works WMEA conferences. Elshire conducted the 2023 East-
professionally as a vocalist and music copyist. He holds shore MS Honor Choir and the 2024 Kenai Peninsula
a master’s degree in instrumental conducting from the Middle School Choir in Homer, Alaska.
University of Washington, where he studied with Tim
Salzman and the late Peter Erös.

82 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5