June 16, 2024 Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Join Alex Gartner and Dr. Emily Williams Burch for a children’s choir event that hits all the high notes! The Songs and Sand Festival of Young Voices will inspire, excite, and energize youth choirs and conductors from around the country.
Here’s a sneak peek of what you can expect:
- Prepare and perform music chosen by our distinguished guest conductors
- Clinics for individual ensembles (led by Burch or Gartner)
- Opportunity to perform at local worship services
- Chance for conductors to earn professional hours
Learn More About Our Guest Conductors
Alex Gartner serves as the Artistic & Executive Director of the Pensacola Children’s Chorus. This organization impacts 25,000 individuals each year throughout Northwest Florida, including over 5,000 youth.
In this role, he also serves the American Choral Directors Association as the Children’s and Youth R&R Coordinator for the Southern Region. He is also an all-state coordinator for the Florida Music Education Association. Mr. Gartner previously served on the national arts education council with Americans for the Arts.
An active clinician, guest conductor, and composer, his arrangements are available through many reputable publishers.
Follow Gartner on social media if you want to see pictures of his dog, knock-off Cincinnati chili recipes, and repostings of his wife’s “viral” food blog @ShirstAteThat.
Dr. Emily Williams Burch began teaching in 2007. She’s directed community choirs, taught in public schools, trained in professional development settings, and served as a professor at the university level.
Currently the Coordinator of Music Education and Professor at the University of South Carolina, Aiken, Dr. Burch is also the Founder/Artistic Director of RISE Chorales. RISE is a community choir organization with youth and adult choirs based in Savannah, GA.
On the side, Dr. Burch is an active clinician, adjunct music faculty at Savannah Technical College, and chair of the ACDA National Standing Committee for Advocacy and Collaboration. She is also the R&R Coordinator for the Southern Region.
Catch Dr. Burch on her podcast “Music (ed) Matters” wherever you listen to podcasts – or follow her adventures running and pacing marathons at @elevatedrunningandpacing.
