MCC Conductors

Dr. Joel Knapp (Concert Choir Conductor) was raised in the Kansas City area and received a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Wichita State University in 1981, summa cum laude. From 1981-86 he was the Director of Vocal Music at Circle High School in Towanda, Kansas. Choirs under his direction performed at state and regional conventions and consistently received top honors.

In 1986 Dr. Knapp began graduate work at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and served as Director of Music at Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church, Overland Park, Kansas. Studying with Dr. Eph Ehly and Kirby Shaw, he earned an M.M. and D.M.A., summa cum laude, in Choral Conducting.

In 1989 Dr. Knapp taught at Utah State University where he conducted performances in Salt Lake City’s Temple Square. The following year he accepted a position at Texas Tech University as Associate Director of Choral Activities. Choirs under his direction performed with the renowned Orchestra of Santa Fe. The University of Akron invited Dr. Knapp to come as Temporary Director of Choral Activities in 1992. He was also named Director of the Akron Symphony Chorus for the 92-93 season. That fall he conducted the University of Akron Chamber Orchestra and also was a guest conductor of the Akron Symphony.

Dr. Knapp served as Director of Choral Activities at Jacksonville State University in Alabama for six years. His choirs performed to sold out audiences each year as they presented a Renaissance Madrigal Dinner in the fall and a Valentine’s Day Concert in the spring. Jacksonville State University choirs performed at state AMEA conventions and the Georgia Renaissance Festival. Dr. Knapp has served as an adjudicator/clinician in eleven states.

In the fall of 1999, Knapp accepted a position as Director of Choral Activities at Southern Illinois University. An active performer, Knapp has appeared in area recitals as well as performances of “Amahl and the Night Visitors” (Balthazar) “South Pacific” (Emile), and “Bending Towards the Light.” In 2001, Dr. Knapp was named Assistant Conductor of the Bach Society of St. Louis, and Conductor of the Masterworks Children’s Chorus Concert Choir.

He has two children, Eric (14) and Kelly (11). Dr. Knapp is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, Illinois Music Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference, and is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

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Natalie and Katherine

Natalie Pannier (Intermezzo Conductor) is a graduate from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. In Spring of 2005, she received her Bachelors of Music/Music Education, cum laude. There, she was the recipient of three scholarships though the music department and was a semi-finalist in the states NATS competition.

Her previous education includes an Associate of Fine Arts from Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Illinois. There, she also received a full tuition scholarship through the music department and became the student director of choirs under the direction of Gail Fleming.

Her performance experience includes the SIUE Spring operas, the role of Abbess from Suor Angelica, School House Rock LIVE!, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and various choirs throughout the area. She spent much time as a member of the Limelight Players community theater company and served on their board of directors.

She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa (international honor society), Who’s Who Among American Junior College Students, National Dean’s List, MENC, Pi Kappa Lambda (music honor society), and Bach Society of St. Louis.

She is currently employed by C.A. Henning Elementary School in the Triad School district, located in Troy, Illinois.

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Katherine Phillips is the Choristers Conductor and Education Director for the Masterworks Children Chorus. Mrs. Phillips is a Southern Illinois native who has returned to the Metro East area from Columbia, South Carolina where she received her Master’s in Music Education with Dr. Wendy Valerio from the University of South Carolina. While at the University of South Carolina, Katherine was a Graduate Assistant for Dr. Valerio. Her experiences covered everything from student directing responsibilities for the St. Peter’s Children’s Choir to teaching music classes at the University’s Children’s Music Development Center. After receiving her degree in spring 2004, Mrs. Phillips was the Children’s Ministry Coordinator at Shandon Baptist Church, in Columbia, SC. A large part of her responsibilities as Coordinator were recruiting volunteers and leading children’s worship for Sunday morning and Wednesday night programming.

Mrs. Phillips completed her Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education at Millikin University, in Decatur IL. While studying at Millikin she sang in several choirs, including Millikin’s University Choir, under the direction of Dr. Brad Holmes and Dr. Guy Forbes. Her choral experiences included two tours to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as a tour to England with the Alumni Choir in Spring 2002. She also student directed the Madrigal/Jazz Choir with Dr. Forbes during the 1998-1999 school year.

Mrs. Phillips’s varied background includes teaching K-6 music in the Illinois public school system, as well as in several South Carolina schools. Her other experiences include teaching private voice, singing professionally with the St. Louis Symphony Choir, directing an adult church choir and teaching preschool music in several Mothers Day Out programs.

Katherine lives in Maplewood, Missouri with her husband Chris.

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