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JEFF GEMAR (panel) is an award-winning music educator, recently retired after spending 42 years directing some of the best show choirs in the country. Jeff is proud to have established four show choir programs during his career including Mitchell, South Dakota, Friend de Coup and Chatham Glenwood's Titan Fever. He also led the award-winning Mt. Zion Swingsations along with Dwight Jordan.

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HEATHER PISTORIUS (soloists) Heather has her Bachelor Degrees in Music Business and Music Education, with a Vocal Performance Certificate, from Elmhurst College. She has been part of the staff of the Grammy Award winning program at Waubonsie Valley High School, was a conductor, production manager, bookings manager and group travel coordinator for the internationally acclaimed Chicago Children's Choir and is currently on staff as the assistant director at Mt. Zion High School and the choral director at Johns Hill Magnet School. During the school year, she has a private voice studio, is a certified yoga instructor and judges show choir competitions throughout the Midwest. In the summer months she is on staff with Showchoir Camps of America.

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SCOTT HINES (panel) comes to us from Purdue University where he is an assistant director for Purdue Musical Organizations. He is assistant director/accompanist/arranger for the Varsity Glee Club, directs 6 small ensembles, including Express, the university show choir. Before Purdue, Scott was the director/producer for Elite Energy Show Choir in Decatur, Illinois. Under his direction, EE consistently garnered awards at local, regional and national competitions.

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JOHN NEUBAUER has taught for 32 years, serving in choral music director roles at high schools in Illinois, Indiana and California.  He has been in his current role as Director of Choirs at Noblesville High School since the Fall of 2016.  At Noblesville, John is the lead director as well as serving as the director for the school musical. 

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In addition to numerous choir championships, Mr. Neubauer also has been previously recognized as the Outstanding Illinois Arts Educator in 1998. He graduated from Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.) in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in music education and vocal/choral music education. 

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LINDA SOUTHARD (panel) is a nationally recognized Show Choir industry pioneer. An accomplished music educator with 33 years as the director, arranger, and choreographer for the award-winning Buffalo Grove, The Expressions, Linda is often in demand as a coach, clinician, arranger, choreographer, and judge.

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RICH TAYLOR (panel) is an accomplished entertainment & education professional now consulting through RICH IMAGINATION, LLC. Former VP of Disney Creative Entertainment and Costuming and Dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Oklahoma, Rich now offers his multi-faceted expertise to entities that seek to enhance their creativity or processes.