2019-2020 Choral Grad Students

Choral

Yasmin Bradshaw

Yasmin Bradshaw is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting at USC. She is a graduate of Mississippi College with a Bachelor of Music Education degree, Voice emphasis. As a member of the Mississippi College Singers, she participated in appearances in Carnegie Hall and ACDA Southern Division Conference, as well as with the International Choral Collaboration in South Africa. Yasmin is the choral director at Hand Middle School, where she teaches three levels of chorus and general music classes. She is a very active member in the National Association for Music Education and American Choral Directors Association, and she regularly attends conferences on the state, regional, and national level. Also, Yasmin is the music director at Main Street United Methodist Church in downtown Columbia, SC, and she performs with the chamber ensemble “Limited Time Only” under the direction of Dr. Alicia W. Walker.

Hannah Brown

A Knoxville, Tennessee native, Hannah Amelia Brown is currently pursing a Master of Music degree in choral conducting at the University of South Carolina. Hannah graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2018 with honors, receiving a Bachelor of Music in both music education and vocal performance. Hannah has competed and placed in state and regional vocal competitions, including regional and national rounds of the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition. While an undergraduate at UT, Hannah was a proud member of the University of Tennessee Chamber Singers, touring locations including Washington D.C., England, and Ireland. She was a member of the Faith Lutheran Church Chancel Choir, and served as a section leader and choral librarian in the Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir. She spent three years as a student ambassador for the UT School of Music, assisting potential students as they transition into college. Hannah also participated in the University of Tennessee Opera Theatre program and the VolOpera undergraduate opera scenes program, performing both on the stage and off through stage management. She enjoys being involved in community theatre, with previous roles including the Baker's Wife in Into the Woods, Hope Harcourt in Anything Goes, Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, and Cosette in Les Misérables. Two weeks before her undergraduate graduation, Hannah accepted a position with Knox County schools and taught as an interim middle school choral teacher. Additionally, she taught private voice lessons in Knoxville for over three years, and hopes to continue to do so in Columbia. Hannah is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association and the National Association for Music Educators.

Emily Williams Burch

Emily Williams Burch is pursing the Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from USC. She holds a Masters of Music Education from Florida State University, where she assisted with the Capital Children’s Choir, and a Bachelor of Music Education from Louisiana State University, where she graduated magna cum laude. Emily is the founder and artistic director of RISE Chorales, a community choir organization with a mission of experiencing musical artistry, education, and personal growth through the choral arts and community experiences. Prior to that, she served on the podium as Director of Education and Music for the Savannah Children’s Choir for nine years and worked as Department Chair/General Music/Piano Teacher at Garrison School of Visual and Performing Arts. She continues to have the privilege of traveling the country as a Teacher Trainer and Choral Curriculum Developer for Quaver’s Marvelous World of Music, an interactive K-8 music curriculum. Additionally, she serves as an Artistic Adviser for Perform International, where she helps organizations create and realize their dreams on tours in the US and abroad. Choirs under Mrs. Burch’s direction choirs have performed regionally, nationally, and internationally. Mrs. Burch has volunteered in various roles within the American Choral Directors Association, including Repertoire & Resources Chair for Children’s and Youth Community Choirs for the Southern Region. She enjoys visiting different states and working as a clinician for both treble and middle school honor choirs.

Sungsil Kim

Sungsil Kim is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting at USC. She received a Bachelor of Music in South Korea and a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from Missouri State University. Currently, she is the choral conductor at Korean Baptist Church in Georgia. Moreoever, Sungsil is an active piano soloist and chamber musician. She has performed solo, chamber, and choral music extensively in both South Korea and the United States. Previously, Sungsil has been commissioned by the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, Springﬁeld Regional Opera, and taught piano at Drury University as a faculty member from 2006-2016.

Christopher-Lopez Moore

Christopher-Lopez Moore, an Edgefield SC native, is currently a graduate at the University of South Carolina pursuing a Master of Arts in teaching degree. He received his bachelor's degree in vocal performance from Coker College. During his study at Coker College, he served as the tenor section leader in multiple ensembles and was the activities manager where he planned retreats and other activities for the ensembles. His theater experience includes playing Rapunzel's Prince in "Into the Woods," the lead role of Kaspar in "Amahl and the Night Visitors," and Mitch Mahoney in "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." Recently he was cast in the lead of Frantz in the French opera, "Le 66." Christopher enjoys baking, gymnastics, dance and teaching vocal technique throughout the Columbia community. He truly believes that you are the force behind your dreams, and if your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough.

Jantsen Touchstone

Jantsen Touchstone is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting at the University of South Carolina. He received the Bachelor of Music in church music, Bachelor of Music Education, and Master of Music in choral conducting from Mississippi College where he worked as a graduate assistant under Dr. Jamie Meaders. He has most recently served as an elementary music teacher at Madison Ridgeland Academy and Worship Pastor at Hinds Independent Methodist Church. As a choral conductor, he worked with the Hinds Independent Methodist Church choir since 2010, the MRA Honor Choir and Chapel Singers since 2014, and was co-conductor of the MC Men’s Glee ensemble for the 2012–2013 academic year. Jantsen is an active vocalist and was a tenor soloist in the Mississippi College Honor’s Recital in ‘09. He has also performed in two musicals at Mississippi College including “Little Women” (John Brooke) and “The Secret Garden” (Dickon). He was also an active chorister of the Mississippi College Singers, Mixed Company (a vocal jazz ensemble), and Men’s Glee. He is the recipient of the Juliette Burnette Memorial Scholarship for church music, 2010. Jantsen is a member of the American Choral Director’s Association, National Association for Music Educators, and the Mississippi Music Educators’ Association. He and his wife Amy live in Columbia, South Carolina with their two Boston terriers, Ollie and Thea.

School of Music

Choral