UAH - Liberal Arts - Directories - Choral & Vocal Faculty

Aaron Cain, Assistant Professor

Voice and Diction Dr. Aaron Cain performed and recorded with a variety of instrumental and vocal ensembles, most of which have made early music their focus. Groups with whom he has performed as a soloist include the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Portland Baroque Orchestra and Ensemble VIII. He has also sung with the Los Angeles...

Billy Orton, Instructor

Men's Choir Rev. William (Billy) Orton graduated from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Church Music. He serves as Minister of Music and Worship at First Baptist Church, Huntsville, AL. He also accepted the position of Music Director/Conductor for the Huntsville Community Chorus, the first performing arts organization...

Chris Walters, Instructor

Voice Chris Walters has served as the Director of Choirs at Randolph School in Huntsville since 2011. Chris is also currently completing a D.M.A. in choral conducting from Boston University, where he studied with Dr. Ann Howard Jones. He holds degrees in music education, sacred music, and choral conducting from Vanderbilt...

Dr. Royce Boyer, Professor Emeritus

Music History, Voice, Choirs Dr. Royce Boyer is responsible for initiating music activities and creating the music department on the UAH campus in 1966. He teaches in the areas of music literature and history, and private voice. He is Music Director of the Twickenham Singers of North Alabama, a vocal chamber...

Erin Colwitz, Assistant Professor

Director of Choral Activities, Choral Music Education Erin Colwitz received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Minnesota in 1998. She later completed the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in choral music from the University of Southern California, where she studied with William Dehning, David...

Handy Avery, Instructor

Women's Choir Rev. Handy Avery has served as Minister of Music at Weatherly Heights Baptist Church for 7 years. Under his tenure he has organized a women's chorus and directs the Chancel Choir. Each December he directs the sing-a-long Messiah that includes auditioned soloists, orchestra, organ, harpsichord, and a 'chorus' of...

Karen Young, Instructor

Opera Director; Voice Area Coordinator Karen Young (Soprano) received her M.M. degree in Vocal Performance from Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham, Alabama where she studied with Dr. David Smith. Her education also includes master’s classes and/or coachings with Patricia Wise, Carol Vaness, Fredrica von Stade, Martin Katz, Joan Dornemann, Nico Castel,...

Martha Brouse, Instructor

Voice Martha Freeman Brouse brings to UAH over thirty years of professional singing and teaching experience. She began her professional opera career in Germany as the “Mother” in a production of Amahl and the Night Visitors, a role which she has sung many times and would later win a “Wings” Award. ...