Maria McDaniel, a professional mezzo-soprano, has established herself as a successful regional opera singer, accomplished voice technician, and dynamic vocal performance coach for singers at all levels. Her journey began in her hometown near Chicago, Illinois, where she discovered her talent for classical singing during high school. She honed her skills at Millikin University, earning a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, and later completed her Masters of Music in Vocal Performance at Georgia State University with a full graduate assistantship.
Based in Atlanta, Ms. Maria is highly sought-after as a soloist and advanced vocal music teacher. Her extensive repertoire spans various operas, oratorio concert works, and solo recitals, showcasing her versatility and expressive passion. She has performed with renowned symphony orchestras and opera companies, including the Atlanta Opera, where she served as both a chorus member and a principle artist.
Internationally, Ms. Maria made her debut with the Chinese National Symphony through the I Sing Beijing program and trained in Milan, Italy, performing in Vienna and participating in the Centro Studi Italiani in Urbania. She has also been recognized in vocal competitions, earning prizes such as Second Prize at the Irene Dalis Voice Competition, Winner of Women’s Voice Young Artist Division at the National Federation of Music Clubs, and First Place at the American Traditions Competition.
Ms. Maria’s commitment to ongoing education and training with top classical voice professionals gives her a broad knowledge base in vocal pedagogy, performance psychology, and excellence in vocal performance across various genres. As a result, her students at AAVA have achieved numerous accomplishments, including vocal competition prizes, college scholarships, Broadway debuts, concert tours, television appearances (2017 America’s Got Talent), and successful careers in music-related fields.
Tamara Dworetz
GSU Symphony Orchestra Conductor
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Tamara Dworetz is a dynamic and electric musical force on the podium. She has conducted the Paris Mozart Orchestra, Boston Pops, Dallas Opera Orchestra, Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Amarillo Symphony, and Mankato Symphony. She has served as an assistant conductor for the Orchestre de Paris (Klaus Mäkelä), Gürzenich Orchestre Cologne (François-Xavier Roth), BBC Concert Orchestra (Bramwell Tovey) and Atlanta Symphony (Nathalie Stutzmann) and won 2nd prize in the Boston Pops' Leonard Bernstein Conducting Competition. Her 2023-24 season will include debuts with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (HerStory Family Concerts) and the Arkansas Symphony in featuring pianist Conrad Tao. She is thrilled to be the newly-appointed Music Director of the Georgia Philharmonic.
Tamara was recently selected as 1 of 14 candidates from a worldwide pool in the 2022 La Maestra Conducting Competition and Academy for Women Conductors in Paris, France. She was the only US-born conductor selected for the competition, and earned a spot as one of 6 semi-finalists. 'Maestra', a documentary directed by Maggie Contreras, features 5 conductors from the competition, including Tamara, and was premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and highlighted on CBS National News as well as international film festivals.
A devoted music educator, Tamara’s musical beginnings took place in the Atlanta public school system and she is passionate about leading K-12 and pre-professional musicians in enriching musical experiences. Tamara is the newly-appointed Georgia State University Director of Orchestral Studies & Charles Thomas Wurm Distinguished Professor in Instrumental Music. She has served guest conducting residencies at University of Texas Butler School of Music, Boston University School of Music, SUNY Fredonia School of Music, and the Longy Conservatory Orchestra at Bard College and was Music Director of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY) Orchestra and Concert Choir. She has guest conducted the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and led all-state orchestras in Texas, Seattle, Colorado & Georgia. She also served as assistant conductor for the National Youth Orchestra (NYO2) in their first international tour. From 2013-16, Tamara was the Director of Orchestras at Lakeside High School where she increased enrollment by 50%.
Emily Hobson-Gallardo
Treble Choir Conductor
Dr. Emily Hobson-Gallardo is serving as a Lecturer in Choral Studies at the Georgia State University School of Music. At GSU she conducts the Treble Choir, Choral Union, and teaches courses in conducting. She recently returned to the Atlanta area after completing her Doctorate in Choral Conducting at the University of Houston Moores School of Music. Prior to this appointment she served as the Director of Choirs at Oglethorpe University. In Houston, she served as the Assistant Conductor of the Mercury Chamber Orchestra, Rehearsal Conductor of the Houston Symphony Chorus, and as the Assistant Conductor/Choral Conducting Intern with the GRAMMY award-winning Houston Chamber Choir for the 2019-2021 seasons. Prior to relocating to Houston, she was the Assistant Director of Choirs at the University of West Georgia. At UWG she conducted the Concert Choir, taught the Aural Skills sequence, Choral Methods and Materials, as well as Music Appreciation. She was a conductor of the Greater Atlanta Girls Choir, and also taught middle and high choral school programs in Fayette County and Marietta City Schools.
A diverse choral conductor and music educator, she is originally from Mississippi where she received her Bachelor’s of Music Education degree from Mississippi State University graduating cum laude with an emphasis in piano and voice, studying with Dr. Gary Packwood and Dr. Rosangela Yazbec Sebba. She then went on to obtain her Master’s degree in Choral Conducting graduating summa cum laude from Georgia State University in Atlanta, studying with Dr. Deanna Joseph. As a clinician and adjudicator, she has conducted all ages and skill levels as well as worked with many different organizations and schools in the southeast.
She has maintained a private studio teaching and coaching students of all ages. As a singer she has sung in a variety of professional choral ensembles; most recently the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Chorus. In Houston, she sang with the University of Houston Moores School of Music Concert Chorale, St Phillip Presbysterian Staff Singers, and the Houston Symphony Orchestra Chorus. Her research is primarily concerning the Performance Practice of Italian Convent Musicians of the Early Modern Period. She recently presented a session entitled; Gratifying and Engaging Early Music Repertoire for Treble Choirs at the 2021 Texas Music Educators Association Conference.
Jackson Allred
Graduate Orchestral Conducting Student
Jackson Allred is a conductor based in Atlanta, Georgia. He serves as the Assistant Conducting Fellow for the Georgia Philharmonic and Assistant Conductor to the Georgia State Symphony Orchestra under Music Director Dr. Tamara Dworetz. Additionally, he assists with the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra working with Music Director and Associate Conductor to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, William R. Langley. He won first prize in the 2023 Undergraduate Wind and Percussion Conducting Competition at Georgia State University, and attended the National Orchestral Institute, working with Marin Alsop and James Ross.
Jackson recently conducted a recording project including excerpts from Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale and Schubert’s Octet in F Major. In addition to his conducting endeavors, Jackson is a versatile performing musician. Having grown up performing in his church and school’s choir, band and orchestras, he continues to perform as a pianist, vocalist, and timpanist. He is passionate about making orchestral music accessible to as many communities as possible.
Outside of his music career, Jackson enjoys various outdoor activities such as diving, horse riding, biking, climbing, river kayaking, gardening, and caring for his two dogs. He is grateful for the unwavering support of his wife, family, and friends in his pursuit of music and all his passions.
B.E. Boykin
AMP Senior Youth Choir Conductor
B.E. (Brittney Elizabeth) Boykin is a native of Alexandria, Virginia and comes from a musical family. At the age of 7, she began piano lessons and continued her studies through high school under the tutelage of Mrs. Alma Sanford. Mrs. Sanford guided her through various competitions, such as the NAACP’s ACT-SO competition where she garnered 1st place for 3 consecutive years in the local competition, as well as being awarded The Washington Post “Music and Dance Award” in the spring of 2007.
Boykin then pursued her classical piano studies at Spelman College under the leadership of Dr. Rachel Chung. After graduating Spelman College in 2011 with a B.A. in Music, Boykin continued her studies at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey. During her time at Westminster, she was awarded the R and R Young Composition Prize just a few months shy of graduating with her M.M. in Sacred Music with a concentration in choral studies in May, 2013.
Boykin’s choral piece, “We Sing as One,” was commissioned to celebrate Spelman College’s 133rd Anniversary of its founding at the 2014 Founders Day Convocation. She has also been featured as the conductor/composer-in-residence for the 2017 Harry T. Burleigh Commemorative Spiritual Festival at Tennessee State University. Boykin has been commissioned and collaborated with several organizations, including a number of ACDA divisions, the Minnesota Opera and the Kennedy Center. She obtained her Ph.D. from Georgia State University with an emphasis in Music Education and is currently an Assistant Professor of Music at the Georgia Institute of Technology.