Artistic Assistant

Greg Amerind has been performing since the age of five studying piano, trumpet, and voice throughout his school years, eventually majoring in music and theater arts at UCLA, Cal State University, Northridge and Arizona State University, where he received his Bachelor of Music, Choral Education degree. A professional singer and songwriter for many years in Los Angeles, his career includes stops in Musical Theater, nightclubs and concert venues, and as a featured artist with well-known performers like Lionel Hampton and his big band, Ann Jillian, and a brief film appearance with Neil Diamond in “The Jazz Singer.” A sought-after studio singer, he was often called upon to record demos for L.A. songwriters as well as for commercial, TV and Radio, and industrial projects. In 2002, he had the honor of conducting a 300-voice interfaith choir singing ”We Are One” at Phoenix’s Chase Field Ballpark in commemoration of the September 11 attacks on the United States. His composition catalogue includes dozens of choral and jazz vocal ensemble arrangements as well as over 150 songs in the genres of classical, pop, jazz, rock, R & B, and show tunes. Mr. Amerind has been a private voice instructor since 1982 and is currently working on his Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance Pedagogy.

Cadet Choir Conductor, Librarian

Dr. Westendorf holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, the University of Notre Dame, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He studied musicology at the Universität Erlangen-Nûrnberg, Germany, and consequently taught music history at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Illinois. He also directed choirs at both institutions. Dr. Westendorf arrived in the Valley with his wife, Sue, and their two children 17 years ago to serve as Director of Music at First United Methodist Church, Phoenix. Since then he has been director of the Central Phoenix Oratorio Choir and the Fountain Hills Community Chorus. He is currently in his seventh year on the choral faculty of Arizona School for the Arts, and is Music Associate at Central United Methodist Church, Phoenix, in addition to his position on the artistic staff of the Phoenix Boys Choir. He maintains a career as an organist and has appeared regularly with the Phoenix Symphony and the Phoenix Bach Choir. His university and school choirs have performed at ACDA and MENC conventions, and he has performed organ recitals in this country and Germany. He has published scholarly articles about 17th-century music, as well as choral and organ music.

Tempe Training Choir Conductor

Del Adams received a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and School Administration Certification from Arizona State University. He has taught overseas as Head of English at Dar-Al-Fikur, a private school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and in the Holbrook, Cartwright and Tempe School Districts in the Phoenix Metropolitan area. Del currently directs an elementary school choir at Carminati Elementary School, and is the conductor of the Tempe Training Choir since its inception.

Scottsdale Training Choir Conductor

Jody Hanet graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in Vocal Music Education. She also holds a Kodaly Certification from the Kodaly Musical Training Institute and a Kindermusik Beginnings Certification from Westminster Choir College. Jody also did graduate work in Educational Leadership at The Bank Street College in New York City. In her spare time, she enjoys singing and cantoring at her local church.

Peoria Training Choir Conductor

Now in his fifteenth year of teaching music and directing choirs in the Peoria Unified School District, Geoff brings tremendous experience to the Peoria Training Choir. A 1987 graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of music, Geoff directs the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade choirs at Vistancia, as well as both district honors choirs. He facilitated the redesign of the Peoria Unified School District choral curriculum, and serves as the choral facilitator for the annual Peoria District Fine Arts Festival.

Missouri Training Choir Conductor

Rachel Stoddard is the junior high and high school choral director at Scottsdale Christian Academy in Phoenix. She currently conducts five choirs and teaches class piano and guitar. Rachel is a member of The Music Educator’s National Conference, The Arizona Music Educator’s Association and The American Choral Director’s Association. Performance experiences include singing with the Phoenix Symphony Chorus, the Valley Chamber Chorale and as a festival voice with The Phoenix Bach Choir. She has served as the vocal coach/music director for dozens of musicals.

Artistic Director Emeritus

The knack for getting active young boys to explore and focus their musical abilities has been an increasing challenge with the passing of each generation. Few musicians have proven as tireless at sustaining a quality boychoir program as Dr. Harvey K. Smith did in his 40 years as artistic director and guiding voice of the world-renowned Phoenix Boys Choir.

A native Arizonan, Dr. Smith received his education at Occidental College, Master of Music at the University of Southern California, Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Arizona, and Honorary Doctor of Letters at Grand Canyon University.

Beginning in 1960, Dr. Smith’s vision and commitment to quality musicianship have guided the Phoenix Boys Choir from a single, 30-voice choir to a current membership of over 170 boys in five choirs. His pursuit of excellence has brought the Phoenix Boys Choir critical acclaim from audiences and journalists around the globe as well as a Grammy, awarded in 2001. Listeners in Europe, the Far East, Mexico, Canada, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and across the United States have enjoyed the choir’s splendid performances of varied repertoire. The choir has participated in numerous collaborative projects ranging from advertising soundtracks to solo performances with major musical institutions.

Dr. Smith taught music in the Madison and Phoenix Union school districts and at Phoenix College. He also served as choirmaster for several church congregations including Valley Presbyterian Church and First United Methodist Church of Phoenix. He has appeared as clinician for Arizona Music Educators Association (AMEA), American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Musicamrose in Alberta, Canada, Taipei City Schools, and guest conductor in several states. He the 250 voice National Honor Boy Choir (ACDA, 1999) and served as Vice President for North America on the International Board of Directors of Les Petits Chanteurs du Monde.

Among Dr. Smith’s many honors, he received an "Outstanding Educator of America" award, a
Lifetime Achievement Award by the Arizona chapter of the ACDA in 1998 and the 1999 Raymond G. Van Diest Arts Advocacy Award by the AMEA. He received the 1999 Governor’s Arts Award (Artist category), Arizona’s most prestigious honor. Grand Canyon University conferred on Dr. Smith an honorary Doctor of Letters degree and University of Arizona honored him as Outstanding Alumnus of 1999. Dr. Smith is featured in the 1999 edition of Faces of Arizona, in the company of the most outstanding Arizonan Artists.

Dr. Smith and his wife, Dorothy, continue working as clinicians, are avid scuba divers, and co-authors of the video teaching series Singing and Growing.