Artistic Director
Melodie Henderson is the artistic director and founder of D.C. al Fine, a youth choir based in the greater Washington, DC area.
As a music educator, Ms. Henderson has an easy and positive rapport with her students, and a talent for motivating them to pursue and achieve musical excellence. During her 5-year tenure at Payson High School (in Utah), her choirs consistently received Superior (I) ratings at UMEA Region and State festivals. Her choirs also regularly took home 1st Place and Gold awards from annual choral competitions held in Anaheim, CA. While she loves a first place finish, what she values most is student growth. She hopes that every singer she directs becomes a more sensitive, goal-oriented, and confident person through participating in choir.
As a conductor, Ms. Henderson garners praise from adjudicators and clinicians for her clear conducting and musical sensitivity. Her concert repertoire selection shows her versatility as a conductor, ranging from the masterworks of Mozart, Purcell, and Offenbach to the contemporary works of Gjeilo, Lauridsen, and Whitacre. Ms. Henderson is especially drawn to music from around the world, and frequently programs pieces from countries such as Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Haiti. As a graduate conducting student at GMU, she has been privileged to sing with and conduct the GMU jazz choir (Soundcheque) as well as the National Philharmonic Chorale in Bethesda, MD.
Ms. Henderson is currently the choir director at Gunston Middle School in Arlington, VA. She is also the founder and artistic director of the Collaborative Choir, a group of talented singers and composers based in Arlington, VA who perform both new works of their composers-in-residence and favorite pieces selected by the singers in the choir. In addition, she serves as the choir director in her local congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and leads youth and adult church choirs for two or three regional Church conferences each year. She is a member of ACDA.
She studies conducting under Stan Engebretson at GMU (M.M. expected ’13), and studied under Ronald Staheli and Rosalind Hall at BYU (B.M. ’05, magna cum laude). Her principal voice teachers have included Ruth Christiansen, Clayne Robison, and Christina Lynn-Craig.
Ms. Henderson lives in Arlington, VA with her husband, Mark.
As a music educator, Ms. Henderson has an easy and positive rapport with her students, and a talent for motivating them to pursue and achieve musical excellence. During her 5-year tenure at Payson High School (in Utah), her choirs consistently received Superior (I) ratings at UMEA Region and State festivals. Her choirs also regularly took home 1st Place and Gold awards from annual choral competitions held in Anaheim, CA. While she loves a first place finish, what she values most is student growth. She hopes that every singer she directs becomes a more sensitive, goal-oriented, and confident person through participating in choir.
As a conductor, Ms. Henderson garners praise from adjudicators and clinicians for her clear conducting and musical sensitivity. Her concert repertoire selection shows her versatility as a conductor, ranging from the masterworks of Mozart, Purcell, and Offenbach to the contemporary works of Gjeilo, Lauridsen, and Whitacre. Ms. Henderson is especially drawn to music from around the world, and frequently programs pieces from countries such as Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Haiti. As a graduate conducting student at GMU, she has been privileged to sing with and conduct the GMU jazz choir (Soundcheque) as well as the National Philharmonic Chorale in Bethesda, MD.
Ms. Henderson is currently the choir director at Gunston Middle School in Arlington, VA. She is also the founder and artistic director of the Collaborative Choir, a group of talented singers and composers based in Arlington, VA who perform both new works of their composers-in-residence and favorite pieces selected by the singers in the choir. In addition, she serves as the choir director in her local congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and leads youth and adult church choirs for two or three regional Church conferences each year. She is a member of ACDA.
She studies conducting under Stan Engebretson at GMU (M.M. expected ’13), and studied under Ronald Staheli and Rosalind Hall at BYU (B.M. ’05, magna cum laude). Her principal voice teachers have included Ruth Christiansen, Clayne Robison, and Christina Lynn-Craig.
Ms. Henderson lives in Arlington, VA with her husband, Mark.
