Dr. Hanawalt has selected Annika Stucky and Ethan Murphy to serve as Assistant Conductors for the 2024-2025 Concert Season.
ANNIKA STUCKY is a passionate, purposeful pedagogue, conductor and leader currently pursuing a PhD in Choral Conducting-Music Education at Florida State University. She believes strongly in the power of choral music to cultivate compassion, thoughtfulness, and profound community. While at FSU, Annika conducted the university treble ensemble Levana and assisted in Choral Union and Undergraduate Conducting. This fall, in addition to her role as assistant conductor of The Tallahassee Community Chorus, she serves preservice music teachers as a TA in Choral Methods.
Before FSU, she earned an MM in Choral Conducting from Texas Christian University (TCU). While at TCU, Annika conducted the flagship ensemble, tenor-bass spirit group, the opera Amahl and the Night Visitors, and other ensembles across campus. She was selected as a graduate conducting finalist for both Southwestern ACDA and Southern ACDA conferences. Annika hails from Lindsborg, Kansas, where prior to her graduate studies, she taught high school choir at Junction City High School (JCHS) in Junction City, KS. There she directed five ensembles, taught piano, assisted with the annual musical, and was the Fine Arts and Human Services Academy Leader. She founded the Annual Majorworks Concert Series, preparing and conducting performances of Faure’s Requiem, Schubert’s Mass in G, and Handel’s Coronation Anthems.
Annika’s students and ensembles were consistently selected for conference performances, All-State choirs, and received outstanding ratings at large group, small ensemble and solo festivals. During her tenure, JCHS ensembles were invited to perform at the Kansas Music Educators Association state conferences in 2017, 2019, 2021, and across the country for various directors. She graduated summa cum laude from Kansas State University with degrees in music education and Spanish education as the Outstanding Senior in Music and with the Alexander Award for outstanding preservice teacher. An active presenter, Annika has shared her research and led sessions at regional ACDA conferences, NCCO, FMEA, TMEA, KMEA, Kansas World Language Association, and Central States Conference for the Teaching of Foreign Language. Her professional memberships include state and national levels of NAfME, ACDA, and Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honorary. Outside of music, Annika loves to spend time with her husband Grant, bake Swedish goods, and hike Tallahassee’s many beautiful trails.
ETHAN MURPHY is a graduate assistant currently completing his PhD in Music Education/Choral Conducting at Florida State University. He also serves as the choir director at First Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee. At FSU, Ethan has served as the assistant conductor for the Chamber Choir, University Singers, and Choral Union. Prior to beginning his studies in Florida, Ethan received his M.M. in Choral Conducting at the University of Minnesota where he conducted Campus Singers Maroon and assisted with the University Gospel Choir. He also served as a rehearsal assistant for the Minnesota Chorale.
Originally from Northern Virginia, Ethan taught at Freedom High School in Prince William County, Virginia for six years and served as Director of Music at Regester Chapel United Methodist Church. He earned his Bachelor of Music in Music Education from James Madison University (JMU) where he served as undergraduate manager for The Madison Singers, University Men’s Chorus, and KOR. In 2016, Ethan was awarded the Outstanding Early Music Educator Award from JMU and the Spark Award from Prince William County Schools.
An active clinician, Ethan has adjudicated and conducted honors choirs in Virginia and Florida. He has presented in numerous capacities, including to the Florida Music Educators Association, Minnesota Music Educators Association, Virginia Music Educators Association, the Minnesota Chorale, Shenandoah University, and Prince William County Schools, Virginia. He has also published an article for the National Collegiate Choral Organization’s The Choral Scholar and American Choral Review.