Shawna Stewart

Mrs. Shawna Cross Stewart is Director of Choral Activities at Biola University in La Mirada, CA. She conducts the Biola University Chorale, Women's Chorus and the Vocal Jazz ensemble. As assistant professor, she also teaches the conducting and rehearsal techniques classes, choral literature and serves as the supervisor for the voice education majors. Previously, she was an instructor of choral music at John Brown University and the Director of Choral Studies at North Dakota State College of Science. Ms. Stewart is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music with a Master of Music in Choral Conducting. Currently, she is a doctoral student of Choral Music at the University of Southern California, where she studies with William Dehning. In addition to her doctoral studies, she has also had the privilege of receiving instruction in choral conducting from Helmuth Rilling, Kenneth Jennings, Donald Neuen, René Clausen, Donald Hunsberger and David Effron. Ms. Stewart is active in church music ministry, and is presently serving as the choral director for Whittier Hills Community Church . Formerly, she was the Minister of Music at Gates Presbyterian Church and choral director at Granada Heights Friends Church. For five summers, Ms. Stewart was part of the artistic team at a performing arts high school, where she acted as vocal director for their musical productions. She has also been a franchise owner and teacher of Children's Music Academy, a Denver-based school for early childhood music education. In the L.A. area, Ms. Stewart has been the guest conductor for Jr. High and High School honor choirs, and is frequently called upon to adjudicate choral and vocal jazz festivals. Annually, under the direction of Ms. Stewart, the Biola University Choral Department hosts four invitational choral festivals. She is a member of IAJE, MENC, and ACDA. Active in the L.A. choral community, she was most recently the College and University Representative for the California American Choral Director's Association state board, as well as the chair of their new Choral Workshop Series. Previously, she was the Recording Secretary for the CA ACDA state board and the president of the Pacific Southwest Intercollegiate Choral Association.