Choral Clinicians
Dr. Zach Durlam serves as Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, artistic director of the Master Singers of Milwaukee, and choir director at Grace Lutheran Church in Grafton, Wisconsin. At UWM, Durlam leads multiple choirs and teaches graduate and undergraduate conducting and choral literature. He previously taught at Fresno Pacific University where his Concert Choir performed at the California Music Educators Association Conference and he was awarded the university’s 2013 Faculty Distinguished Service Award. Prior to that, Durlam taught high school vocal music for twelve years – including nine at Iowa City West High where his Chamber Choir was chosen to perform at the North Central American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) conference and the music department was one of seven programs in the nation named a Gold Signature School by the Grammy Foundation. He received his bachelor’s degree from Luther College, master’s from the University of Iowa, and doctorate from Michigan State University. Durlam was awarded 3rd place in the college/university division of the 2018-2019 American Prize for Choral Conducting, and the UWM Concert Chorale and UWM combined choirs and orchestra were named national finalists in the same competition. The UWM Concert Chorale under Durlam’s direction has been featured at the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association (WCDA) and Wisconsin Music Educators Association state conferences and the 2020 ten-state Midwestern ACDA conference. Chorale performed with Andrea Bocelli during the Milwaukee stop of his 2021 “Believe” tour, and in 2015 they performed with the Rolling Stones at Milwaukee’s Summerfest. Durlam has presented at state and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association and the National Association for Music Educators, and he frequently works as a guest conductor and clinician, recently conducting or presenting in California, Oregon, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin where he directed the 2019 Wisconsin Honors High School All-State Mixed Choir. Durlam currently serves as president of WCDA, and his research on Handel and Mendelssohn is published in ACDA’s Choral Journal.
Raymond Roberts is the Director of Vocal Music at the Milwaukee High School of the Arts, where he has taught since 1991. Mr. Roberts is a graduate of the Booker T. Washington High School of the Arts in Dallas, TX and holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University. He is also active in the Milwaukee music community, having held the position of Assistant Director of the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus and Director of the Plymouth Concert Chorale. Roberts currently works in music ministry at First United Methodist Church- West Allis with his wife, Alyssa. He has also performed as Tenor soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Bel Canto Chorus, and the Bach Chamber Chorus.
Roberts’ students have been recognized nationally by such institutions as the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts (YoungArts), the NAACP ACT-SO scholarship competition, Classical Singer competition, and the Grammy Foundation. His choirs from Milwaukee High School of the Arts have performed at numerous state, regional, and national music conferences (2015 ACDA National Conference) as well as with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Raymond received the Distinguished Teacher Award from the United States Department of Education for his work with a student who was named a Presidential Scholar in the arts. Mr. Roberts was also named as one of eleven “Choral Directors of Note” by Choral Director Magazine, a national publication. Just this Spring, the MHSA Vocal Jazz Ensemble received its 8th Downbeat Student Music Award. He presently serves Wisconsin Choral Directors Association (WCDA) as the Repertoire & Resources Chair for World Musics and Cultures.
Roberts’ students have been recognized nationally by such institutions as the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts (YoungArts), the NAACP ACT-SO scholarship competition, Classical Singer competition, and the Grammy Foundation. His choirs from Milwaukee High School of the Arts have performed at numerous state, regional, and national music conferences (2015 ACDA National Conference) as well as with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Raymond received the Distinguished Teacher Award from the United States Department of Education for his work with a student who was named a Presidential Scholar in the arts. Mr. Roberts was also named as one of eleven “Choral Directors of Note” by Choral Director Magazine, a national publication. Just this Spring, the MHSA Vocal Jazz Ensemble received its 8th Downbeat Student Music Award. He presently serves Wisconsin Choral Directors Association (WCDA) as the Repertoire & Resources Chair for World Musics and Cultures.
Michelle Beschta Klotz has been teaching kids through music since 1990 ranging in age from infants to college students. Her path has included middle school and high school choral music, early childhood and elementary general and choral music, and church music. A requested clinician for regional and state choral festivals, Ms. Klotz was recently seen as the accompanist for the Wisconsin State Honors Project Treble Honors Choir. Her students have performed all over the world, including Carnegie Hall in New York City, St. Martin of the Fields in London, and with such prestigious groups as the New York Voices, Present Music, and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Klotz’s students are routinely awarded highest honors in performance competitions at both the state and national levels and have earned countless scholarships and performance opportunities under her guidance. Many of Ms. Klotz’s students have continued their performing arts pursuits to become great performers, teachers, and coaches in a wide variety of musical fields. A section leader for the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus for the last eight years, Michelle was honored with the Good Shepherd Award for exemplary leadership in teaching and was named to the Menomonee Falls High School Performing Arts Hall of Fame. Her greatest source of pride is her incredible family, husband Andreas and daughters Gabriella and Isabella.
Frank A. Watkins is an Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. A native of Omaha Nebraska, Watkins taught secondary choral music in Texas for six years. He holds degrees in piano performance from Jackson State University (BM), the University of Arkansas (MM), and choral conducting from Northwestern University (MM) and Michigan State University (DMA).
Watkins is in demand as guest conductor and clinician. In 2016, he was appointed Conductor and Music Director of the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra. Recent engagements include the Big Nine Festival Honor Choir, the Great Northern Conference All- Conference Choir, Cloverbelt All-Conference Honor Choir, the 2018 Men’s Choir Festival, Big 8 Choral Festival, Northwest Suburban Conference Choir, the 2021 WSMA State Honors Mixed Choir, and the 2022 WCDA State Treble Choir. He has presented workshops on choral methods for the International Music and Christian Arts Conference, Michigan State University, and the Ohio State University. He has presented workshops at both the Wisconsin Music Educators State Convention and the National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conference. Additionally, he has taught internationally with Village Harmony. Choirs under his direction have performed at the Wisconsin Music Educators State Conference, Wisconsin Choral Directors Association State Conference, and the North Central Divisional Conference of the American Choral Directors Association.
In 2017-18, Watkins led an International Fellows Trip to Dakar, Senegal to study the use of hip-hop and rap as a form of non-violent political protest. In 2019, Watkins will be a guest lecturer in Cape Town, South Africa. Watkins' research interests include the intersectionality of race, class, and gender in the music of African-American Women in the 21st century.
Watkins joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2014. A dynamic young conductor, Watkins’ love and passion are teaching. He believes that in order to educate, you must first inspire! It is his goal to make an impact…not just an impression on the lives of those that follow his baton.
Watkins is in demand as guest conductor and clinician. In 2016, he was appointed Conductor and Music Director of the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra. Recent engagements include the Big Nine Festival Honor Choir, the Great Northern Conference All- Conference Choir, Cloverbelt All-Conference Honor Choir, the 2018 Men’s Choir Festival, Big 8 Choral Festival, Northwest Suburban Conference Choir, the 2021 WSMA State Honors Mixed Choir, and the 2022 WCDA State Treble Choir. He has presented workshops on choral methods for the International Music and Christian Arts Conference, Michigan State University, and the Ohio State University. He has presented workshops at both the Wisconsin Music Educators State Convention and the National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conference. Additionally, he has taught internationally with Village Harmony. Choirs under his direction have performed at the Wisconsin Music Educators State Conference, Wisconsin Choral Directors Association State Conference, and the North Central Divisional Conference of the American Choral Directors Association.
In 2017-18, Watkins led an International Fellows Trip to Dakar, Senegal to study the use of hip-hop and rap as a form of non-violent political protest. In 2019, Watkins will be a guest lecturer in Cape Town, South Africa. Watkins' research interests include the intersectionality of race, class, and gender in the music of African-American Women in the 21st century.
Watkins joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2014. A dynamic young conductor, Watkins’ love and passion are teaching. He believes that in order to educate, you must first inspire! It is his goal to make an impact…not just an impression on the lives of those that follow his baton.