Dr. Brian J. Winnie

Director of Choral Activities 
Sallee 202
Office Phone: (309) 298-1378
BJ-Winnie@wiu.edu
www.brianwinnie.com

Brian J. Winnie, D.M.A., is the Director of Choral Activities at Western Illinois University where he teaches undergraduate and graduate choral conducting & choral literature courses, and conducts the University Singers. An active festival conductor and adjudicator, Dr. Winnie has been artist-in-residence in Ekaterinburg, Russia and has worked with festival choirs throughout the United States. He has presented topics on 21^st century choral/vocal pedagogy and bridging the gap between classical and contemporary vocal technique at State NAfME, State & Regional ACDA, and International Conferences. Dr. Winnie has published articles in the Voice and Speech Review, Choral Journal, ChorTeach Journal, The Voice Foundation Newsletter, and is editor and contributing author of "The Voice Teacher's Cookbook," published by Meredith Music Publications.

Prior to this appointment, Dr. Winnie served as Director of Choral Activities & Voice, and chair of the music department, at Southwestern College (Kansas); was the Artistic Director of the community-based choirs ChoralSounds and VocalSounds Northwest (Seattle); and taught for seven years in public education at both middle and high school levels. In addition, he has been the recipient of numerous awards including "Exemplary Teacher Award" at Southwestern College, "Outstanding Young Conductor Award," presented by the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, and was nominated for the “Excellence in Teaching Award” at the University of Washington.

Dr. Winnie currently serves on the Editorial Board for the Voice and Speech Review and has served as Secretary for the Central New Jersey Music Education Association, and Middle School/Jr. High Repertoire and Standards Chair for ACDA-PA. He is an active member of the ACDA, NATS, and NAfME.

A native of Pennsylvania, Dr. Winnie received his B.S. in Music Education from the Pennsylvania State University, Master of Music Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington, where he studied with Geoffrey Boers & Giselle Wyers.  He is an Estill Master Trainer and Estill Mentor & Course Instructor of Estill Voice Training. His primary research interests involve the effect of gesture on voice production, and the development of a 21st century choral pedagogy that encompasses all styles of music and is based in the principles of voice science.

Recent Publications:

Winnie, Brian J., ed.  The Voice Teacher's Cookbook: Creative Recipes for Teachers of Singing.  Galesville, MD: Meredith Music Publications, 2018.

Winnie, Brian J. "Serving the Students: Developing a  Mise en Place " in   The Voice Teacher's Cookbook: Creative Recipes for Teachers of Singing, Edited by  Brian J. Winnie. Galesville, MD: Meredith Music Publications, 2018.  

Winnie, Brian J.  "Reconsidering the Use of Metaphor in Choral Rehearsals."   ChorTeach  10, no. 2 (2018).

Winnie, Brian J.  “Bridging the Gap between Classical and Contemporary Vocal Technique: Implications for the Choral Rehearsal.”   Voice & Speech Review  11, no. 1 (2017): 55-71.

Winnie, Brian J.  “Exploring Breath Management & Rib Expansion’s Connection to Onset.”   The Voice  21, no. 3 (2016): 9 - 10.  

Winnie, Brian J.  “Contemporary Vocal Technique in the Choral Rehearsal: Exploratory Strategies for Learning.”  Dissertation, University of Washington, 2014.