ARTISTIC STAFF
Katy McNiff (she/her)
Founder and Co-Director
Doctoral Student in Music Teaching and Learning
M.M. Choral Conducting
M.M.Ed. Music Education
Mrs. McNiff is a conductor and highly distinguished educator based in Tucson, Arizona. A sought-after guest-clinician, lecturer and performer, Mrs. McNiff has led ensembles and lecture series in Arizona, Michigan, Oklahoma and California.
Mrs. McNiff has taught in Arizona public and charter schools as an Arts Integration Specialist, Choral Director and General Music Teacher, and at the collegiate level as a Course Instructor and Choral Conductor. She has held the position of Director of Music at Christ Presbyterian Church of Tucson, Mountain Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation. and Church of the Painted Hills United Church of Christ. As a Choral Conductor, she has led as Assistant Director for the Tucson Masterworks Chorale, Artistic Director for the Bisbee Community Chorus, and Chorus Master for the University of Arizona Opera Productions.
In addition, she has conducted with the Thompson Street Opera Company in Louisville, Kentucky and the Arizona Rose Opera Company in Tucson, Arizona. As a classically trained singer, Mrs. McNiff has performed in ensembles with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, the Kings Singers, and was a vocalist for the 2015 Grammy Nominated "Milhaud's Oresteian Trilogy" by the University Musical Society Choral Union.
Mrs. McNiff is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Philosophy in Music Education from Arizona State University. She holds a Masters Degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Arizona, a Masters Degree in Music Education from Arizona State University and Bachelor Degrees in Musicology and Voice from the University of Michigan. She has also studied Medieval Musicology at St Peters College, Oxford University.
For more information, visit www.katymcniff.com.
Kim Waigwa (they/them)
Co-Director
B.M Music Education
M.M, Choral Conducting
Doctoral Student, Music Education
Kimberly Waigwa, is thrilled to be joining Audivi Vocem as Co-Director after successfully completing two years as an active student participant. As a conductor and music educator, they have gained a reputation both in Tucson and Phoenix as a high caliber, high energy, and multifaceted educator, conductor, and community builder. They are a graduate of the University of Arizona’s Fred Fox School of Music, holding a Bachelor of Music in Choral Music Education and are currently completing a Masters degree at Temple University in Choral Conducting, with plans to continue as a Doctoral Student in Music Education at Temple University.
Kimberly began their GALA Choruses journey when they first joined Desert Voices in 2010. Since then, Kimberly has made their conducting debut at the 2016 GALA Choruses Festival and worked as assistant and small ensemble director with Desert Voices, began as Artistic Director of the Phoenix Women’s Chorus, and is now Interim Artistic Director with Desert Voices.
Kimberly has previously worked in a multitude of different positions such as Interim Director of the St. Nicholas and After School Music Program Choirs, guest conductor in the Helios Ensemble, music director of Mountain Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation, and private vocal instructor. Additionally, in 2017 Kimberly was selected as 1 of 8 in the nation to participate in the Inaugural Undergraduate Masterclass at the American Choral Directors Association’s National Conference, worked with Dr. Ann Howard Jones and the Luther College Collegiate Chorale, and has taken private lessons and participated in masterclasses with preeminent conductors such as Dr. James Jordan, Dr. Jerry Blackstone, Dr. Arian Khaefi, Dr. Jaclyn Johnson, and Dr. Jason Harris.
As a proud member of the LGBTQIA community and advocate for social justice, Kimberly continues to build and collaborate with sibling choruses throughout the state, and continuing to strengthen the numbers and visibility of all Arizona’s GALA Choruses.