2026 All-State Ensembles

All-State Children's Chorus - Molly Park, Conductor

Thursday, January 29, 5:00 PM, Hyatt Hotel Regency Ballroom

Molly Park is an elementary (K–5) vocal and general music educator and co-director of the Howard County Children’s Chorus in the Howard County Public School System, Maryland. She currently serves as the Eastern Division representative for the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Council for General Music. In addition to her teaching role, Park has led a graduate seminar as an adjunct faculty member at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, contributed published lessons to Hal Leonard LLC’s Essential Elements Music Class, and presented at professional development workshops for music educators at various institutions, including Howard County Public Schools, the American Kodály Institute, Maryland United Specialists in Kodály, Greater Baltimore Orff, and the University of Maryland.

Park holds a Master of Music in Voice from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, a Master of Education in Kodály Music Education from Loyola University Maryland, and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Texas at Austin. She is certified in the Kodály concept (Levels I–III) and the Orff-Schulwerk approach (Levels I–III) and is currently working toward Level III of the Dalcroze Professional Certificate.

A passionate advocate for student growth, Park is dedicated to fostering the development of students from diverse backgrounds through culturally responsive repertoire, creative performances, musical literacy, and social-emotional learning.

All-State Band - Stephen W. Pratt, Conductor

Friday, January 30, 2:00 PM, Columbus Convention Center Union Station Ballroom

Stephen Pratt was a member of the IU Jacobs School of Music faculty from 1984 to 2018 and currently is Professor of Music Emeritus. From 2005 to 2018 he was Professor of Music and Director of Bands, personally conducted the internationally renowned Indiana University Wind Ensemble and taught graduate conducting and wind band history in the Wind Conducting program. His appearances with the Indiana University Wind Ensemble over the years included a showcase concert at the New York Wind Ensemble Festival in Carnegie Hall, the CBDNA national conventions in Nashville, Tennessee, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, as well as the CBDNA divisional convention in Normal, Illinois, the Music Educators National Conference (now NAFME) national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the American Bandmasters Association national convention in Indianapolis. 

In 1993, he was a national recipient of The Distinguished Service to Music Medal awarded by Kappa Kappa Psi, the national collegiate band honorary organization. In 1998, he was honored with the Outstanding Bandmaster Award by the Gamma chapter of Phi Beta Mu. In 2001, he was honored with the Outstanding University Music Educator Award, given by the Indiana Music Educators Association. In 2014, he was awarded the James B. Calvert Outstanding Music Educator Award. In 2017, he received The Paula A. Crider Outstanding Band Director Award from the national council of Tau Beta Sigma, and in 2018 he received the Outstanding Hoosier Musician award from the Indiana Music Education Association.

Professor Pratt is in constant demand as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator of bands and orchestras across the nation. He is a member of the American Bandmasters Association, the College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, the National Association for Music Education (MENC)/IMEA, Phi Beta Mu, and the Indiana Bandmasters Association. He has served as president of the Big Ten Band Directors Association, the Indiana Bandmasters Association, and the North Central Division of the College Band Directors National Association. His graduate conducting students (MM, DM, PhD) hold prominent positions at some of the leading colleges and universities in the United States and internationally, as well as at outstanding high schools and academies.

Professor Pratt is married to Darlene, a clarinetist and former band teacher/conductor who holds two degrees from the Jacobs School of Music and is a former president of the IU School of Music Alumni Association. They have two children, Abigail and Nathan, both of whom are honors graduates of the IU Jacobs School of Music.

All-State Choir - Rollo Dilworth, Conductor

Friday, January 30, 8:00 PM, Hyatt Hotel Regency Ballroom

Rollo Dilworth is Associate Professor of Choral Music Education and Chair of the Music Education Department at Temple University's Esther Boyer College of Music and Dance in Philadelphia, PA. In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in choral music education, he serves as conductor for the University Chorale. Prior to his appointment at Temple, Dilworth served as Director of Choral Activities and Music Education at North Park University in Chicago, IL for 13 years.

Dilworth holds degrees from Case Western Reserve University, University of Missouri-St. Louis, and Northwestern University. Dilworth has written and/or arranged over 150 choral works that are currently in print. His choral compositions are a part of the Henry Leck Creating Artistry Choral Series with Hal Leonard Corporation and Colla Voce Music Company. He has recently published pieces with the Santa Barbara Music Publishing Company as part of the Mary Alice Stollak Choral Series. Dilworth is a contributing author for the Essential Elements for Choir and the Experiencing Choral Music textbook series, both published by the Hal Leonard Corporation/Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Publications, and for Music Express! Teachers Magazine. He authored a book of choral warm-ups for elementary and secondary choral ensembles entitled Choir Builders: Fundamental Vocal Techniques for General and Classroom Use.

He frequently serves as a guest conductor and/or clinician for honors, festival and all-state choirs throughout the United States and abroad. Dilworth is an active member of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC), the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM), the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and Chorus America. He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), and currently serves on the Pennsylvania ACDA State board as Director of Student and Youth Activities. 

All-State Jazz Ensemble - Michelle Fernández, Conductor

Saturday, January 31, 11:00 AM, Hyatt Hotel Franklin Room

Michele Fernández is an active guest clinician/conductor, composer, festival adjudicator, and performer. Her compositions have been premiered at Midwest, IAJE, and Regional Honor/All-State venues. Her original works for jazz ensemble are published through Hal Leonard, Excelcia Music, JW Pepper, Print Music Source and “Jazz Zone” series (text authored by J. Richard Dunscomb). 

She is a sponsored Hal Leonard clinician, HAPCO Foundation staff clinician and in the past has also served as guest clinician/conductor/guest lecturer for various universities, including UNCo, UNT, UM Frost, UF and others. She frequently serves as a guest clinician/conductor for Regional and State-level Honor Jazz Ens /Symphonic Bands. She has appeared as clinic lecturer at JEN (2022), Midwest (’07 & ’16), FMEA, Clark College Annual Festival (WA), and a frequent in-residence conductor for FSU summer camps. She serves bands around the country through clinics virtually or in-person via Composer-in-Residence events.

Michele recently retired from teaching after 30 years, where her Miami Senior High ensembles earned top honors and gained international acclaim. Her groups have been selected for appearances at the Midwest Clinic (Chicago ’93 & ’98), IAJE (Boston ’94 & NYC ’97), Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland ’96), FMEA Conference (‘94 & ’97) and national publications. Michele has been the subject of a documentary on “CBS Sunday Morning”, cover story in Band Director’s Guide and a featured educator in Downbeat Magazine. Michele has also taught Excep. Student Ed, English and Chemistry. She is also an active oboist and percussionist in Miami and spent several years as a rhythm section member of a busy local Latin ensemble. Michele’s available clinic presentations, handouts and Latin Jazz compositions for big band can also be viewed at www.Michele-Fernandez.com.

All-State Orchestra - Helen Cha-Pyo, Conductor

Saturday, January 31, 2:00 PM, Columbus Convention Center Union Station Ballroom

Dynamic and visionary, Helen H. Cha-Pyo is an award-winning conductor and arts leader committed to harnessing the power of music for social impact. Now in her eighth season as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts, New Jersey’s largest independent performing arts education organization, she has expanded its reach to nearly 2,000 students across 13 counties. Cha-Pyo has launched lifelong learning programs, free education concerts, and new jazz initiatives, while championing underrepresented composers through innovative programming and new commissions supported by organizations such as New Music USA and Chorus America.

As conductor of the New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS), she has led transformative projects including an international tour to Italy and acclaimed appearances at Carnegie Hall’s Juneteenth celebrations (2022, 2024). Under her baton, NJYS released its first professional recording, Microvids (Navona Records, 2025), and will embark on a Finland - Baltics tour in 2026 to foster global citizenship and cultural exchange.
Since 2023, Cha-Pyo has served as Artistic Director of the Bella Music Foundation (BMF), empowering blind and visually impaired musicians through education, performance, and career opportunities. Highlights include concerts at Merkin Hall and the Barrymore Film Center, and the 2025 BMF International Festival for the Blind at UNESCO in Paris.

Previously, Cha-Pyo was Music Director of the Empire State Youth Orchestra, founding its CHIME program for underserved youth. ESYO honored her legacy with the Helen Cha-Pyo Golden Baton Award and Scholarships.

A sought-after guest conductor and educator, she has taught at Montclair State University and Rutgers University and serves on the board of the League of American Orchestras Youth Orchestra Division. Her leadership has been recognized with the Dove Leadership Award, Angelos Artist Award, and Eastman Centennial Award.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, and immigrating to the U.S. at the age of 12, Cha-Pyo’s musical journey began with piano and organ studies at The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Program. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and a Master of Music in Choral and Orchestral Conducting and Organ Performance from the Eastman School of Music.
More at helenchapyo.com and whartonarts.org.