Leadership
Leadership
Get to know the leaders of Desert Voices Chorus!
Get to know the leaders of Desert Voices Chorus!
Get to know the leaders of Desert Voices Chorus!
Dr. James Higgs
Artistic Director
Dr. James Higgs
Artistic Director
James Higgs is the Artistic Director of Desert Voices, Director of Music at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, and Instructor of Choral Conducting at the University of Arizona where he directs Collegium Musicum and teaches graduate conducting students. James’s research is focused on the works of Marianna Martines, 18th century Viennese masses, and the critical editing of 18th century manuscripts. He has presented on Martines and his critical edition of Martines’s Terza messa at regional and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, was interviewed about his research by Arizona Public Media on the Extempore series, and authored the chapter on Martines for the book Choral Repertoire by Women Composers (GIA Publications, 2025). His article on Martines’s Terza messa was recently accepted for an upcoming issue of the Choral Journal. Before teaching at UofA, James was Associate Faculty at Cochise College where he directed the Cochise College Choirs and taught courses in piano and voice. In addition to his work as a conductor and educator, he is a board member of the Arizona Choral Arts Association where he assists in planning the annual community-sing events like Tucson Big Sing and One Voice Choral Festival, and is co-director of the University of Arizona Choral Literature Intensive.
James completed a D.M.A. in choral conducting from the University of Arizona where he was awarded the John Bloom Choral Scholarship, Medici Scholar Award, Graduate College Fellowship, Joe Fannin Fine Arts Scholarship, and the Van de Verde Memorial Scholarship. He also conducted in a masterclass by Tallis Scholars director Peter Phillips and was selected as a Conducting Fellow for the Atlanta Summer Conducting Institute. James also holds an M.M. in Keyboard Collaborative Arts from The University of Southern California and a B.M. in Piano Performance from Chapman University. As both soloist and collaborative pianist, James has performed throughout the United States and abroad, including in Austria, Italy, Poland, and the Czech Republic. He has also performed in master classes for Sergei Babayan, Daniel Shapiro, Martin Katz, Margo Garrett, Graham Johnson, and composers Jake Heggie, Ben Moore, and Richard Pearson Thomas.
James Higgs is the Artistic Director of Desert Voices, Director of Music at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, and Instructor of Choral Conducting at the University of Arizona where he directs Collegium Musicum and teaches graduate conducting students. James’s research is focused on the works of Marianna Martines, 18th century Viennese masses, and the critical editing of 18th century manuscripts. He has presented on Martines and his critical edition of Martines’s Terza messa at regional and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, was interviewed about his research by Arizona Public Media on the Extempore series, and authored the chapter on Martines for the book Choral Repertoire by Women Composers (GIA Publications, 2025). His article on Martines’s Terza messa was recently accepted for an upcoming issue of the Choral Journal. Before teaching at UofA, James was Associate Faculty at Cochise College where he directed the Cochise College Choirs and taught courses in piano and voice. In addition to his work as a conductor and educator, he is a board member of the Arizona Choral Arts Association where he assists in planning the annual community-sing events like Tucson Big Sing and One Voice Choral Festival, and is co-director of the University of Arizona Choral Literature Intensive.
James completed a D.M.A. in choral conducting from the University of Arizona where he was awarded the John Bloom Choral Scholarship, Medici Scholar Award, Graduate College Fellowship, Joe Fannin Fine Arts Scholarship, and the Van de Verde Memorial Scholarship. He also conducted in a masterclass by Tallis Scholars director Peter Phillips and was selected as a Conducting Fellow for the Atlanta Summer Conducting Institute. James also holds an M.M. in Keyboard Collaborative Arts from The University of Southern California and a B.M. in Piano Performance from Chapman University. As both soloist and collaborative pianist, James has performed throughout the United States and abroad, including in Austria, Italy, Poland, and the Czech Republic. He has also performed in master classes for Sergei Babayan, Daniel Shapiro, Martin Katz, Margo Garrett, Graham Johnson, and composers Jake Heggie, Ben Moore, and Richard Pearson Thomas.
Chelsea Cannon
Assistant Director
Chelsea Cannon
Assistant Director
Chelsea first got involved in music at the age of 2, when her parents enrolled her in a childhood music program in her home town of Williamsburg, Virginia. Since moving to Tucson in 2010, she’s spent all 15 years with the Tucson Girls Chorus. With the organization, she has toured parts of Europe and the U.S., including a recent Carnegie Hall debut. Her combined love for music and acting has allowed her to perform in countless plays and musicals, notably with the Arizona Theatre Company. She graduated from Tucson High School in 2021, where she earned the Arizona Seal of Arts Proficiency and a Magnet Endorsement in both theatre and music. Currently, she is a member of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Tucson Girls Chorus Alumnae Chorus, with past membership including the Helios Ensemble and Chamber Choir and the Neoteric Chamber Choir.
Outside of the choral setting, Chelsea’s musical pursuits include singing in a contemporary church band, performing at the Century Room’s Sunday jazz jam, and working as a teaching assistant for the Tucson Girls Chorus’ K-1 choir, the Bumblebee Singers. Last year, Chelsea began her BM in Music Education at the University of Arizona with the goal of inspiring and mentoring the next generation of musicians. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with Desert Voices, and can’t wait to learn and grow alongside them.
Chelsea first got involved in music at the age of 2, when her parents enrolled her in a childhood music program in her home town of Williamsburg, Virginia. Since moving to Tucson in 2010, she’s spent all 15 years with the Tucson Girls Chorus. With the organization, she has toured parts of Europe and the U.S., including a recent Carnegie Hall debut. Her combined love for music and acting has allowed her to perform in countless plays and musicals, notably with the Arizona Theatre Company. She graduated from Tucson High School in 2021, where she earned the Arizona Seal of Arts Proficiency and a Magnet Endorsement in both theatre and music. Currently, she is a member of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Tucson Girls Chorus Alumnae Chorus, with past membership including the Helios Ensemble and Chamber Choir and the Neoteric Chamber Choir.
Outside of the choral setting, Chelsea’s musical pursuits include singing in a contemporary church band, performing at the Century Room’s Sunday jazz jam, and working as a teaching assistant for the Tucson Girls Chorus’ K-1 choir, the Bumblebee Singers. Last year, Chelsea began her BM in Music Education at the University of Arizona with the goal of inspiring and mentoring the next generation of musicians. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with Desert Voices, and can’t wait to learn and grow alongside them.
Dr. Kyungsun Choi
Accompianist
Dr. Kyungsun Choi
Accompianist
Dr. Kyungsun Choi
Accompianist
Pianist Kyungsun Choi has been enjoying a varied career as a soloist, chamber musician, accompanist and teacher. He has given numerous solo recitals and chamber recitals both in South Korea and USA. In addition, he has worked as a choir pianist and an opera pianist/coach. The opera productions that he has participated in were varied including Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, Bizet, Mascagni, Sondheim, Mechem, Menotti, and Bernstein.
A native of Seoul, South Korea, Pianist Kyungsun Choi graduated from Yonsei University in Seoul, where he earned Bachelors degrees in Piano Performance. He went on to University of Northern Iowa on a full tuition scholarship where he received a Masters of Music under Prof. Sean Botkin and served as a graduate teaching assistant. Most recently Dr. Choi completed his DMA in Piano Performance at the University of Arizona under Dr. Paula Fan while serving as a graduate teaching assistant. Dr. Choi has served as a GALA Choruses accompanist with Reveille Men's Chorus since 2007.
Pianist Kyungsun Choi has been enjoying a varied career as a soloist, chamber musician, accompanist and teacher. He has given numerous solo recitals and chamber recitals both in South Korea and USA. In addition, he has worked as a choir pianist and an opera pianist/coach. The opera productions that he has participated in were varied including Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, Bizet, Mascagni, Sondheim, Mechem, Menotti, and Bernstein.
A native of Seoul, South Korea, Pianist Kyungsun Choi graduated from Yonsei University in Seoul, where he earned Bachelors degrees in Piano Performance. He went on to University of Northern Iowa on a full tuition scholarship where he received a Masters of Music under Prof. Sean Botkin and served as a graduate teaching assistant. Most recently Dr. Choi completed his DMA in Piano Performance at the University of Arizona under Dr. Paula Fan while serving as a graduate teaching assistant. Dr. Choi has served as a GALA Choruses accompanist with Reveille Men's Chorus since 2007.
