Artistic Director

DR. JAMES HIGGS
Dr. James Higgs is the Artistic Director of Desert Voices, Director of Music at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, and Associate Faculty at Cochise College where he directs the Cochise College Choirs and teaches courses in piano and voice. 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 his research at regional and national ACDA conferences. In addition to his work as a conductor and educator, he is a board member of the Arizona Choral Arts Association, co-director of the University of Arizona DEI Choral Literature Intensive, and is a member of the American Choral Directors Association and Music Teachers National Association.

James recently completed a D.M.A. in choral conducting at 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.  

​​Stefan Vikingur is an American Icelandic tenor, composer, conductor and music educator. He is currently studying Vocal performance at the University of Arizona School of Music. Stefan has performed as a soloist around the U.S. and In Europe in both Operatic and concert settings. In 2022, Stefan performed in Belle Île, France with the French opera festival “Lyrique En Mer,” as well as the Rutter Requiem at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Stefan has also participated in many choirs from a very young age. These include the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus, The University of Arizona Symphonic Choir, The Helios Ensemble, and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus. In his time at the University of Arizona, Stefan has sung a variety of solo and choral works selected from a diverse population of composers from all over the world, including Iceland. In January of 2024, Stefan Performed An Incident In Sutton Square, a short chamber opera for solo tenor, as part of the Dominick Argento Chamber Opera Competition finals at the National Opera Association Conference in Tempe AZ. This performance was praised by the composer of the piece, Martin Henessy as well as prominent American composer Tom Cipullo, who hailed the performance as “stunning.” In the summer of 2024, Stefan attended the Brevard Music Center's Janiec Opera Company for productions of Puccini’s La Boheme, and Weil's Threepenny Opera. He also performed as a soloist in other concerts during the summer festival. In June 2024, Desert Voices Chorus premiered a new choral piece by Stefan. He currently teaches private voice and piano lessons and is so happy to be the Assistant Artistic Director of Desert Voices Chorus. 

Dr. Kyungsun Choi

Accompanist

​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.