Introducing Our Interim Choral Conducting Team
As St. Paul’s begins the search for our next Organist and Choirmaster, we are fortunate to have an outstanding team of musicians leading our choirs during this season of transition. This team brings together new voices and familiar faces, with deep professional experience alongside strong connections to St. Paul’s and our music program.
For our Children and Youth Choirs, we are delighted to welcome Juan Garcia as our Interim Children and Youth Choir Director. Juan has been part of our Choir Club program for several years and already knows our young singers well. In addition to leading the Children and Youth Choirs, Juan and Beth Maze will lead Choir Club on Wednesday afternoons, and Juan will direct the choirs singing at the 8:45 a.m. Sunday service. His experience, familiarity with our young singers, and established relationships with our children and families will provide valuable continuity as we begin the search for our next music director.
Our Adult Choir will be led by a team of four talented choral conductors: Franco Basili, Emily Guadagnini, Carla Summers, and Diana Hopkins. Each will take turns leading Wednesday rehearsals and the adult choir at the 11:00 a.m. Sunday service. Together, they bring a remarkable breadth of experience in choral conducting, teaching, vocal development, church music, and work with young singers—and two of them have particularly deep roots in the St. Paul’s music community.
Franco Basili
Dr. Franco Basili recently joined the University of Arkansas as Visiting Assistant Professor in Choral Activities, where he leads the nationally acclaimed Schola Cantorum and Razorback Chorus. Before coming to Arkansas, he served as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at California Lutheran University and as Music and Artistic Director Designate of the Conejo Valley Choral Society.
Franco has extensive experience as a conductor and singer in the United States and Argentina, including work with the Houston Chamber Choir and Houston Symphony Chorus. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Houston, where he studied with Dr. Betsy Cook Weber.
Emily Guadagnini
Emily Guadagnini is in her 16th year of teaching choral music in Arkansas and her eighth year as Head Director and Secondary Choral Coordinator at Fayetteville High School, where she conducts seven performing ensembles. Her choirs consistently receive superior ratings in performance and sight-reading and have been recognized as Best in Class at State Choral Performance Assessment and as guest honor choirs for the Arkansas All-State Music Convention.
A graduate of Arkansas Tech University with a degree in Music Education, Emily is an active clinician and adjudicator and has served on the faculty and staff of Arkansas choral camps and honor choirs. She has received Arkansas Choral Directors Association awards for outstanding choral direction.
Emily is also an active singer, voice teacher, and arranger. She has performed with several area ensembles, including St. Paul’s Choir, and continues to serve as a soloist for churches throughout the region. We are delighted to welcome her to the St. Paul’s conducting team.
Carla Summers
Carla Summers is already a familiar and much-loved presence at St. Paul’s. She has sung with the St. Paul’s Adult Choir for many years and has frequently stepped in to conduct when needed, so our choir is already well acquainted with her musical leadership.
Carla brings extensive experience as a choral educator and conductor. She currently serves as choral director at Heritage High School in Rogers and as director of the University of Arkansas Children’s Choir. She previously taught choral music in Texas and Florida and has worked extensively with children and young singers as a conductor, accompanist, and private voice and piano teacher. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in collaborative piano at the University of Arkansas.
Diana Hopkins
Diana Hopkins is returning to St. Paul’s in a particularly meaningful way. Diana grew up in this parish as the daughter of Jennifer Brown, who served as St. Paul’s choirmaster. Diana was part of the St. Paul’s community from childhood. Her return brings a wonderful sense of continuity to a music program that has shaped generations of musicians and singers at St. Paul’s.
Diana holds bachelor's and master's degrees in choral conducting and has extensive experience as a conductor and music educator. Over the past 20 years, Diana has shared her musical talents and passion for life-long arts education with the Austin, TX community. She served as Assistant and Interim Director of Music at Oak Hill United Methodist Church, Assistant Director at Murchison Middle school, and the Director of the Chorus Austin Youth Chorus.
A Team for a Season of Transition
Having a team of conductors gives St. Paul’s an opportunity to continue building on the strength of our music program while we take the time necessary to find the right person to lead it into the future. It also gives our singers the chance to work with several gifted musicians, each with different experiences and perspectives.
We are grateful to Juan, Franco, Emily, Carla, and Diana for sharing their time and talents with St. Paul’s, and to Beth for her continued work with Choir Club. We look forward to the music they will make with us in the months ahead—and to the ways this season will help us grow as a choir and as a community.