Ann Usher

Title: Professor
Department: Music
Phone: 330/972-6923
Email: ausher@uakron.edu

Biography

Ann Usher is a Professor of Music at The University of Akron, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate choral music education classes, supervises student teachers, and directs the University Singers. Previously, she taught choral music at Solon Middle School, in Solon, OH, a southeast suburb of Cleveland. Her large choral program was recognized for excellence at the junior high/middle school level. Her groups consistently received superior ratings at OMEA (Ohio Music Education Association) adjudicated events and performed for the OMEA Professional Conference in 1995, the ACDA Central Division Conference in 1996, and the OCDA Summer Conference in 1997.

In addition to her university duties, Dr. Usher also directs the Cleveland Orchestra Children's Chorus. This select treble choir of 5th - 9th graders performs throughout the year with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus at Severance Hall. During the summer, the chorus performs at the Blossom Music Festival. The Cleveland Orchestra Children's Chorus also performed for the OMEA Professional Conference in 2003 and the OCDA Summer Conference in 2009. Recent performances include Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, Schumann’s Scenes from Faust, Shore’s Lord of the Rings Symphony, Humperdink’s Hansel and Gretel, Britten’s War Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Berlioz’s Te Deum, Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, Shore’s Lord of the Rings Symphony and the annual Christmas Concerts.

Dr. Usher is the Rules and Procedures Chair and a Past Chair for the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Adjudicated Events Committee, a past president for OMEA District VII, and an adjudicator for OMEA in voice and piano. She was the co-chair for the 2006 OMEA North Coast Professional Conference which involved over ten thousand teachers, students, clinicians, and exhibitors. She served for six years as the Junior High Repertoire and Standards Chair for Ohio Choral Directors Association and four years as the Youth/Student Activities chair for OCDA. Dr. Usher has served as a guest clinician/conductor/adjudicator for many Ohio and national organizations, for VanderCook College in Chicago, and for the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Dr. Usher received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Northern Iowa, a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from Kent State University, and a Ph.D. in music education also at Kent State University. Ann lives in Medina, OH, with her husband, Tom, daughter Kelsey, and twin boys Adam and Logan.