Dr. Alec Schumacker

Alec Schumacker is Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor at Hawai‘i Pacific University where he conducts the International Vocal Ensemble and the International Chorale.  He presently serves as the president of the Hawai‘i Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. He completed his DMA in Choral Conducting at the University of Miami, where he studied with Joshua Habermann and Karen Kennedy. His master’s degree in Choral Conducting is also from the University of Miami. He graduated cum laude with honors in music from Williams College.

An award-winning composer and arranger, Alec’s choral music is published by Alliance Music Publications, earthsongs, and World Projects. His works have been performed around the country by all-state choruses and prestigious ensembles such as the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, the New World Symphony, the University of Delaware Chorale, the Frost Chorale, the Voices of Aloha, and even at the NFL’s Pro Bowl in 2016.  

An active educator and sought-after presenter, Alec delivered lectures at the 2020 Western Division ACDA conference in Salt Lake City, the 2019 International Kodály Symposium in Malaysia, 2018 and 2016 Asia Kodály Symposia in Taiwan, the 2017 National ACDA conference in Minneapolis, and various others. His written work on incorporating popular music in the choral curriculum was recently published by GIA in the textbook Becoming Musical.

Alec served as the chair of Nā Leo Hou: Hawai‘i’s All-State Choral Festival for several years, a festival that brings together several hundred high school students from across Hawai‘i for a weekend of mass choral singing with a nationally-renowned clinician, and chair of E Hīmeni Kākou: Hawai‘i’s Collegiate Choral Festival. He also serves as a national board member of National Collegiate Choral Organization.