Michael Ryan McKenzie

Assistant Professor of Music

Dr. Michael Ryan McKenzie is a national and international award-winning conductor who serves as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Southwestern University. At SU, they direct the college’s choirs and teach courses in choral music education and conducting. Their professional, artistic, and scholarly goals stem from a commitment to empowering a new generation of diverse musical voices, prepared to take on the challenges of being 21st-century musicians and educators, and to create actionable change in their respective fields and communities. Outside of SU, they serve as the Director of Affinity Groups for the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO). At NCCO, they develop affinity group programming at national conferences, contribute to a DEI column in the Choral Journal and American Choral Review, and serve on the executive board and the mission and vision in governance committee.

Prior to SU, they co-founded and served as a Managing Director of Voices for Social Justice, a national nonprofit organization whose work combines social activism with justice-centered artistic expression through performance, resources, and community collaboration. Dr. McKenzie completed their DMA in Choral Conducting at the University of Washington (UW) School of Music. Their doctoral research was focused on the adverse impacts of hierarchical power structures in Western music education. At UW, they served as a director of the UW Glee Club and the University Singers and as an assistant conductor of the Chamber Singers. During their time at UW, they served as Interim Director of the Bellevue Chamber Chorus for its gold-medal-winning performance at the 2024 World Choir Games in Auckland, New Zealand. For their Doctoral Recital, Dr. McKenzie is currently a finalist for the American Prize’s Dale Warland Award for Collegiate Choral Conductors.

Dr. McKenzie graduated with an MM in Choral Conducting, with honors, from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University – Long Beach. There, they served as the director of ConChord, a student community chorus, and as an assistant conductor for the University Choir and Bob Cole Chamber Choir. For their Master’s Recital, they earned honorable mention as a finalist for the American Prize’s Dale Warland Award for Collegiate Choral Conductors. Dr. McKenzie was the Founder and Director of two Social Justice Choirs at Gustavus Adolphus College, and their performances earned them 2nd place in The American Prize for Choral Conducting - Community Division and an invitation to present a concert at The 2020 Nobel Conference. They graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College, summa cum laude, with a BA in Music Education and certification in K-12 Vocal, Instrumental, and Classroom music.

Dr. McKenzie is a member of the Music Honors Society Pi Kappa Lambda and the Education Honors Society Kappa Delta Pi, and holds professional affiliations with the American Choral Directors Association, the National Collegiate Choral Organization, and the National Association for Music Education.

  • Biography

    Dr. Michael Ryan McKenzie is a national and international award-winning conductor who serves as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Southwestern University. At SU, they direct the college’s choirs and teach courses in choral music education and conducting. Their professional, artistic, and scholarly goals stem from a commitment to empowering a new generation of diverse musical voices, prepared to take on the challenges of being 21st-century musicians and educators, and to create actionable change in their respective fields and communities. Outside of SU, they serve as the Director of Affinity Groups for the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO). At NCCO, they develop affinity group programming at national conferences, contribute to a DEI column in the Choral Journal and American Choral Review, and serve on the executive board and the mission and vision in governance committee.

    Prior to SU, they co-founded and served as a Managing Director of Voices for Social Justice, a national nonprofit organization whose work combines social activism with justice-centered artistic expression through performance, resources, and community collaboration. Dr. McKenzie completed their DMA in Choral Conducting at the University of Washington (UW) School of Music. Their doctoral research was focused on the adverse impacts of hierarchical power structures in Western music education. At UW, they served as a director of the UW Glee Club and the University Singers and as an assistant conductor of the Chamber Singers. During their time at UW, they served as Interim Director of the Bellevue Chamber Chorus for its gold-medal-winning performance at the 2024 World Choir Games in Auckland, New Zealand. For their Doctoral Recital, Dr. McKenzie is currently a finalist for the American Prize’s Dale Warland Award for Collegiate Choral Conductors.

    Dr. McKenzie graduated with an MM in Choral Conducting, with honors, from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University – Long Beach. There, they served as the director of ConChord, a student community chorus, and as an assistant conductor for the University Choir and Bob Cole Chamber Choir. For their Master’s Recital, they earned honorable mention as a finalist for the American Prize’s Dale Warland Award for Collegiate Choral Conductors. Dr. McKenzie was the Founder and Director of two Social Justice Choirs at Gustavus Adolphus College, and their performances earned them 2nd place in The American Prize for Choral Conducting - Community Division and an invitation to present a concert at The 2020 Nobel Conference. They graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College, summa cum laude, with a BA in Music Education and certification in K-12 Vocal, Instrumental, and Classroom music.

    Dr. McKenzie is a member of the Music Honors Society Pi Kappa Lambda and the Education Honors Society Kappa Delta Pi, and holds professional affiliations with the American Choral Directors Association, the National Collegiate Choral Organization, and the National Association for Music Education.

  • Research

    The Influence of the Syrian Refugee Crisis on Caroline Shaw’s To the Hands

    Anti-Oppression Framework for Choral Conducting

    Anti-Hierarchical Rehearsal Strategies

    The Influence of Arabic Vocal Polyphony in the Choral Works of Shireen Abu-Khader

    Gender in the Choral Rehearsal

  • Performances

    Interkultur - World Choir Games

    2024 Gold Diploma Level I - Open Competition, Chamber Choir Division

     

    American Prize in Music

    2019 2nd Place, Choral Conducting - Community Division

    2024 Finalist with Honorable Mention, The Dale Warland Award in Choral Conducting - Collegiate Division

    2026 Finalist, The Dale Warland Award in Choral Conducting - Collegiate Division (active)

    2026 Finalist, Choral Performance - Community Division (active)