GUEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Debra Shearer-Dirié
A native of Australia, Debra Shearer-Dirié has completed a Doctorate in Choral Conducting at Indiana University. She was Adjunct Faculty for Indiana University for two years and was conductor of the Chamber and Youth Choir. Dr. Shearer-Dirié also taught graduate choral conducting at the Indiana University School of Music and directed the International Vocal Ensemble. She returned to Bloomington after a year as Artistic Director of the Northwest Girlchoir, a 400-voice ensemble which performed frequently with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra in Washington, U.S.A.
With a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Western Australia, Dr. Shearer-Dirié began her teaching career in the public and private elementary and high schools of Western Australia. Here she taught both instrumental and choral music. After an exciting encounter with the teachers from the Kodály Intezét in Kecskemét Hungary, Dr. Shearer-Dirié was accepted into the diploma program and spent the academic year of 1990-91 studying in Hungary. The high standard of music education that she observed there made her eager to return to her own country to implement a similar system. She ran several in-service sessions for the music educators in Western Australia and has been a clinician for the Australian Kodály Society to assist in spreading the word of Kodály and improving the standard of music education in Australia.
After returning from Hungary, Dr. Shearer-Dirié taught at St. Hilda's Anglican Girls' School in Perth for 4 years before launching into studies at the School of Music at Indiana University. After the completion of a Master of Music Education, she turned her sights to choral conducting in pursuit of a Doctoral Degree (with minors in Music Education, Ethnomusicology, and Music History). While studying conducting with Mr. Robert Porco, Dr. Thomas Dunn, and Dr. Jan Harrington, Dr. Shearer-Dirié has become experienced in a broad selection of music. Her two doctoral recitals included Benjamin Britten's cantata St. Nicolas, performed by the Oratorio choir and orchestra and the Indiana University Children's Choir, and Carl Phillip Emanuel's Magnificat, performed by the Indiana University Cantata Choir. With such a profound composition department at Indiana University, Dr. Shearer-Dirié has also premiered several contemporary works such as: Jason Haney's An die Musik, Gerardo Dirié's All is Water and Tonos de Archangel.
During the 9 years at Indiana University, Dr. Shearer-Dirié gained a wide experience with both treble and mixed choruses in music from the Western Classical tradition to folk music from regions such as: Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, and Hungary. In 1998, she was invited by Dr. Mary Goetze to conduct the International Vocal Ensemble. During this time, alongside Artist-in-Residence Sheasby Matiure, the International Vocal Ensemble performed music from a wide variety of cultures concentrating on both the musical and cultural aspects of each society.
Although centering her energy on Choral Directing, Dr. Shearer-Dirié still managed to maintain an active performing career. She frequently performed in the Indiana University Bach Choral Series.
