My passion has always been to create.

Dr. Jaclyn Normandie is a professional conductor and founder of the Modern Conducting Academy. Her study of yoga, meditation, and eastern philosophy led her to author The Mindful Musician: Finding a Healthy Balance, offering strategies in balance and stress management to performers.

Jaclyn's research includes mindfulness in the music classroom, folk music, and teaching voice. She currently resides in Costa Rica studying Pachamama Earth Music and leads community ensembles for youth and adults.

Ensembles under her direction have performed around the globe and she frequently lectures at conferences. 

Her deep appreciation of movement biomechanics is rooted in her multidiscipline background of conducting, dance, martial arts, and yoga; and her studies have taken her to such locations as China, India, Brazil, and Costa Rica.

With Us From the Beginning

Andréa Caruso Townsend is a choral conductor based in Pomona (Los Angeles County), California.  Choral conducting is an encore career for Andréa after decades as a public finance and community development attorney.  She has experience in both school and community choral settings, with a special love for working with non-auditioned ensembles.

Having found community through choral singing in all the places she has lived, both in the US and abroad, she is passionate about the benefits of choral singing throughout our lives, particularly its power to form and nurture connections.  

A MESSAGE FROM ANDREA...

“The Modern Conducting Academy workshops are a terrific resource for developing my skills while also being introduced to inspiring and supportive fellow professionals.” 

Linda Heikkila has been teaching choir in the St. George, UT, area for 15 years, with the last 6 years at Crimson Cliffs High School.  Prior to that she taught at 2 different Intermediate Schools and spent 13 years conducting a community youth choir. Linda holds dual Bachelors degrees in Theater Education from BYU and Music from Utah Tech, alongside a Masters in Learning and Technology from Western Governors University.  She was the Washington Area Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year for 2023-24 and is a member of the St. George Chamber Singers.

Linda has furthered her education with Modern Conducting Academy and feels it has been hugely instrumental in helping her with skills, understanding and confidence as she works with her high school students.

Javvieaus Stewart currently teaches public elementary school general music and choir in the Washington DC area. She works with various age groups from pre school (3 & 4 year olds), Kindergarten to 5th grade. Before then she taught for 5 years at a private Episcopalian school (grades 4th-5th) in Philadelphia, PA. She has engaged students in the recorder, songwriting, and choral singing of 2-4 voice parts for both young singers and professional musicians. 

Javvieaus has taught a combination of voice and piano lessons for over 10 years to students as young as 9 and as old as 50. And cannot forget that she is a classically trained, jazz inspired, and Gospel bred vocalist. When Javvieaus is not teaching or singing, she enjoys trying new activities, especially new food and dessert experiences; salsa dancing; traveling (most recently to Costa Rica); and spending time with family.

"I’ve thoroughly enjoyed learning diverse teaching and coaching methods at Modern Conducting Academy. Music teachers of all disciplines, skill sets, and age ranges can acquire knowledge on this platform and apply what they've learned in their teaching arsenal.

The program is worth the investment!"       ~Javvieaus Stewart