Dr. Allen Hightower
Contact Information
Dr. Allen Hightower
Director of Choral Activities
Phone: (936)294-1391
Office: Music 322
E-mail: allenhightower@shsu.edu
Profile of Dr. Allen Hightower
Allen Hightower is Director of Choral Studies at Sam Houston State University. Passionately committed to preparing tomorrow's choral music educators, Dr. Hightower teaches classes in undergraduate choral methods and conducting, in addition to maintaining a studio of four full-time master's degree students in choral conducting. In addition to his work at Sam Houston, Dr. Hightower is Music Director and Conductor of the Houston Masterworks Chorus, the city's largest independent chorus.
Allen is a product of Texas choral music. Growing up in Livingston, he was mentored by Tom Myers, and privileged to sing in the 1983 and 1984 Texas All-State Mixed Choirs. As an undergraduate student at Sam Houston, Allen served as accompanist to Bev Henson. He began his teaching career as assistant choral director at Klein High School, and then led the choral program at Odessa Permian High School for four years.
While studying conducting with Stephen Heyde and Donald Bailey at Baylor University, Allen won first prize in the graduate division of the 1997 National ACDA Conducting Competition. Graduate studies were also completed at the Eastman School of Music and at UCLA, where Allen served as teaching assistant to Donald Neuen. Allen worked closely with Paul Salamunovich for three years, serving as the conducting intern of the LA Master Chorale.
Choirs from Odessa Permian and from Sam Houston have performed at TMEA under Allen's leadership. The 2006 TMEA Convention will mark the second appearance of the SHSU Chorale under Dr. Hightower's leadership. In addition to their solo concert, the Chorale will serve as the demonstration choir for the lectures of Paul Salamunovich, former Music Director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale.
Since returning to Texas in 2000, Dr. Hightower has guest-conducted the Houston Bach Choir and Orchestra, the Kentucky All-State Men's Choir, the TPSMEA All-State Choir, and honor choirs and orchestras in 12 Texas regions. Dr. Hightower recently served as Interim Minister of Music at Houston's First Baptist Church. Later this season, he will guest conduct the Houston Civic Symphony.