Tina Thielen-Gaffey is the Assistant Director of Choral Activities at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and has recently completed her D.M.A in Choral Conducting at the University of Iowa. At UMD, she conducts Concert Chorale, two Vocal Jazz Ensembles (Lake Effect and Chill Factor), teaches elementary music, introductory music theory, applied voice and graduate courses in voice, conducting, and vocal jazz seminars. A mezzo-soprano, she completed the M.M. degree in Choral Conducting at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI and her B.M. in music education at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Prior to her studies in Michigan, the Wisconsin native taught for eight years in the public schools of her home state, where she was responsible for choral ensembles, band ensembles, vocal jazz and show choirs, musicals, madrigals and madrigal feasts, festivals, and touring. At WMU, Ms.Thielen-Gaffey soloed with the Treble Chorus, University Chorale, Opera Workshop, and the award winning vocal jazz ensemble, Gold Company. At the University of Iowa, Ms. Thielen-Gaffey served a two-year graduate assistantship with the Old Gold Singers, performed with the graduate choir, Kantorei, and was the recipient of the Zeta Phi Eta and T. Anne Cleary scholarships. She is also a 2003 recipient of the MNACDA F. Melius Christiansen graduate scholarship. At the 2003 and 1999 ACDA national conventions, she was a national finalist in the graduate student conducting competition. In 2006, her vocal jazz ensemble, Lake Effect, was selected as a winner in DownBeat Magazine’s Student Music Awards as an Outstanding College Jazz Choir. Lake Effect was also selected to perform at the Minnesota American Choral Directors Convention in fall 2006, the Minnesota Music Educators Conference in spring of 2007 and the NC ACDA Regional Convention in Fargo, ND spring of 2008. In spring 2009, Lake Effect competed and won their quarterfinal in the International Competition of Collegiate A cappella, subsequently placing as a runner up in the semifinal round. Lake Effect and Chill Factor have also won consecutive Outstanding Vocal Jazz Ensemble Awards at the Gold Company Vocal Jazz Invitational held at Western Michigan University.
Ms. Thielen-Gaffey has conducted choir festivals in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa and Canada and is an active clinician and solo ensemble judge. In winter 2008, she was an artist in residence at the Paris Conservatory, lecturing to students in conducting, vocal jazz, and improvisation, as well as performing a jazz recital with UMD jazz pianist, Ryan Frane. As a vocalist, she regularly sings with jazz combos in the Duluth area, is the cantor at her church, and solos for a variety of community events. She is also the Artistic Director for the Lake Superior Youth Choir, an organization promoting community, leadership, and musicianship to vocalists in 4th-12th grade.