Arkansas ACDA 2024 Summer Conference
Secondary Headliner
Reginal Wright has served over 20 years as a public-school teacher. As an educator, Reginal has earned many awards including Outstanding Teacher, Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, and the Secondary Educator of the Year Award. Reginal has performed music throughout Europe and the United States. As a conductor, he is sought after as a clinician in both middle and high school and has enjoyed the opportunity to conduct honor choirs throughout the United States.
As a composer, Reginal’s works have been commissioned by middle school, high school, college, and professional choirs. His works have been performed by All-State Choirs and invited convention choirs. His “Invictus” was performed in the 2021 ACDA National Convention and by the 2022 Texas All-State Tenor-Bass Choir. His “Where are the Bodies” was performed at Carnegie Hall in collaboration with Dallas-based Turtle Creek Chorale. Reginal’s works are published and distributed through BriLee, Carl Fisher, Graphite, Hal Leonard, Oxford University Press, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, and his own publishing company, Reginal Wright Music.
Reginal received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s of Music Education Degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Most recently, he was the head choral director at Mansfield High School and is currently on the choral music faculty at Baylor University. His choirs consistently earn sweepstakes in concert and sight-reading contests. Choirs under his direction also earn “Outstanding in Class” awards at State and National Music Festivals. The Mansfield High School Varsity Treble Choir was featured as an invited choir for the SW-ACDA Convention in 2012 and 2022 and for the ACDA National Convention in 2023. In 2018, the Mansfield High School Varsity Tenor-Bass Choir was honored as a Texas Music Educators Association Invited Choir. Reginal resides in Arlington, Texas with his wife, Renetta, son, Gabrien, daughter, Reece, and Yorkie, Cooper.
Elementary Headliner
Melody Jenkins is an elementary general music teacher and social media content creator. She is known as “The Chromatic Music Teacher,” and is best known for her covers of songs using Boomwhackers, along with sharing anecdotes from the classroom, teaching ideas, and her other interests including travel and fashion. Melody has completed all three levels of Kodály training, finishing Level III this June. She just completed her fourth year at the same elementary school, where she teaches Kindergarten through fifth grade general music and coaches Quiz Bowl.
When not teaching or creating videos, Melody enjoys spending time with her husband, cat, and flock of chickens. She and her husband both love to travel, with a focus on unique cuisine from around the world (and riding roller coasters). Melody is also involved in community theater, both as an actress and as a conductor for shows that have live orchestras.
Symposium Conductor
Dr. Frances Fonza is the Director of Choral Activities at Southeastern Louisiana University where she teaches conducting, choral methods, and conducts the Concert Choir, Bella Voce, Northshore Community Choir and the SLU Gospel Choir. Fonza earned a bachelor’s degree in music education at the University of Missouri- Columbia, a master’s degree in music education, and a doctorate in music education/choral conducting at Florida State University.
Most recently, Dr. Fonza served on faculty at the University of Central Arkansas and Stephen F. Austin State University. Dr. Fonza taught choral music at the middle school and high school levels in Kentucky and was the choir director and sight singing teacher at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington DC. Additionally, Dr. Fonza served as Assistant Professor of Music Education and Director of Choral Activities at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio.
Fonza is an active singer, clinician, and adjudicator. A frequent guest conductor, she has conducted all state, honor, public school, and church choirs. Her research interests are community partnerships, healthy singing in Gospel music, and tone building strategies used in the choral classroom. She holds professional memberships in the National Association for Music Educators and the American Choral Directors Association.
Treble Honor Choir
Clinton (Hardy) Ferrie is in his sixteenth year of directing choral music, and is the head choral director at Trinity Springs Middle School in Keller ISD. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Texas Christian University and earned his Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas.
At Trinity Springs, Mr. Ferrie directs seven choirs and serves as the head of the fine arts department. His choirs consistently have earned Sweepstakes awards for superior ratings at the yearly University Interscholastic League Concert and Sight-Reading Contest. Mr. Ferrie’s Varsity Treble Choir was invited to perform at this past year’s 2023 Texas Music Educators Association Convention. Previous to this, his Varsity Treble Choir performed at the 2022 Southwestern American Choral Directors Association Convention, his Varsity Tenor-Bass Choir performed at the 2021 National American Choral Directors Association Convention. In addition, his Varsity Treble Choir performed at the 2019 Texas Music Educators Association Convention and in 2018 his Varsity Treble Choir performed at the MS/JH National Cambiata Institute Convention. The Keller Honor Choir, under the co-direction of Clinton Ferrie, performed in the elementary division for the 2017 Texas Music Educators Association Convention, and in 2014 his Varsity Tenor-Bass Choir was invited to perform at the MS/JH National Cambiata Institute Convention.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Ferrie currently serves as the National ACDA JH/MS R&R Chair. He also currently serves as the TMEA Region 30 MS/JH Secretary. Mr. Ferrie is frequently requested to be a clinician/conductor for All-City, All-Region, and All-State Choirs. He is an adjudicator for UIL Concert and Sight-Reading contests throughout the state and is a judge for Solo and Ensemble contests in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Choral Directors Association, the American Choral Directors Association, and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association.
He is proud to have had 142 students selected for the TCDA All-State Choir and 748 Middle School All-Region Choir members selected during his thirteen years of teaching.
Mr. Ferrie has been named Teacher of the Year three times in teaching career. The first happened in 2013-2014 for Linda Jobe Middle School in Mansfield ISD, and the second and third were at Trinity Springs MS for the 2016-2017 and the 2020-2021 school years. In 2014 he was awarded the TCDA Young Director of Distinction Award.
He strives to first teach his students how to be the best humans possible and then to be excellent musicians.
