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Festival Chorus 2026

Join our Festival Chorus for a special performance of Randall Thompson’s The Testament of Freedom with the Festival Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Steven Hankle, on Saturday, August 1st at 7:30pm, at the historic William Stewart Memorial Music Shell.

The Festival Chorus, under the leadership of Blue Lake Choir Department Chair Shirley Lemon, is open to supporters, alumni, faculty, and staff. All rehearsals and preparation will take place on the campus of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. A summary of the commitment is listed below.

Summary Schedule
July 12       5:30 – 8:00pm Check-In and rehearsal
July 19       6:00 – 8:00pm Rehearsal
July 29      7:00 – 9:00pm Rehearsal
July 30      7:00 – 9:00pm Rehearsal
July 31       7:00 – 9:00pm Rehearsal
Aug 1         2:00 – 10:00pm Dress Rehearsal, Dinner, Performance, and Reception

Registration for the 2026 season is open now! Click here to get started. We can’t wait for you to join the Chorus!

Dr. Steven Hankle

Conductor

Dr. Steven Hankle is the Associate Professor of Choral Music and Music Education at the University of Dayton, where he directs the University Chorale and Bella Voce as well as choral conducting and choral methods.

Dr. Hankle, a former Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp counselor and unit director, serves on choral faculty at Blue Lake where he directs the Festival Choir, staff choir, and vocal ensemble. As the Music Director of the Festival Chorus, Hankle has directed live Blue Lake Radio broadcast performances of John Rutter’s Gloria, Andre Thomas’ Mass: A Celebration of Love and Joy, and Johannes Brahms’s Liebeslieder Waltzes Op. 52 during Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp Summer Festival. Hankle is the recently appointed Chorus Director for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus where he prepared the chorus to perform with the Dayton Philharmonic for the world premiere of Steven Winteregg’s Expressions. An active clinician and adjudicator, he has worked with choirs in California, Florida, Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kenya, Africa, and Tijuana, Mexico.

Dr. Hankle is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), where he serves on the state board in Ohio, Chorus America, National Association for Music Education (NAfME), National Collegiate Conductor Organization (NCCO), where he serves on the National Board, and Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA). Hankle has presented his research at the Florida Music Education Association (FMEA), Arizona Music Education Association (AMEA), NAfME, and ACDA conferences. His primary area of interest is developing choral music programs in urban secondary public schools, student engagement through movement, developing sight-reading skills through repertoire in the choral rehearsal, leadership in the choral classroom, and wellness for choral conductors to prevent teacher burnout.

A native of Chicago, Steven Hankle received undergraduate and master’s degrees in music education and choral conducting from San Francisco State University and his Ph.D. in choral conducting and music education from Florida State University. Prior to his appointment at the University of Dayton, he served as choral music and music education faculty at Penn State University. He successfully developed a new choral music program at Mission High School in San Francisco.

Ja'Leeyna Dooley

Soloist

Ja’Leeyna Dooley is a talented singer-songwriter hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan. With over 15 years of singing experience under her belt, she has honed her craft and captivated audiences with her soulful voice. Ja’Leeyna’s musical journey began at the age of 9 and has continued throughout Michigan as she has involved herself in the world of musical theater, where she showcased her versatility and stage presence.

Brandon K. Harris

Soloist

Brandon K. Harris is a graduate of Aquinas College, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Music with an Emphasis in Voice. He is currently a performer, voice teacher, choral scholar, and

director in the greater Grand Rapids and West Michigan area.Brandon was on staff for years with the Blue Lake International Choral Ensemble.  He has shared the stage with artists such as: Shania Twain, Sarah Brightman, Bobby Mc Ferrin, Kenny Rogers, Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer, Take 6, The New York Voices, and Dr. André Thomas. Brandon has performed at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fischer, and Alice Tully Halls at Lincoln Center and numerous countries abroad. Brandon is an alum of elite collegiate vocal jazz ensembles: Shades of Blue, Gold Company, and GC Sextet. Brandon is also a longtime Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys member. He has been seen in many productions for Circle Theatre, Actors’ Theatre, and Opera Grand Rapids. Brandon is a proud member of the world’s oldest and largest national fraternal society of music, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. 

Sean Ivory

Piano

Sean Ivory is a choral conductor, pianist, and composer living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Since 1992, Mr. Ivory has been the vocal music instructor at Forest Hills Central High School.

He has held positions at St. Cecilia Music Society, the North American Choral Company, the Grand Rapids Symphony, and Calvin University.  Mr. Ivory was appointed Music Director of the Calvin Alumni Choir in 2018. Mr. Ivory attended Northwestern University, Calvin University, and Michigan State University. His choirs have performed at both state and regional conventions for the American Choral Directors Association and have toured Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, Estonia, Ghana, the Czech Republic, Trinidad, and Iceland. In addition to his activities as a teacher and conductor, Mr. Ivory also works as a pianist and composer. His compositions are published by MusicSpoke and Walton Music. His collaborative works with Paul Caldwell are published by Earthsongs, Alliance Music, Hal Leonard, and GIA Music.