Staff

In a dynamic career that combines performance, scholarship and collaborative leadership, conductor Eric Stark shares his love of music-making with musicians and audiences in Indiana, the United States, and beyond. Believing strongly in music’s power to bring people together, Stark has led collaborations with such partners as the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, American Pianists Association, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Dance Kaleidoscope, Indiana Repertory Theater, Butler University, Indianapolis Children’s Choir , Jordan College Academy of Dance, Newfields, Clowes Memorial Hall, the Chinese University of Hong Kong Chorus, and Orquesta Sinfonica Juvenil de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia). In 2012, Stark served as chorus master for the National Football League’s Super Bowl XLVI halftime show, featuring Madonna, Cee Lo Green, Nicki Minaj and LMFAO.

Stark’s work as artistic collaborator and community leader has been both broad and unique. In 2014 he received the State of Indiana’s highest honor—Sagamore of the Wabash. His musical leadership continues to receive international recognition as well, including acclaimed performances at Carnegie Hall, the Hong Kong Cultural Center Concert Hall, Shanghai’s Oriental Art Center Concert Hall, Beijing’s Forbidden City Concert Hall, the Hong Kong City Center Concert Hall, São Paulo’s Teatro Municipal, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Strathmore Hall in Bethesda, MD. Named a Fulbright Scholar in 2020, Stark accepted invitations to conduct and teach at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and the Pontifical Catholic University in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and served as guest conductor of the acclaimed Coral Paulistano in São Paulo. He has also made conducting and masterclass appearances in Greece, Italy, Argentina, Japan and Uruguay, and has led choirs on domestic tours in New York City, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, New Orleans, Orlando and Tampa.

His choruses are heard on multiple compact discs, including A Festival of Carols with Sylvia McNair (Naxos 2019), Mohammed Fairouz’s Zabur (Naxos 2016), Mendelssohn’s Elijah (2011); From East to West (2005), The Harmonies of Hoosier History, (2001) with the Indianapolis Arts Chorale, and A Festival of Carols (1997) with the Muncie, IN Masterworks Chorale.

In addition to his duties as Artistic Director of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, Stark is also Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Butler University's Jordan College of Fine Arts. There he conducts the Butler Chorale and Chamber Singers and teaches graduate and undergraduate conducting and choral literature. His former conducting students have received appointments at leading choral positions around the United States, including Purdue University, Stetson University, Princeton University, San Francisco Girls Chorus, Los Angeles Opera, Fort Wayne Children’s Chorus and the University of Wisconsin. He has also served on the faculties of Christian Theological Seminary, Indiana-Purdue at Fort Wayne and Earlham College. A graduate of Wabash College, he holds a doctorate in choral conducting from Indiana University. Stark is also a volunteer pilot for Angel Flight, a non-profit network of pilots providing free air transportation for those with medical needs.

Dr. Michael Davis, Assistant Artistic Director, began serving the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir in 2002 and has held multiple roles during his tenure. He brings over 20 years of experience performing, preparing, and conducting choral masterworks and has worked with conductors including Robert Shaw, Neville Marriner, Peter Schreier, Raymond Leppard, Charles Dutoit, Vance George, Margaret Hillis, Don Neuen, Nicolas McGegan, Mario Venzago, Erich Kunzel, Jack Everly, Patrick Quigley, Michael Christie, and Krzysztof Urbański. He served as chorus master for the Symphonic Choir’s world premiere (2015) and Carnegie Hall performance of Mohammed Fairouz’s commissioned oratorio Zabur, released by Naxos Records (both 2016). His work conducting the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra was included on Festival of Carols (Naxos 2019) featuring the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and Sylvia McNair.

Davis has directed, managed, and performed concert tours nationally (44 states) and internationally (Europe, Asia, Canada). He possesses a uniquely eclectic background in professional performance spanning nearly 40 years in genres including bluegrass, jazz, western-swing, and country music on instruments including piano, guitar, dobro, mandolin, and fiddle. He is currently Minister of Music at First Presbyterian Church in Noblesville, Indiana and is a past director/producer of the critically acclaimed Ball State University Singers, “Indiana’s Official Goodwill Ambassadors.”

In addition to his musical endeavors, Davis has held corporate leadership positions managing people, projects, and teams for multi-regional financial institutions and community banks for 15 years and has served and advised leaders from large corporations, small businesses, non-profit organizations, and churches. Also active within the community, he is a past board chair and artistic advisor for Matthew’s Voices—a choir engaging with people living on the streets of Indianapolis through the restorative power of singing.

Davis holds degrees in conducting and vocal performance, and the Doctor of Arts degree in Choral Conducting and Higher Education Administration and Leadership from Ball State University. He is currently pursuing the Master of Social Work degree from Indiana University. He has held teaching positions at Manchester University and Ball State
University.

David Duncan began playing the piano at the age of six years old. These early beginnings prepared him for the diverse and busy musical life that he enjoys today as pianist, organist, conductor and choral arranger. His experience and extensive musical background has made him one of the most sought after musicians in the Indianapolis area. 

 He received both his Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees in Piano Performance from the Indiana University School of Music. He was fortunate to study under gifted teachers who nurtured and supported his love and interest in a wide range of musical styles and genres.  He has served on the faculties of both Taylor University and Anderson University, where he conducted and arranged for both men’s and women’s choral ensembles and taught classes in classical and jazz piano, improvisation and choral arranging.  

As a pianist, David has worked with many of the finest musical organizations in the area including The Great American Songbook High School Vocal Competition with Michael Feinstein and Encore Vocal Arts Ensemble. He has also done extensive work as a pianist/conductor for many local theatre companies including the Indiana Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Indiana, Civic Theatre, Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre and the Bose Lyric Theatre at Anderson University where he was Music Director/Conductor for twelve productions, including Into the Woods, Music Man, Children of Eden, and Seussical. He continues to work regularly with The Indianapolis Symphony and the Indianapolis Children’s Choir.  

David is passionate about working with high school students to further their love and appreciation of music and the arts. He is staff accompanist/choral arranger at Franklin Central High School, a program that has consistently been the first place winners of the Indiana State School Music Association competitions both in Concert Choir and Show Choir categories. He is also the Organist and Assistant Choir Director at Zionsville United Methodist Church.

A native of the U.K., Dr. Jennifer Cooper brings a wealth of experience and passion for music to her role as Executive Director of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir (ISC). An accomplished flutist, Jennifer's performance and teaching career have spanned the globe, with solo and chamber appearances and teaching opportunities in Brazil, Austria, England, Ireland, Canada, and across the United States.

Jennifer’s dedication to music extends beyond the stage and she has enjoyed a parallel career serving a multitude of Arts Organizations. Her leadership and strategic vision have served the Montana International Choral Festival, and most recently, the IndyFringe Theatre & Festival. Now focused on guiding the ISC to new heights, Jennifer hopes to leverage her extensive background in music, business management, and fundraising to position the ISC for continued artistic excellence, education, and community engagement.

Cooper holds degrees in Music Performance from Wilfrid Laurier University, Royal Northern College of Music, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory. She recently completed her MBA at the University of Montana School of Business and is currently pursuing a Certificate of Fundraising Management at the Lilly School of Philanthropy. Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband, two daughters, and corgis, Clifton and Ludlow.

Julie Query comes to the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir with years of experience in
communications, content creation, and community engagement, a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish with minors in French and English (Creative Writing) from Butler University, and a Certificate of Achievement from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Ms. Query did not consider pursuing music professionally until 2014, when she sang in a church choir that happened to be led by a former chorister of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Dr. Thomas
Eden, who convinced her to begin private study. This led to her successful audition into the
Indianapolis Symphonic Choir in 2015, in which she sang for three seasons, including our tour
to New York City to sing Mohammad Fairouz’s Zabur at Carnegie Hall.

Often nicknamed a “Disney princess soprano”, Julie grew up listening to music on the oldies
station, watching musicals like Carousel and Camelot on repeat, and having every ‘90s movie
musical memorized word for word, particularly Anastasia and The Little Mermaid. Her initial
exposure to classical music began when she started figure skating at the age of six; here she
fell in love with the fiery and passionate music from the likes of Puccini, Ravel, Alwyn, and
Tchaikovsky, thanks to skaters like Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen.

In 2017, she began graduate study at Butler University for her Master’s in Vocal Performance,
studying under Diana Huntoon and Kirsten Gunlogson. During her graduate career, she
performed in several operas, including Suor Angelica, The Old Maid and the Thief, and Hansel
and Gretel, in which she knocked an item off her bucket list by getting to fly on stage as the
Witch. She also sang with Indianapolis Opera from 2018-2022.

Since then, Ms. Query has made her house and role debut with Toledo Opera in Suor Angelica,
made her professional musical debut in Carousel, and led a benefit concert at the Indiana
Historical Society to raise funds for cancer research. She also frequently performs with the
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Pops Chorus and sings as a soloist in many churches across
Indiana. Currently she studies voice at IU Bloomington with Ray Fellman, Director of Musical
Theatre and Professor of Voice, and acting at Constellation Stage & Screen with Eric Shelley.
She is also a devoted student of ballet, jazz, and tap. In her free time, she loves to read, bake,
and spend time with her many cats.

Jillian Wade is a second-year Master's student in choral conducting at Butler University, and graduate of Hope College with a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Music Education. She has performed with choirs all over the world, from South Africa to New York City. Wade spent two years in the classroom before pursuing her Master’s and took students at Indian Creek Middle School to ISSMA in 2023, where all three choirs earned a Gold rating. She also teaches voice and beginning piano at the Meridian Music School in Carmel and serves as Music Director for the M3 Theater Camp.