AUSTIN NIKIRK | SOPRANO | CONDUCTOR | ADMINISTRATOR
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Education

Gettysburg Children's Choir

Austin's passion for education came late in her college career, when she accepted a position as an intern with the Gettysburg Children’s Chorus in the Fall of 2019. She worked that semester with the choir and chorale groups, under the direction of Interim Artistic Director Matt Carlson. This experience was transformative for Austin as a musician, and encouraged her to focus on building musicianship and artistry in others.
The choir invited Austin to stay on in the Spring of 2020 as an intern with the high school chamber chorale, and she worked closely with them in-person until the COVID-19 pandemic forced all operations online. Austin continued to be an integral member of the administrative team, helping the groups to coordinate two virtual choir projects and virtual celebrations of the group's graduating members.
In June of 2020, Austin was invited to join the Gettysburg Children's Choir as an Assistant Director for their Summer and Fall 2020 seasons. She has worked so far to develop and promote their virtual summer camp, Summer Sing!, and is now helping to plan for a fully-virtual fall semester. Read more about the Gettysburg Children's Choir here.
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Young Audiences / Arts for Maryland

During the Summer of 2020, Austin was an artist apprentice with the Summer Arts and Learning Academy (SALA), an arm of the Young Audiences / Arts for Maryland initiative in Baltimore City Public Schools. Because of the organization's shift to fully virtual learning, Austin mostly worked in an administrative capacity. She was glad to gain invaluable experience through observation of arts integration lessons, a hallmark of the program.

Gettysburg College Choirs

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During her senior year at Gettysburg College, Austin was privileged to study with and intern under Director of Choral Activities Dr. Robert Natter. She worked extensively with Audeamus, the college's treble-voice choir, conducting three pieces over the year. She also worked with the College Choir, an auditioned chamber group that tours each spring. She was conducting a piece on their tour to Boston when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the choir home and online. Austin continued working with both groups through their virtual learning, and directed and produced Audeamus' recording of Melissa Dunphy's Wild Embers. An internship like no other, Austin is grateful to the singers in both groups for their patience and flexibility throughout her in-person and virtual growth as a conductor and director.

Academie d'Amiens

Austin is currently living in Amiens, France, and working as an assistante des langues vivantes in two collèges in the Academie. She works with co-teachers in English and music classes, planning bilingual lessons and presenting on American culture and life. The experience of living abroad, with linguistic and cultural immersion, has been a life-long dream of Austin's, and she is very excited for this unparalleled experience.
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