Julie Ann White, Director
Mrs. Julie Ann White is the Fine Arts Coordinator for the Owensboro Public Schools where she serves as curriculum specialist and consultant for their music, art, drama and dance programs and curriculum K-12. She graduated with high honors from the University of Montana where she studied piano, percussion and voice. She has also founded and directed treble choirs since 1972 which include the Knollwood Children’s Chorus (Atlanta, Georgia) The Brescia Boy Choir, The Sutton Singers, The City Singers and the Owensboro Center Chorus and the Kentucky Youth Chorale.

Mrs. White’s choirs have performed with the Atlanta Symphony and the Owensboro Symphony; they have performed for the Kentucky School Board Association State Conventions, CMENC and numerous KMEA conventions. They have sung with the Chattanooga Boy Choir and the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. They performed in Carnegie Hall in 1999 as a nationally auditioned chorus selected from over 200 applicants. They premiered on KET (In Performance at the Governor’s Mansion), the only public school musical group to do so to date. They have also sung for the opening session of the Kentucky Legislature. In July, 2002, the Owensboro Center Chorus won a highly coveted invitation to perform in the Pacific Rim International Children’s Choral Festival in Hawaii. Nicholas Palmer, conductor of the Owensboro Symphony has said, “I have worked with many children’s choirs throughout the United States and this is one of the best I have ever encountered. Much praise must go to their excellent conductor Julie White who has remarkable control over the choir and the ability to motivate them to the highest standard of performance.”

Mrs. White was selected the 1988 Owensboro Public School Teacher of the Year and in 1993 she was honored as the KMEA Elementary Music Teacher of the Year. She has received the Ashland Oil Teacher Achievement Award and the Owensboro Mayor’s Award for Excellence. She has served on the Kentucky Department of Education Task Force to revise and assess Kentucky’s music curriculum and has also worked for the Kentucky Arts Council. She currently serves on the Kentucky Arts Advisory Council. She is the 2007-2008 recipient of the highly coveted Governor’s Award for the Arts in Education.

Mrs. White conducts district choral festivals throughout Kentucky. She currently directs the Kentucky Youth Chorale and is co-director of a two week summer Arts camp in Owensboro, Summer Institute for Young Artists (SIYA). For more information aboutthese programs, please contact Julie or James Douglas White, Artistic Director at 270-314-1474.



Pam Howell, Choral Assistant
Pam Howell is the music specialist at Highland Elementary School in the Daviess County Public School System where she has taught for 17 years. She founded and directs the Highland Choir and Percussion Ensemble which are featured in the school's signature Renaissance Faire. She formerly taught in Owensboro Public System and Warrick County School System.

Pam is also in her 23rd year as music director at Eaton Memorial Baptist Church. She has directed adult, youth and children's choirs the church, as well as, serves as worship planner. She is also serves as Vacation Bible School Director, Sunday School Teacher, and Church Council Member.

Ms. Howell graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College with a Bachelor in Music Education. She completed her Masters in Music Education and Rank One in Elementary Counseling from Western Kentucky University.

Pam was selected as the Kentucky Music Educators' Elementary Music Teacher of the Year for District Two in 2001-2002 and again in 2003-2004. She also received the Campbellsville University Excellence in Teaching Award in 2003. She has also served as District Two Elementary Chairperson where she organized the Elementary All-District Choral Festival. She has represented the DCPS on the Riverpark Arts Advisory Board. She has also served as an Artist-in-Residence of the Riverpark's Summer Arts Camp.

As an assistant for the Kentucky Youth Chorale, Pam serves in many different capacities. From working with the students on vocal technique to eartraining and sight-singing, from organizational planning to co-directing, she is one of many supporters for this extraordinary choir.


Natalie Frances, Choral Assistant
Natalie was born and raised in Red Bud, Illinois.  As a child she was interested in music and took piano, church organ, guitar, clarinet and saxophone lessons.  She has been active in her church and school choirs.  She received her Bachelor of Music Therapy degree from Illinois State University.  She moved to Owensboro in 1981 and began teaching multi-handicapped students in the Owensboro Public Schools.  Natalie also earned a Music Education Certification from Brescia University and a Master of Arts in General Education from WKU where she also received her Rank I.

Natalie has taught elementary school music at Cravens for 19 years.   She is married and has two children, Nathan and Whitney.  She serves as pianist for Bethlehem United Methodist Church in Lewisport, KY



Scott Dixon, Choral Accompanist
Scott Dixon has accompanied the Kentucky Youth Chorale since their inception.  He began playing piano by ear at the age of four and by five was excelling in his private piano lessons.  Scott has accompanied numerous honors choirs for state conventions and the Midwest Conference.   Scott is well esteemed in choral music community as a fine pianist and a supporter of choral conductors across the nation.  His business, Octavo Corporation, has received the KMEA Friend of  Music Award.

Visit www.octavomusic.com for more details.




James Douglas White, Director of IYM
James moved to Owensboro in 1975 as professor of music at Brescia University & Concertmaster of the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra. During his twelve seasons with the orchestra he was guest soloist seven times. James has soloed with the Nashville Symphony, the Twin Cities Symphony and the Missoula Civic Orchestra. He has given countless recitals throughout the US, France and the Caribbean. He performed as solo violinist with the National Youth Choirs at Carnegie Hall in 1999. Other orchestral experience includes the Oakland Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony and the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. While teaching violin and conducting the orchestra at the University of Montana, Robert Shaw enlisted James to be Apprentice Conductor and first violinist in the Atlanta Symphony where he also conducted the Atlanta Sinfonietta and the Atlanta Youth Orchestra. Guest conducting appearances include the Memphis Symphony, the Nashville Symphony, the Twin Cities Orchestra, the Missoula Civic Symphony, the Portland Junior Symphony and members of the Louisville Orchestra. He is past conductor of orchestras at Brevard Music Center, the Owensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Louisville Youth Orchestra. He has taught at the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts and conducted All-State Orchestras.

In 1990, James received a formal invitation from the Soviet Composers Union to conduct and perform in many republics of the former Soviet Union. He was commissioned by them to premier a new work, The Peace Symphony, which was nationally televised and recorded for radio. In 1993, the Owensboro Symphony gave the US premiere of this work. The Owensboro Symphony also performed his Overture Before Summer at the ’83 Maple Mount Pops concert and have since performed several other works at RiverPark Center on their subscription concert season and Holiday Pops concerts.

James has received many commendations during his tenure in Kentucky. In 1987 he was awarded the Outstanding Kentuckian award and in 1995 he received a special Citation for Excellence from the Governor. He is a Kentucky Colonel, a Rotarian and an alumnus of Leadership Owensboro. The Alma-Alta Conservatory conferred upon him the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music and Highest Professor status during his concert tour in Kazakhstan. He has received the prestigious 25 year award for String Teaching Excellence from the Kentucky American String Teachers Association and the 25 year service award from the Kentucky Music Educators. He received the Owensboro Mayor’s Award for Excellence in 1996. Through his many activities and tireless devotion to the Institute for Young Musicians, White continues his deep interest and leadership in developing the musical talents of young musicians.

Back To Top