Northwest High School Honor Choir Festival

Steven Zopfi, festival host, is director of choral activities and professor of music at the University of Puget Sound where he oversees four choirs, teaches conducting, applied voice, and conducts the award-winning Adelphian Concert Choir.

Prior to his appointment at Puget Sound, Zopfi served on the faculties of Penn State University, the University of Washington, and Pacific Lutheran University. Choirs under his direction have been invited to sing at the local and regional conventions of the American Choral Director’s Association, the National Association for Music Education, the Society of Composers, Inc., the Colorado Early Music Society, and other professional organizations.

A native of New Jersey, Zopfi has a bachelor's degree in music education from the Hartt School of Music, a Master of Music degree in conducting from the University of California, Irvine, and Doctor of Musical Arts in choral conducting from the University of Colorado. He taught in the public schools in Vermont and New York, where he also served as Vermont State President of the American Choral Directors Association and an executive board member of the Vermont Music Educators Association.

Since coming to the Pacific Northwest in 2001 he continued to remain active in professional organizations serving as Chair of Collegiate Activities for WA ACDA and NW ACDA. He is in constant demand as a conductor, adjudicator, and clinician. In 2015 he was named the Outstanding Choral Conductor of the year by WA ACDA.

Jonah Heinen, festival co-host, is adjunct choral director at the University of Puget Sound where he conducts the Dorian Singers and Chorale. A native of Minnesota, he received his Bachelor of Music in vocal music education at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and his Master of Music in choral conducting at the University of Oregon.

Prior to moving to the Pacific Northwest, Heinen served as vocal music director at Faribault High School in Faribault, Minn. There, he directed multiple choirs, served as the music director for the spring musical production, and advocated for LGBTQ+ students by co-advising the school’s Gender-Sexuality Alliance, served on the building’s equity committee, and presented district-wide professional development sessions.

In addition to high school teaching, Heinen also conducted with Northfield Youth Choirs, directing Anima, the middle school-aged girls’ choir. As an active member of Minnesota’s American Choral Director’s Association chapter, he served as program co-chair for ACDA-MN’s State Conference.