CONDUCTOR, AMELIA SHULL

Amelia Shull:

In addition to leading PopUp Chorus since 2015 with hilarious verve, energy and kindness, Amelia believes music and singing should be accessible to all. She loves making music with people with a wide range of age, talent, and musical experience.

An NC local lass, Amelia is an art teacher at Carolina Friends School in Durham, a mother of two fantastic kids, as well as having co-founded Girls Rock NC. Come sing with her!

CO-CONDUCTOR POPUP CHORUS, CARTER HODGE

Carter Hodge has been involved in PopUp chorus, in some way or another since its inception IN 2014. When founder, Lauren Bromley Hodge is your mom, PopUp becomes a family affair! Over the years, Carter has accompanied, taught harmonies, and during Covid led virtual PopUp with Allan Friedman and Kayla Richardson-Piché.

Carter is a full-time musician playing in local band Dissimilar South while working on a solo project. They graduated from UNC-CH with degrees in Music and Gender Studies. Carter loveds making music in groups and singing in harmony,, beginning with chorus classes in elementary school and more recently, singing with UNC’s student choir. Carter brings their unique musicality and spirit of openhearted collaboration to the PopUp chorus experience.

SEAN GRIER, CONDUCTOR POPUP BROADWAY

When not teaching undergraduate courses in music education or conducting Treble Voice Glee Club at UNC, Chapel Hill, PopUp Chorus Broadway conductor, Sean Grier PhD., can be found singing along to his favorite soundtrack albums! If pressed, this lover of musical theater would tell you his top shows include West Side Story, Rent, Chicago, South Pacific, Les Misérables and Wicked, (but he will not be limited to just those!) After completing his undergraduate degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education at Michigan State University, Sean taught middle and high school chorus at Durham School of the Arts (DSA). A musical pied piper for young singers, an NC education colleague observed that “Sean made chorus cool, even for boys! His students adored him because he created a safe, welcoming, and family-like home in his classroom. He is a truly special teacher.” After a hugely successful nine years teaching at DSA, Sean left to pursue his Doctorate in Music Education at The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor. Sean is excited to be back in North Carolina, a state that he calls home. He now teaches at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the Department of Music and is leading PopUp Chorus Broadway events for everyone who loves musical theater. He will tell you that dreams truly do come true. Come and sing with us at PopUp Broadway!

FOUNDER, LAUREN BROMLEY HODGE

Lauren Bromley Hodge holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) degree in Drama and English from the University of London, Goldsmith’s College, although her work has been almost entirely in music. Beginning in the mid-80’s, Lauren began her career in the music business with UK based indie labels such as Rough Trade Record (The Smiths, Feelies, Soul Asylum, They Might be Giants) and One Little Label (The Sugarcubes, Bjork). Over a 15-year career in the music business, Lauren has managed artists, negotiated record deals, structured independent companies, and worked at an executive level for record companies in both London and NYC.

Upon moving to Chapel Hill, NC in 2000, Lauren returned to her first love; theatre, and created the Youth Performing Arts Conservatory at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro, where she was also the Director of Development. In 2011 she founded Community Chorus Project in partnership with the Department of Music at UNC, Chapel Hill, dedicated to creating community one chorus at a time. Her programming includes PopUp Chorus, founded in 2014, as well as chorus programs for middle and high school students. Her work is dedicated to helping musicians build careers, creating opportunities for all people to become artists, and building community through music.