Join us for the 2025 Fall Refresher!
September 20th - 12 pm - 4:30pm
Secondary sessions led by Dr. Francis Cathlina and Dr. Erin Plisco
Elementary sessions led by Connie Van Engen, Bethany Main, Taylor Shaeffer, and Jennifer Patterson
Secondary reading session from Endeavor Music Publishing
Happy hour
Registration is only $30 through September 15th!
Held at our rehearsal space: 6400 Stateline Rd, Mission Hills, KS 66208
Secondary Sessions
Francis Cathlina, D.M.A. (he/him) is a Vietnamese-American conductor and educator, renowned for his innovative approach to choral music. His concerts invite audiences into a world where choral artistry becomes a powerful storytelling medium.
Dr. Cathlina is currently the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Memphis, where he received the 2025 Dean’s Award for Creative Achievement. He oversees the Choral Area, leads the MM/DMA Choral Conducting program, and conducts the University Singers.
A two-time GRAMMY-nominated educator, Dr. Cathlina draws deeply from his Eastern heritage. His work reflects a commitment to excellence and collaboration. In 2025, he will serve on the conducting faculty for Brazil’s XV FIMUS Festival and work in the Philippines as part of ACDA’s International Conductors Exchange Program. Early recognition came from the Texas Choral Directors Association (TCDA), which named him a “Young Director of Distinction.”
Cathlina’s teaching philosophy centers on developing masterful technicians, expressive communicators, and thoughtful citizens. Under his direction, the UofM University Singers have been invited to perform for national conferences. His students lead prominent programs—as university DCAs and symphony chorus directors. Recent engagements involve All-State choirs in Mississippi and Kentucky, the International Mu Phi Convention Chorus, and a Carnegie Hall debut. Conducting honor choirs remains his favorite form of creative activity.
An authority on vocal pedagogy, Dr. Cathlina's research focuses on choral tone and conducting gesture. He has presented over 69 sessions worldwide. He is published in international journals. In 2025, he served as the Headliner for the Ohio and Alabama choral conferences. In 2023, he co-led Conducting Masterclasses in Greece with the University of Macedonia (Thessaloniki) and Ionian University (Corfu).
Dr. Cathlina earned a DMA in conducting with a vocal pedagogy cognate from the University of North Texas, an MM from Michigan State University, and a BME from Baylor University. Before his doctorate, he taught in Texas public schools. Beyond the podium, Dr. Cathlina is an avid pickleball player. He, his husband Kyle, and their dog Coco call Memphis, Tennessee, their home.
In concert, Cathlina wears an áo dài, traditional Vietnamese formalwear. As one of the few Vietnamese conductors in the field, he proudly dons it as a tribute to his heritage. www.franciscathlina.com
Dr. Francis Cathlina
Erin Plisco is the Associate Director of Choral Studies at Missouri State University, where she conducts multiple choirs and teaches undergraduate and graduate choral conducting and literature. She is a frequent guest clinician across the United States and abroad, and has presented at state, regional, and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association. She currently serves as the ACDA National SSAA Choirs Repertoire and Resources Chair. Choirs under her direction recently performed at the 2022 ACDA Southwestern Region Conference, the 2022 and 2025 Missouri Music Educators Association Conferences, the 2023 National ACDA Conference, the 2023 the National Collegiate Choral Organization national conference and Carnegie Hall.
Dr. Plisco completed the DMA in choral conducting from the University of Arizona, where she studied conducting with Bruce Chamberlain and voice with Elizabeth Futral. She also studied at Trinity College, University of Cambridge, where she was a recipient of the prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship and studied with Grammy-nominated conductor Stephen Layton.
Dr. Erin Plisco
Elementary Sessions
More info to come!
Connie Van Engen is a music educator at Bell Prairie Elementary in the North Kansas City School District. She is certified in Orff Schulwerk and has presented workshops in Orff Process throughout the United States. Connie is an Teacher Educator in Orff Schulwerk Basic Pedagogy and is currently serving as President of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri.
Connie Van Engen
Taylor teaches TK-6th grade general music at John Thomas School of Discovery in Nixa, MO, where he also directs The Discovery Singers, a before-school choir for 4th-6th graders with 100 members. Previously, he taught music at Rountree/Delaware Elementary and Reed Academy Middle School in Springfield, MO. Throughout his career, his students have had the honor of performing at the Missouri Music Educators Association state conference in 2017, 2019, and 2022.
As a composer, Taylor co-wrote The Fox with Blake Richter, which received JW Pepper’s Editor’s Choice distinction and has additional pieces published through Endeavor Publishing. In addition to his work as a conductor and educator, he currently serves as President of Kodály of the Ozarks and has previously held leadership roles as SCMMEA Elementary Vice-President, MCDA Elementary Vice-President, and Vice-President on the board of the Boys Choir of Springfield.
Taylor is also the creator of The Treble Classroom, a website dedicated to providing free resources to help new music educators succeed in their classrooms.
Taylor Shaeffer
Artistic Director, Director YCKC Intermezzo and YCKC Etude
Bethany Main is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City's Conservatory of Music and Dance, where she received her Master’s of Music Education and Bachelor’s of Music Education. She previously taught general music and directed the Rolling Ridge SuperSonics choir in Olathe, Kansas.
Bethany is an active presenter and honor choir clinician, and has presented at numerous conferences and led various honor choirs. Previously, she taught music and directed the Special Chorus at Manchester Park Elementary in the Olathe School District, serving students in grades K-5. During her tenure at Manchester Park, her students performed with distinction at the Kansas Music Educator’s Association state conference.
As a rising composer, Bethany’s works have earned multiple Editor’s Choice distinctions from JW Pepper. She is a two-time finalist for Olathe School District Teacher of the Year and was named East Central KMEA’s “Outstanding Young Music Educator” in 2021. Bethany is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the Kansas Music Educators Association.