The Ensemble
Founded in May 2018, the Celebris Ensemble creates beautiful music, predominantly west Michigan area. It is made up of hard-working and talented musicians who delight in bringing the joy of music to Michigan and beyond. The ensemble has performed in the lower peninsula of Michigan and worked with school choirs as well as other ensembles. It has premiered works by composers of diverse backgrounds, bringing new music to the masses in accessible and engaging ways.
The Director
Founder and director Joel Snyder brings over a decade of experience in choral conducting, composition, creativity, and entrepreneurship to the Celebris Ensemble. His music has been published by Santa Barbara Music Publishing, T.U.X. People's Music, and MusicSpoke. He loves working with choirs of all ages and skill levels, from young children to senior citizens, from untrained singers to professional singers. He is the former choral director at Vandalia Christian School in Greensboro, NC, and the director of the Battle Creek Boychoir and Girls Chorus in Battle Creek, MI. He has toured with his choirs in the U.S., Canada, and Italy. He finished a M.M. in Conducting from Western Michigan University in 2017, and is currently directing choirs for West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts. A professional singer, adjudicator, and entrepreneur, Joel has performed and worked all over the globe. You can find him online at www.solfasounds.wordpress.com, Instagram at joel_creative, and on Facebook.
Composer-in-Residence
Jane K (Evgeniya Kozhevnikova) is a composer, pianist, and educator. Her works have been performed at regional, national, and international level music events. She composes in various styles and genres, from classical to jazz and tango, tastefully blending them. In 2020, she released a jazz-tango album Tango Avenue with her original works and in 2022 an album of her art songs Lift Up Your Hearts.
In 2019, Jane received a DownBeat Magazine Outstanding Performance award in the Latin jazz category with her original jazz-tango compositions. In 2019, she became one of the winners of the "Music Now" contest, a part of Indiana State University Contemporary Music Festival. Jane became a runner-up at the University of North Carolina Greensboro Call for Scores and Competition. Her choral works were awarded the 1st Prize and a Special Prize at the 2020 International Composers’ Competition Opus Ignotum (Czech Republic). In 2021, she was awarded 2nd Place of the American Prize in Chamber Vocal Composition (student division).
Jane holds two master’s degrees, in Music Composition and Music Performance, from Western Michigan University. She is working on her doctorate degree in Music Composition at the University of Florida.
In 2019, Jane received a DownBeat Magazine Outstanding Performance award in the Latin jazz category with her original jazz-tango compositions. In 2019, she became one of the winners of the "Music Now" contest, a part of Indiana State University Contemporary Music Festival. Jane became a runner-up at the University of North Carolina Greensboro Call for Scores and Competition. Her choral works were awarded the 1st Prize and a Special Prize at the 2020 International Composers’ Competition Opus Ignotum (Czech Republic). In 2021, she was awarded 2nd Place of the American Prize in Chamber Vocal Composition (student division).
Jane holds two master’s degrees, in Music Composition and Music Performance, from Western Michigan University. She is working on her doctorate degree in Music Composition at the University of Florida.