Faculty
Charles Robinson, Ph.D.
Professor of Choral Music and Music Education, Interim Director of Choral Studies, Area Coordinator – Music Education and Music Therapy
Charles Robinson is professor of choral music and music education at the UMKC Conservatory, where he conducts the Conservatory Concert Choir, supervises graduate research, and teaches choral/vocal pedagogy and methods, choral conducting, and graduate courses in music education. Robinson earned undergraduate and doctoral degrees in choral music education from Florida State University and a master’s degree in choral music from California State University, Long Beach. For many years, he taught choral and general music in middle schools and high schools in Florida, and has worked with singers of all ages, including children and senior citizens. Robinson is an active conductor/clinician for honor choruses throughout the United States and a frequent presenter of workshops for music educators. An active member of the American Choral Directors Association, he has served as Southwestern Division chair for Ethnic and Multicultural Perspectives, College and University Choirs, and Research, and he has served as president of the Missouri Choral Directors Association.
Robinson’s music research has focused on choral performance evaluation, music preference, choral conducting, and inclusion in music settings, and has been presented and published at regional, national, and international levels. Robinson is a past editor of the Missouri Journal of Research in Music Education and currently serves on its editorial review board. He is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, and is a recipient of the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Excellence in Teaching Award (1991 and 1999) and the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Excellence in Faculty Service Award (2006 and 2013) from the UMKC Conservatory. The Missouri Choral Directors Association presented Robinson with the 2000 Luther T. Spayde Award of Excellence for significant contributions to choral music in Missouri.
Jennifer Sengin, D.M.A
Visiting Assistant Professor of Choral Studies
Jennifer Sengin joins the UMKC Conservatory faculty in August 2023 as Visiting Assistant Professor of Choral Studies where she leads the graduate choral conducting program and conducts the flagship ensemble, Conservatory Singers as well as the Choral Union. In addition to ensembles, Dr. Sengin teaches graduate choral conducting and choral literature.
She most recently served as the Associate Director of Choral Activities at Georgia State University where she conducted the Treble Choir, Choral Union, and taught graduate choral literature, graduate and undergraduate conducting, and undergraduate choral methods. While at GSU, the choral program grew from three choirs to five choirs including the creation of two additional choral ensembles.
Under her direction, the GSU Treble Choir (formerly Women’s Chorus) won first place in The American Prize and Dr. Sengin received 2nd place in conducting. The Treble Choir has been invited to perform at a National Collegiate Choral Organization conference and twice at the GMEA Conference (2020 and 2023). While at GSU, Dr. Sengin received two university-wide awards –the 2022-2023 Non-Tenure Track Faculty Achievement Award and the 2021-2022 GSU Instructional Effectiveness Award. Dr. Sengin recently participated as a Conducting Fellow with ACDA’s International Conductor Exchange Program to Germany.
An active guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and presenter, Dr. Sengin has conducted honor choirs throughout the country and recently conducted the 2023 Texas All-State Treble Choir. Dr. Sengin has presented sessions at various national, regional, and state conferences and at universities throughout the United States and Germany. She currently serves as the Director of Musical Arts at Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta and sings in the award-winning professional ensemble, mirabai, under the direction of Sandra Snow.
Current Choral Graduate Students, 2023-2024
Conductor, Chamber Singers; Assistant Conductor, Conservatory Singers
Assistant Conductor: Conservatory Concert Choir, Choral Union
Madeline Smith, pursuing MM Voice Performance.
Choral Administrative Assistant