Who We Are

Alex W. Fung is a public school music educator in New York State, youth orchestra co-founder/director, education researcher, and an active violinist. Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education and Performance from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from Marist College, Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Long Island University, and a Doctor of Education in Music and Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

His research interest includes student-centered pedagogy, orchestra ensemble teaching approaches, and public school system functions/operations in relation to music education.

Derrick L. Thompson, baritone, choral conductor, and music educator, is a native of Madison Heights, Virginia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in music with an emphasis in vocal music education from Lynchburg College (2008), a Master of Arts degree in music from Morgan State University (2010), and a Master of Education in Music and Music Education (2018) and a Doctor of Education in the College Teaching of Music and Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University (2019). He is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from Messiah University.

Dr. Thompson made his professional vocal debut in 2007 with the Opera on the James (Lynchburg, Virginia) as the Duke in Gounod's Romeo et Juliette. He is an active recitalist, chamber musician, and operatic performer. His most recent performances include bass soloist in Faure’s Requiem, Rutter’s Mass of the Children, and Handel's Messiah; Ben in Menotti's The Telephone, Prince Torado in Dunbar's Dream Lovers, bass soloist for Beethoven's Mass in C Major, King Balthazzar and the Page in Amahl and the Night Visitors and more. Dr. Thompson made his Maryland debut in November 2008 as the baritone soloist for the world premiere of the oratorio, The Chartered Course, celebrating the 300th Anniversary of the City of Annapolis.

Dr. Thompson spent his 2010-2011 season as the artistic director and conductor of the Tianjin Concert Hall's Mulan Children's Choir (Tianjin, China) and made his debut as a soloist with the International Festival Chorus (Beijing, China) and Peking Sinfonietta in Handel's Messiah. In April, he returned to the stage in his role debut as Jesus/Bass Soloist in Bach's St. Johannes-Passion. Dr. Thompson also taught private voice lessons while in China, having two young students placing first and second place in the Hong Kong Young Artist Competition.

In May 2014, Dr. Thompson recorded his first CD titled ‘Spirituals,’ including selections by composers such as Harry T. Burleigh, Moses Hogan, and Jacqueline Hairston.

Dr. Thompson’s conducting career continues to grow as he serves as a guest conductor and clinician for numerous district, county, and all-state choral performances. His most recent engagements include guest conductor for Louisa All-County Elementary Chorus, Campbell All-County Elementary Chorus, and Richmond All-City Middle School Chorus. He remains an active researcher in the field of choral and vocal music. His research interest involves developing the young singing voice, communication in the choral rehearsal, and teaching methodologies for the choral and applied voice setting. His most recent writings can be found in ChorTeach: Practical Teaching Ideas for Today’s Music Educator.

For eight years, Dr. Thompson taught in the Virginia school system, teaching elementary general music and conducting middle and high school choirs. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member at Lynchburg College, Teachers College, Columbia University, and Messiah University. He currently serves as the Music Program Director and Director of Choral Activities at Delaware State University where he teaches applied voice, conducting, and vocal technique and literature courses. Dr. Thompson also serves on the board of the Delaware Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association as Chair of Diversity Initiatives and President-Elect for the 2021-2023 term.

His research interest involves developing the young singing voice, communication in the choral rehearsal, and teaching methodologies for the choral and applied voice setting. His most recent writings can be found in ChorTeach: Practical Teaching Ideas for Today’s Music Educator.

For eight years, Dr. Thompson taught in the Virginia school system, teaching elementary general music and conducting middle and high school choirs. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member at Lynchburg College and Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Thompson is currently in his second year at Delaware State University, where he serves as the Director of Choral Activities and Visiting Assistant Professor of Music. Dr. Thompson also serves on the board of the Delaware Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association as Chair of Diversity Initiatives and President-Elect.

Dr. Meagan Dissinger is a National Board Certified teacher with twelve years of experience teaching PreK-12 vocal and general music in the New York State public schools. She holds a BS in Music Education with minors in Special Education and Dance from The Pennsylvania State University, an MA in Piano Performance from CUNY Hunter College, and an EdM and EdD in Music and Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Dr. Dissinger's research interests include Culturally Responsive Teaching in secondary choir, decentering whiteness in music education, and performance-based assessment in music. She is a frequent contributor to practicioner-based journals. Her most recent work can be found in Teaching Music Magazine and ChorTeach.

Dr. Michael P. Fleischmann is a conductor, performer, husband, and father of two. Michael graduated with a degree in Music Education from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. He earned a Master of Music degree in wind conducting from California State University, Fullerton. Dr. Fleischmann continued his education at Teachers College, Columbia University where he earned a Doctor of Education degree in College Teaching.

Michael has enjoyed giving back to the community of music education as a clinician at local schools, or for conference presentations. His publication and research interests include French horn pedagogy and the applications of creativity (specifically composition, improvisation, and arranging) in large ensemble band settings. He currently resides in Palm Desert, CA with his wife, Erica, and children Cole and Kennedy.

Michael Mohammed received his doctorate from the Music and Music Education Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. His dissertation used narrative inquiry to explore the use of the voice as a means of personal and cultural expression by elite black opera and musical theatre singers. His research continues to look at the representation of persons with historically excluded identities in operatic and theatrical performance. He is an Affiliate Member of the Black Opera Research Network.

"Dr. Mojo" is the Director of the Musical Theatre Ensemble at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He is also on the voice faculty of San Jose State University, College of Marin, and the San Francisco Community Music Center. He has been invited to give presentations at Stanford University, Opera Philadelphia, Pacific Voice Conference, Bowling Green State University, and Earlham College.

He works throughout the US and Canada as a stage director, choreographer, and performer. Recently, he co-created What's Known To Me Is Endless with baritone Kenneth Overton and pianist Rich Coburn for the inaugural season of Amplified Opera, a Toronto based company that places equity-seeking artists at the center of public discourse.