Staff

Craig Hella Johnson
Artistic Director/Conductor
Renowned as one of the most influential voices in choral conducting in the United States, Craig Hella Johnson brings a depth of knowledge, artistic sensitivity and imagination to his programs. Founder and Artistic Director of Conspirare, Johnson has assembled some of the finest singers in the country to create a world class, award-winning ensemble committed to creating dynamic choral art. His performances with Conspirare have been praised for their superb artistry.

Johnson served as Director of Choral Activities (1990-2001) at the University of Texas in Austin where he led the graduate program in conducting. He was artistic director of San Francisco-based Chanticleer (1998-1999) and has served as guest conductor with the Austin Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Santa Fe Symphony, Chicago’s Music of the Baroque, and the Berkshire Choral Festival. In September 2009 Johnson travelled to Taiwan to conduct the Taipei Male Choir.

Ann Hume Wilson (email [Email address: ahwilson #AT# conspirare.org - replace #AT# with @ ])
Executive Director
Ann Hume Wilson brings over three decades of experience in multi-disciplinary arts management to her role as executive director of Conspirare. She was associate director of the Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas at Austin from 2004-2009, and was interim director during 2008-09. At the Blanton, she oversaw all administrative and operational aspects of the museum and led the institutional branding efforts and marketing campaign for the highly successful grand opening of the Blanton’s new building in 2006. Wilson has also been director of marketing and communications for the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, and manager of public relations and marketing for the High Museum of Art, Atlanta.

In the performing arts, she has been director of marketing for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; director of public relations for Spoleto Festival U.S.A.; and assistant manager of the Opera Company of Boston. She has also worked in communications and development for the Washington National Cathedral.

Ann has taken leadership roles in numerous cultural planning and tourism development initiatives in the cities where she has worked and is a frequent speaker on arts management, branding and strategic planning at national and regional arts conferences.

Katie Apple (email [Email address: kapple #AT# conspirare.org - replace #AT# with @ ])
Director of Special Projects, Executive Assistant to the Artistic Director
Katie comes to Conspirare from her hometown of Schenectady, New York. She received her Bachelor of Music in Music Industry degree from Syracuse University in 2003. While a student, she studied the flute with John Oberbrunner and Deborah Coble and was active in several instrumental ensembles. Katie also studied in the Higher Education Master’s degree program at Syracuse University and during that time, traveled to Brazil with the university’s Brazilian Music Ensemble. In 2004, Katie was asked to join the music industry faculty at Syracuse University. The youngest and only female faculty member since the program’s inception, she taught required courses at the freshman through senior levels, advised all freshman and sophomore music industry majors and designed and implemented the First Year Forum for incoming students. Her educational background includes knowledge of copyright, licensing, publishing, concert planning, artist management and arts advocacy.

Tamara Blanken (email [Email address: tblanken #AT# conspirare.org - replace #AT# with @ ])
Ticketing & Online Services Manager
Tamara has professional experience in digital asset management, copyrights and permissions, publishing, art historical writing and translation, fine art production and exhibitions, and musical performance. She was born and raised in Northern California, played saxophone throughout school and college (including studies with Don DaGrade of University of the Pacific and as a foreign exchange student at New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, Sydney), and received a B.A. in Fine Art and later an M.A. in Art History (specializing in Marcel Duchamp) from the University of California, Davis.

Cynthia Densmore (email [Email address: cdensmore #AT# conspirare.org - replace #AT# with @ ])
Finance Manager
Cynthia has worked as a financial management consultant in the Austin area for ten years, helping non-profits and small businesses thrive by helping them create dynamic operational systems that are suited to their individual needs and goals. She has a BA degree in Psychology and coursework toward an MBA. Her finance experience and education began in 1992 in the United States Marine Corps. She enjoys adventure and has traveled all over the world in her various pursuits. In her free time, she practices classical piano and dabbles in graphic design.

Melissa Eddy (email [Email address: meddy #AT# conspirare.org - replace #AT# with @ ])
Communications & Grants Manager
Melissa was appointed as Interim Managing Director in July 2009. She began working for Conspirare as Development Manager in July 2008. A professional arts administrator for over fifteen years, Melissa provides administrative, communications, and development services for music and theater groups. She is a founder and immediate past executive director of Classical Music Consortium of Austin (1997-2009) and previously was executive director of the Austin Civic Chorus and Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble (1993-2000). A founding member of the Long Center for the Performing Arts board of trustees, she first became involved with the project in 1994 and served on the board 1997-2008. Prior to her work in the arts, Melissa had 21 years’ experience in nonprofit human services as both professional staff and volunteer leader. She holds degrees in psychology from Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University, and has lived in Central Texas for over thirty years. A lifelong choral singer, Melissa performs with Conspirare Symphonic Choir and has previously sung with numerous Austin choruses, the Kalamazoo Bach Festival Chorus, and several choirs in Germany.

Rick Gabrillo (email [Email address: conspirarechildrenschoir #AT# gmail.com - replace #AT# with @ ])
Director, Conspirare Youth Choirs
Rick is currently the Assistant conductor of Conspirare and performs with the professional ensemble throughout the season. For the past 8 years, he taught at Clint Small Middle School in the Austin ISD, where he established a choral program recognized statewide for artistic excellence. Rick was Clint Small’s Teacher of the Year in 2003 and was an AISD finalist for this coveted honor. Rick holds both Bachelor and Masters degrees in Music Education from the University of Texas at Austin. He left teaching in 2005 to care for his newborn son and work with the Conspirare Youth Choir. He is responsible for the administrative activities of the Youth Choir and serves as the liaison to the parent’s committee and Conspirare.

Wravan Godsoe (email [Email address: wgodsoe #AT# conspirare.org - replace #AT# with @ ])
Administrative/Box Office Assistant
Wravan joined the Conspirare staff and Symphonic Choir in the fall of 2009. A Dallas native and long-time Austin resident, Wravan has taught private voice and piano lessons for 25 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance/business administration and a master’s degree in vocal pedagogy. Married to a composer/saxophonist, she serves as the sales manager for his music publishing company. A former member of the Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble, she also sings with the choir of Hope Presbyterian Church and volunteers with CASA.

David Hammond (email [Email address: dhammond #AT# conspirare.org - replace #AT# with @ ])
Operations Manager
David joins Conspirare after holding positions at Austin Lyric Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he received the Bachelor of Music in Music Business from Clarion University. David is a member of the Sanctuary Choir and Handbell Ringers of The First Baptist Church of Austin and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority. He has sung in choirs conducted by Lorin Maazel, Robert Page, Alice Parker, Moses Hogan and James Jordon. David resides in Austin with his wife Karon, a native San Antonian.

Robert Harlan
Production Coordinator
Robert Harlan is a founding member of Conspirare, having performed in the professional and symphonic ensembles every season since 1993. Robert has sung as a soloist and a chorister with numerous professional, civic and educational organizations over the last 30 years including; Texas Early Music Project, UT Chamber Singers, Victoria Bach Festival, Austin Handel-Haydn Society, Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Oratorio Society of New York, Austin Pro-Chorus and Houston Masterworks. He has also performed in numerous musical theater productions with UT Drama, Zachary Scott Theater and Austin Pro-Arts Collective. Robert studied voice with notable baritone Jess Walters as well as performing in countless masters and doctorate recitals. Robert has a degree in English from UT and has owned a car repair business for 20 years. He lives in Austin with his wife and three small children in an antique farm house on East 6th street.

Debbie Kenkel (email [Email address: dkenkel #AT# conspirare.org - replace #AT# with @ ])
Accounting Assistant
Debbie has worked in accounting and bookkeeping in the Austin area since 1993.  She holds an AAS degree in Accounting and is currently attending Austin Community College before going on to Concordia University to complete the Bachelor’s Degree. Debbie has sung in various venues across Texas since 1985, at one time working in the studio alongside Asleep at the Wheel’s Chris O’Connell and Maryann Price. For many years she has been a member of various church choirs, and for three of those years she led the song service at Whitestone Assembly of God in Cedar Park. Debbie currently volunteers at Kid’s Church at Shoreline Christian Center along with her husband, daughter, and son-in-law.

Meri Krueger (email [Email address: meriJK #AT# aol.com - replace #AT# with @ ])
Artist Relations
Meri is a native of Aberdeen, South Dakota, and is experienced as a studio and classroom teacher and as a solo and ensemble performer. She holds the degrees of Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Texas at Austin. In the course of fifteen years as a professional musician, Ms. Krueger has served as a music and movement instructor at the preschool and elementary level, as a solo and ensemble coach for middle school children, as a classroom music theory and musicianship teacher for high school students, as a conductor and private-lesson teacher for college-level music majors, and as an instructor of world and ethnic music. As a performer, Ms. Krueger serves as an on-call percussionist with the Austin Symphony, Austin Lyric Opera, and the San Antonio Symphony.

Nina Revering (email [Email address: conspirarechildrenschoir #AT# gmail.com - replace #AT# with @ ])
Director, Conspirare Youth Choirs
Nina has been a member of Conspirare since 1995. Her choral music experience began at an early age. While growing up in Brazil, she performed in the Coro Infantil do Teatro Municipal under the direction of Elsa Lakschevitz. After moving to Canada, she joined the Toronto Children’s Chorus, directed by Jean Ashworth-Bartle, and performed with noted directors Andrew Davis and Sir David Willcocks. Ms. Revering’s musical training included six years of study in Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music in baroque recorder as well as piano. Ms. Revering holds diplomas and degrees from the Royal Conservatory of Music, the Youth Performing Arts School, and Boston University’s School for the Arts. She studied baroque recorder with John Tyson of the New England Conservatory and performed with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus under conductors Seiji Ozawa, John Williams, and John Oliver.

Nicki Turman (email [Email address: info #AT# conspirare.org - replace #AT# with @ ])
House Manager and Operations Assistant
Nicki joined our staff as House Manager in 2007 and is currently helping out in the Conspirare office. She sings soprano with First Presbyterian Choir, and is a native of Austin. She graduated from Austin High, and holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin. Nicki serves on the staff of the Texas Christian Ashram and sews costumes for McNeil High School Musicale. She is married with two grown daughters.