Kathleen Bassett, Founder and Artistic Director of Buffalo Girlchoir, has been conducting treble choirs for over 20 years. Because of her enthusiastic pursuit of excellence, choirs under her direction have performed along-side professional orchestras including the Buffalo Philharmonic, Cleveland Pops Orchestra, and Apollo’s Fire: The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra. Her choirs have also performed at professional conferences and at choral festivals throughout North America.

Passionately dedicated to music education, Ms. Bassett has taught in classrooms ranging from pre-school to college including teacher education programs. Her journey through choral music education has afforded her the opportunity to present workshops in local and state conferences including for such organizations as the New York Chapter of the American Choral Director’s Association, Erie County Music Educators Association, and Ohio Music Education Association. She is an avid guest conductor of festival and honor choirs.

As a singer, Kathleen performs with Vocalis Chamber Choir and has sung and recorded with Apollo’s Fire: The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra. Ms. Bassett adores performing and rarely turns down an invitation to sing at performances large and small.

Most recently, Kathleen was the director of choirs at Immaculata Academy where the choirs have received multiple gold, and gold with distinction ratings at NYSSMA adjudicated festivals. Her top tier choir performed in dozens of venues in the Buffalo area and recently commissioned and premiered a new choral work ”Like A Bird” by Caroline Mallonee.

Ms. Bassett holds a Kodaly certificate, a master’s degree in piano performance, and a bachelor’s degree in music education.

Jeannine Joseph, co-director, is responsible for the movement and theory classes at Buffalo Girlchoir. Ms. Joseph taught elementary music with the Amherst Central Schools for six years, founded the Children’s Music Academy where she taught early childhood music classes, and has been a private voice and piano instructor. While currently taking time to raise her two children, she sings at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral, owns Dragonfly Percussion with her husband, a percussionist in the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and is a regular volunteer at her children’s school. Ms. Joseph holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance with a minor in Music Education from Carnegie Melon University, as well as a Master’s in Music Education from the University at Buffalo. She holds certification in Early Childhood Music and Level I Elementary from the Gordon Institute for Music Learning.

Alyssa Agro, co-director, originally joined Buffalo Girlchoir as a member of Women’s choir. After getting to know a bit more about Buffalo Girlchoir, Alyssa offered to volunteer with our young singers at our Monday evening rehearsals. She is now co-teaching our Intermezzo group with Ms. Bassett. Ms. Agro currently teaches elementary music as well as Elementary, Middle, and High School chorus at West Valley Central Schools. Ms. Agro has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Buffalo State University and is currently earning her Master’s in Music Education from the University at Buffalo.