Robyn Starks Holcomb has been conducting choirs in the high school, middle school and elementary school levels, spanning public and private schools as well as community chorus and church settings throughout her career. Since joining the Roosevelt family in 2011, Starks Holcomb has watched the program grow to twelve choirs serving over 600 singers every day. She is the conductor of Roosevelt High School’s Concert Choir, Executive Chamber, Executive Suite, and together with colleagues John Parezo and Randi Van Der Sloot, Mixed Chorus, Freshman Chorus and Unity, Inc. inclusive show choir. Under her direction, the Roosevelt Concert Choir performed at the 2020 Central/North Central ACDA conference in Milwaukee, was a 2019 National Finalist for The American Prize Award in Choral Performance, appeared at the 2016 NC-ACDA Regional Conference, and has performed for state and regional conferences, in-services, and by invitations across the country including Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Also under her direction, Executive Suite was honored to appear at the 2019 National ACDA Conference. Passionate about programming and repertoire, Starks Holcomb is proud to be a part of a department that engages in relationships with living composers and commissioning new work on an annual basis.
Outside of Roosevelt High School, Starks Holcomb spends time in demand as a guest conductor, adjudicator, clinician, musical director, choreographer for choral festivals, vocal contests, competitions and regional projects. Most recently, she presented at the 2020 Central/North Central ACDA Conference, the Iowa Choral Directors Association 2019 Summer Symposium and served as a conductor for the Midwest American Honor Choir's 2019 European Tour. Starks Holcomb also spent three weeks in Aix-en-Provence, France, as a selected conducting scholar with the University of Delaware's 2017 Choral Symposium. In 2016, she served as the NC-ACDA Senior High Honor Choir Chair, conducted a Collegiate Honor Choir session for the 2016 NC-ACDA Conference, and is currently the NC-ACDA Senior High R&R Chairperson. She served the SD ACDA as the 2017-2019 Southeast Representative and led a senior high choral reading session at the 2018 combined Central/North Central ACDA conference. Recognition for her choral work and teaching have included: the 2019 CMA Teacher of Excellence Award, 2019 Roosevelt High School Head Director of the Year, 2017 Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction Award, 2016 SD ACDA Encore Award, 2015 Sioux Falls Teacher of the Year Nominee, and the 2014 Roosevelt High School Director of the Year and 2013 Positive Impact Awards. Starks Holcomb is currently looking forward to the 2021 honor of directing the ICDA All Iowa Show Choir.
A well rounded artist, Starks Holcomb held a faculty position at the Dance Gallery of SD, a prominent school of dance, for 13 years. In addition, she toured as a professional Artist in Residence through the South Dakota Arts Council’s "Artists in Schools and Communities" program, teaching thousands of students of all abilities and levels as well as serving as a clinician for faculty in- services, workshops and collegiate lecture/demonstrations. A musical theatre expert, Starks Holcomb has directed, performed and choreographed over 50 theatrical productions. She has toured throughout the Midwest playing roles with both professional and amateur companies. In January, 2015, BroadwayWorld.com Regional Theater Awards announced Starks Holcomb as Best Music Director for her work with Sioux Empire Community Theater on Little Shop of Horrors. Starks Holcomb spent ten years producing and directing a summer musical theatre camp in Sioux Falls for high school students which has produced talent seen on stages of multiple high school, college and national stages to date.
Robyn Starks Holcomb received undergraduate study at Augsburg University, Minneapolis, received her B.M. in vocal music education from the University of MN, Minneapolis and earned an M.A. Ed. from Augustana University, Sioux Falls.
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Robyn Starks Holcomb