2025-2026
Executive Board
President: Philip Montgomery
Philip Montgomery is the Music Coordinator at the Fay School in Southborough, MA, an independent school for students in Kindergarten through Grade Nine. He holds a Masters Degree in Organ Performance from The Boston Conservatory where he was awarded membership in Pi Kappa Lambda. He holds an additional Masters Degree in Music Education, with Kodály emphasis, from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Mr. Montgomery is a certified instructor in both the Orff-Schulwerk and Kodály methodologies of music education. He also attended the 25th and 26th International Kodály Seminars at the Zoltán Kodály Pedagogical Institute of Music in Kecskemét, Hungary. He completed levels 1, 2 and 3 of the “Creating Artistry Choral Conductors Workshop” with Henry Leck, founder and director of the Indianapolis Children’s Chorus.
Mr. Montgomery has served as Assistant Organist at All Saints Church, Worcester, MA and as Organist and Choirmaster of Saint Mark’s Church, Episcopal, in Southborough, MA. He is currently Associate Artistic Director of the Worcester Children’s Chorus where he conducts the “Da Capo” and “Young Artists” choirs. Additionally, Mr. Montgomery is a faculty member of the Kodály Music Institute, and has been a choir director and solfege teacher for the Institute’s summer programs. Philip also serves as President-Elect of the BAKE Board of Directors (Boston Area Kodály Educators).
President-Elect: Nancy Killoran
Nancy Killoran began her Kodaly journey as an elementary student in Vocal Vacation through the Kodaly Music Institute. She holds a Bachelors in Choral Music Education and a Bachelors in Music Theory from the University of North Texas and a Masters of Music from Southern Methodist University. She completed her Kodály levels in Dallas, TX through Plano ISD and SMU before relocating back home to the Boston area. She has been teaching for seven years, first in McKinney, TX, and currently in Framingham, MA, where she also resides. In addition to her work with KMI, Nancy is involved with BAKE, serves on the scholarship committee of OAKE, is the Assistant Manager of the MMEA Youth Treble Chorus, and works with the Framingham High School Marching Band. When she is not working on adding songs to her collection, Nancy can be found learning Spanish, watching horror movies, or working on her most recently acquired instrument, the violin!
Immediate Past President - Sharon Hamel
Sharon appreciates being part of the BAKE leadership team because this community has been a vital part of her life. Sharon was drawn to and still values the beautiful singing, precision, and joy that exemplify the ideals of Kodály. She received her first two levels from the Westminster Choir College in 1994, studied all three levels again at the Kodály Music Institute-New England Conservatory, and was part of the first graduating class in 2000. Sharon continues to expand in her Kodály practice through conferences, workshops, and individual mentorships. Highlights include a Georgia Sea Islands weekend workshop, a summer term at Silver Lake College with Sister Lorna Zemke, and a bilingual project with Rachel Gibson funded by the Cambridge Rotary. Beginning her teaching in 1991, Sharon dedicated most of her career to the students of the Boston Public Schools and then joined the Cambridge Public Schools 10 years ago to teach music in a dual language immersion K-8 grade school, La Escuela Amigos -- The Amigos. She holds a masters in music education from Gordon College, a masters in education from Lesley University, and is currently a candidate for the PhD in Leadership at Andrews University. She feels she brings a unique perspective to BAKE because of her studies, commitment to meaningful music making experiences, and intentional submersion in diverse communities in both her professional and personal life.
Secretary, Maria Isaak
Maria Isaak earned her Master’s degree and teaching certification from the New England Conservatory. She holds a Kodály Specialist Certificate from Holy Names College and pursued further studies at the International School for Kodály Studies Summer Program in Hungary.
Maria is currently on the faculty at Concord Community Music School (CCMS) and Saint Paul’s School. She also teaches in the Newmarket SAU 31 district in New Hampshire’s Seacoast region. At CCMS, she founded and directs the Purple Finches Youth Choir and the Euphony Teen Choral program, serving approximately 70 singers across three age-based ensembles from kindergarten through 12th grade. She also mentors high school students through the Choral Apprentice Program.
Since 2004, members of the Purple Finches have been selected annually for the OAKE National Choirs, as well as for local honors ensembles including the NHMEA Honors Choirs and the NH Master Chorale Children’s Choral Festival. The Purple Finches have collaborated with a wide range of artists and ensembles, including Christine Lavin, Eastern Ballet, the New Hampshire Symphony, NH Chorale, Concord Coachmen, Songweavers, Canterbury Shaker Village Singers, and the Concord Chorale. Most recently, Maria's Euphony Teen Chorus performed at the swearing-in ceremony for U.S. Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander.
As part of CCMS’s Music in the Community Initiative, Maria has taught in the Manchester Latchkey Program, providing choral and musical theater instruction to at-risk students through grant-funded support.
In addition to her choral work, Maria directs the New Horizons Adult Wind Ensemble at CCMS and serves as a bassoon faculty member at Saint Paul’s School, Cardigan Mountain School, Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, and CCMS. She is also an adjudicator for the NHMEA All-State Festival for double reeds.
Before relocating to New Hampshire, Maria spent six years teaching in the San Francisco Unified School District, both at the elementary level and at Lowell High School.
As a bassoonist, she has performed with orchestras throughout New England, including the Portland Symphony, Portland Chamber Orchestra, Musicians of Wall Street, Walker Chamber Series (Concord, NH), Central Massachusetts Symphony, New Hampshire Philharmonic, Great Waters Music Festival (Wolfeboro, NH), Boston Philharmonic, Indian Hill Symphony, Cape Ann Symphony, Nashua Symphony, and Granite State Orchestra. She has appeared as a concerto soloist with orchestras in San Francisco, Chile, and China.
Treasurer - Beth Anne Young
Beth Anne Young, is a Choral and Classroom Music Specialist. Recently retired from the public schools, she was a middle school choral and classroom music specialist for the majority of her teaching career. This past year, Beth Anne taught Choral Methods and was a Supervisor of Student Teachers in the Master of Music Education Program at the Longy School of Music. Beth Anne is the Director and Choral Studies Instructor for the Kodály Levels Program at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA . She has a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA and a Master of Music in Music Education from the University of Connecticut with an emphasis in Choral Conducting. She completed both her Orff and Kodály Certification at George Mason University. Beth Anne has presented workshops about the Kodály- Inspired Choral Setting at MMEA, and at Regional and National OAKE Conferences. She currently serves on the OAKE Teacher Education Committee.
Member-At-Large: Griffin Maxwell
Griffin Maxwell is an educator, a vocalist, and a low brass instrumentalist. He has sung with a nationally touring choir, performed in regional theatre, and works as a church musician. He has performed from São Paulo to New York and is based in the greater Boston area.
Mr. Maxwell is a nationally certified Kodály educator. His teaching CV includes the development and implementation of a family music class for Oklahoma City University, recognized elementary music programs in public schools, musicianship classes through an El Sistema-inspired orchestra program, teacher-instruction through the Kodály Institute at the University of Oklahoma, and a project-based musical experience course for undergraduates at OU.
Griffin graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Master's in Music Education in the Kodály Concept from the University of Oklahoma. He is a lifelong learner and earnest teaching artist with research interests in musical meter and musical language acquisition. He continues to pursue performance and pedagogy in the highest caliber in Newton, MA, where he teaches general music, directs musicals and choruses, as well as directing band and teaching wind instruments.
Member-At-Large: Dr. Audrey Cardany
Audrey Cardany is Professor and Director of Music Education at the University of Rhode Island, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in choral and general music methods, diverse learners in music, and conducting. She has directed URI’s University Chorus and chamber ensemble Voces Excelsis, conducted the Rhode Island Elementary All-State Chorus in 2022, and served as guest conductor for The Chorus of Westerly’s Foundations Chorus.
Dr. Cardany’s teaching spans public school vocal/general music, early childhood programs, and musicianship classes for learners of all ages. She holds Kodály certification through Level IV, previously taught conducting and led the participant chorus at Arizona State University’s summer Kodály program, and currently teaches musicianship for the University of Nebraska Omaha’s summer Kodály certificate program. A lifetime member of OAKE since 2001, her teaching is deeply rooted in the Kodály philosophy, with a strong commitment to making high-quality music education accessible and meaningful for individuals, families, and communities.