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NJACDA Summer Honor Choir Festival
Our Clinicians
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Amanda Hanzlik
6th-8th Grade SSA Choir
Amanda Sprague Hanzlik serves as President of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Eastern Region and is Director of Choral Activities at E.O. Smith High School in Storrs, Connecticut, as well as Director of Music at Immanuel Congregational Church UCC in Hartford. A two-time semifinalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award (2022, 2024), she is also the recipient of the 2023 Connecticut State Department of Education Hero of the Arts Award. Ms. Hanzlik made her Carnegie Hall conducting debut in 2023 and is a frequent guest conductor for all-state and regional honor choirs. Notable collaborations and innovative artistic initiatives include projects with Scott Hoying and Pentatonix, the development of composer-collaborative All-State choral experiences, and the founding of both the Connecticut All-State High School Treble Choir and the Children’s Justice Choir at the Aspen Music Festival. A dedicated advocate for living composers and contemporary choral voices, Ms. Hanzlik actively cultivates new repertoire and cross-industry collaborations that expand the presence of choral music within broader cultural contexts. Her writing and thought leadership have appeared in The Choral Journal and ChorTeach, and she is regularly featured on national podcasts and media platforms focused on music education and choral artistry. Ms. Hanzlik holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music (Vocal Performance) and K–12 Music Education from the University of Iowa and a Master of Arts in Music and Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Patrick Hachey
9th-12th Grade SATB Choir
Patrick Hachey, Director of Choral Activities and Lead Teacher for the Performing Arts Grades 5-12, has been a music educator for 25 years, and is currently in his 21st year of teaching at Roxbury High School. Mr. Hachey holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance degree from Indiana University at Bloomington. While studying at IU, he served two years as the assistant director of the world renowned Singing Hoosiers and was a founding member of the well-known men’s a cappella group, Straight No Chaser. In 2011, Mr. Hachey was awarded the Singing Hoosiers Alumni Council Distinguished Alumni Award. Before coming to Roxbury Township, Mr. Hachey held choral directing positions at Pequannock Township High School, Pompton Plains, NJ, and Hanover Park High School, East Hanover, NJ. During his time at Roxbury High School, he has conducted Classic Sounds Honors, Roxbury Chorale, Sensation, Revelation, Melodies, Madrigals, Concert Choir, Freshman Treble Choir, and the Eighth Grade Chorus at the district’s middle school. Under his direction, Roxbury Melodies, the auditioned treble choir, was selected as a performance ensemble for the 2014 ACDA Eastern Division Conference in Baltimore. In 2019, the Classic Sounds Honors performed at the National Association for Music Education Eastern Division Conference in Pittsburgh. Classic Sounds was also selected to perform at the 2022 ACDA Eastern Region Conference in Boston. In addition, Mr. Hachey serves as Drama Advisor at Roxbury High School, directing both the Fall Drama and the Spring Musical, and has a studio of private voice students. Still active as a lyric baritone in the New York metropolitan area, he has vast experience in solo performance, including classical art song, opera, musical theater, jazz and pop styles. Mr. Hachey was the guest conductor of the 2006 & 2012 Sussex County High School Honors Choirs, the 2008 NJ Region I Mixed Choir, and the 2013 NJ Region II Women’s Choir. In 2017, Mr. Hachey was selected to conduct the New Jersey All-State Mixed Choir. He is a sought-after choral clinician throughout the Northeast, having adjudicated in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey, and is currently the Treasurer for the New Jersey American Choral Directors Association Executive Board. NJACDATreas@gmail.com