About Music in May
Music in May is one of the longest running high school music festivals in the United States.
Music in May was founded in 1948 at 51ºÚÁÏ by Richard A. Greenfield to encourage the development of string music in the public schools of the Pacific Northwest. Band and choir were added at the suggestion of high school music directors, who saw in the festival a means of recognizing students whose service to their particular schools was especially noteworthy.
Mission Statement
As a core expression of 51ºÚÁÏ’s mission as an Opportunity University, we believe every student deserves to be seen, heard, and celebrated. Music in May empowers young musicians—especially those with limited access to music education across the Northwestern United States—to grow artistically, express themselves authentically, and share their passion for music through a transformative educational experience.
Guest Conductor Profiles
Conductor and violinist Alejandro Gómez Guillén approaches music as a space for discovery, collaboration, and storytelling. As Director of Orchestras at Arizona State University—home to one of the nation’s leading orchestral programs and the largest public university in the United States—he guides a vibrant community of emerging artists and educators. Alejandro also serves as Music Director of Sphere Ensemble, a string collective known for its adventurous programming and genre-crossing commissions, including a recent world premiere by GRAMMY-nominated composer Carter Pann.
Previously, Alejandro spent two seasons as Assistant Conductor of the Omaha Symphony, participating in the Grammy-nominated premiere of Andy Akiho’s Sculptures, and seven seasons as Artistic Director of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, where he conducted the Indiana premiere of Florence Price’s Fourth Symphony and the world premiere of Mickey Tucker’s Spiritual Collage. During his tenure as Associate Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony, he led community, pops, educational, and bilingual programs, collaborating with artists such as Time for Three and mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte.
As a guest conductor, Alejandro has worked with orchestras across the U.S. and abroad, with upcoming engagements including the Orlando Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony, West Texas Symphony, Tulsa’s Signature Symphony, and Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá. Highlights include performances at the Oregon Bach Festival, in works like the B Minor Mass and St. John Passion, and collaborations with renowned conductors such as Ankush Kumar Bahl, Tito Muñóz, Eric Jacobsen, Robert Spano, and Ruth Reinhardt.
Alejandro combines artistry with education, having led the Omaha Symphony’s acclaimed community and education programs, reaching 25,000 students annually. He was previously Assistant Professor of Music at Colorado Mesa University, where he taught violin, viola, and conducting while leading the university’s orchestras. Additional roles include Music Director of the Colorado Youth Philharmonia, conducting youth and collegiate orchestras, and leading historical performance projects as a violinist and conductor.
As a violinist, Alejandro has served as concertmaster with the Grand Junction Symphony and Junges Stuttgarter Bach Ensemble, performing across Europe at venues like the Rheingau Music Festival and Berlin Philharmonie. He was a returning member of the Oregon Bach Festival’s Berwick Academy for Historical Performance and plays in Duo Anthracite and Chaski Quartet with his wife, Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Cranor.
Born in Colombia and a proud U.S. citizen, Alejandro holds a Bachelor’s degree in violin performance from Texas Christian University and Master’s and Doctoral degrees in conducting and violin from the University of Colorado at Boulder. His research includes a critical edition of Jorge Pinzón’s violin concerto and a guide to using Bach’s orchestral dances for modern developing orchestras. His mentors include Gary Lewis, Helmuth Rilling, Mei-Ann Chen, and Matthew Halls.
When away from the stage, Alejandro can be found trail running, singing, or reveling in a Bach fugue—often with his family and a soundtrack by Ella, Nils Frahm, or Punch Brothers.
Diane Koutsulis is the recently retired Director of Bands and Arts Department Chair at Green Valley High School. Originally from Chicago, Diane taught in the Clark County School District for 35 years. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from Western Illinois University, studying with Christopher Izzo. After teaching junior high band in Oswego, Illinois, for three years, she went on to complete the Masters of Music Education degree at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she studied with Frank Wickes.
During her tenure in Las Vegas, Diane has built fine band programs and music departments at both Las Vegas High School (1982-91) and Green Valley High School (1991-2017). Her groups have consistently garnered recognition for fine performances and she has served as both guest clinician and conductor at various conferences and honor bands throughout the United States. Diane was named the 1999 Nevada Teacher of the Year and received the 1999 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award. A member of the Clark County School District Teacher Hall of Fame, in March of 2003, she was inducted into the Nevada State Education Hall of Fame. In 2004, the Green Valley High School Symphonic Band performed at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, IL. In 2005 and 2010, the Symphonic Band performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Green Valley HS Marching Band performed in the 2010 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, as well as the 2009 and 1993 Presidential Inaugural Parades. Diane is a member of the National Band Association (NBA) as well as holding memberships in the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) and Phi Beta Mu. Diane is very honored to be a member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association (ABA) since 2015, and was recently awarded the John Philip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor.
Dr. Bradley L. Almquist was appointed the Director of Choral Activities at Murray State University in 1993. He received a Bachelor and Master’s degree in music education from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, and was awarded the first Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting by Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge in 1993.
At Murray State University, Dr. Almquist conducts the Concert Choir, Vox Lumina Treble Chorus and the Town and Gown Chorale. He also teaches Educational Psychology and Special Education classes for Music Education majors, Choral Conducting, Choral Methods and Choral Repertoire. Choirs conducted by Dr. Almquist have performed for the Kentucky Choral Directors Association, the Kentucky Music Educators Association, Southern Division Conferences of NAfME and ACDA and at the National Conference of NAfME.
Dr. Almquist is the recipient of the 2002 Murray State University Board of Regents Teaching Excellence award, the 2002 MSU College of Humanities and Fine Arts Award for Creative/Scholarly Activity, the 2004 award for Outstanding Service to the College Humanities and Fine Arts and in 2006 the first Dr. Charles and Marlene Johnson Outstanding Music Faculty Award. He was honored with the award again in 2011. In 2022, Dr. Almquist was named the Outstanding Faculty Mentor at Murray State University. He received the 2004 Robert K. Baar Award from KyACDA for excellence in choral music. He has served as president of ACDA – Southern Region, and twice as KyACDA president. Active in research, Dr. Almquist has made a number of presentations at state and regional conferences on Brain Research and Effective Rehearsal Techniques.
In addition to his responsibilities at Murray State University, Dr. Almquist conducts the Paducah Symphony Chorus and the Paducah Symphony Children’s Chorus and is a member of NAfME, ACDA, and the College Music Society.
