our team

Dr. Rian Ada Hunter
Founding Artistic Director

Classically trained soprano, voice teacher, spiritual director, and scholar of religion, Dr. Rian Ada Hunter was inspired to start our choir as a way to foster hope in these challenging times.

Dr. Hunter has worked in music ministry for many years. She trained in opera but is equally at home in country, jazz, and broadway. a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing since 2007, she operates a voice studio in Shawnee. She studied music at Oklahoma Baptist University, Oklahoma City University, and privately with a number of teachers, including the Julliard & NYC Opera alum Ellen Faull, Carol Lucas of the Portland Opera, composer and director David York, and Conductor and Vocal Coach Jan McDaniel (Oklahoma City University & Painted Sky Opera).

Dr. Hunter earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Studies from the University of Oklahoma and focused her research on spirituality & education and the intersection of religion, politics, and public schooling. She earned a Masters in Religion from Oklahoma City University, a Bachelors in Theology and Philosophy from St. Gregory’s University, and certification as a spiritual director from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University.

she teaches religion at Oklahoma City University and is An expert in Religious Liberty. her most recent research has been in the area of food security and regenerative agriculture, which she blends with her work in spirituality and faith.

Partly Because her scholarship so frequently deals with religion and politics, she keeps our choir a politics-free zone!

Dr. Michael Dean
Collaborative pianist

Dr. Michael Dean maintains an active schedule as a national and international performer, clinician, adjudicator, and faculty member at summer institutes throughout North America. He was a faculty member at Oklahoma Baptist University for many years and served as the Music Division chair. He has also served on the faculty at Wheaton College Conservatory.

He runs his own private piano studio in Shawnee.

Dr. Dean earned his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma, a Masters from OU, and a Bachelors in Music and Mathematics from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

He brings supportive energy to every rehearsal.

Ashley Armstrong
Choir Assistant

Ms. Armstrong is an enthusiastic member of the Alto section. She plays the organ and piano, but her main instrument is the French horn. She is a graduate of Ponca City High School, and In 2001, she traveled to Europe with Northwestern Oklahoma College for the Oklahoma Ambassadors of Music program. She attended Cowley College in Kansas as a French Horn performance major and also played trumpet in the college jazz band.She has many years of experience playing handbells and singing n church choirs.

She plays a mean whoopie Cushion and Kazoo but says not to rely on her for rhythm instruments.

She loves herding dogs, which is probably why she’s so good at herding the choir!