Lynnel Joy Jenkins

Lynnel Joy Jenkins is Artistic Director of the Princeton Girlchoir and choral teacher at the Timberlane Middle School of the Hopewell Valley Regional School District in Pennington, New Jersey. Dr. Jenkins’ varied conducting and teaching experience ranges from the elementary to collegiate level. She served as Assistant Professor of Music Education at Westminster Choir College of Rider University and Conductor of the Resident Training Choir at the American Boychoir in Princeton, New Jersey.

Dr. Jenkins is a choral music educator of international stature, having lectured and conducted in China, Hong Kong, Iceland, and South Africa. Jenkins has conducted honor choruses for three divisional and several state conferences for the American Choral Directors Association, one national conference for the Organization for American Kodály Teachers, numerous all-state choruses and choral festivals, and presented interest sessions for these professional music associations.

She currently serves on the conducting staff for the Vocal Arts Camp of the James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Prior to this position, Jenkins was on the conducting staff of the Temple University Children’s Choir in Temple University’s Music Preparatory Division where she served for three seasons. In her last year with Temple, she was the Associate Music Director of that ensemble. A former music specialist at the Haverford School in Haverford, Pennsylvania, she developed and implemented a general music program for elementary school children based on the pedagogy of Kodály. She served on the teaching staff for Kodály Certification Programs at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas and Westminster Choir College. Jenkins shares her approach to choral pedagogy in a chapter she wrote for the The School Choral Program: Philosophy, Planning, Organizing, and Teaching published by GIA.

Recognizing her contributions to the field of music education, Westminster Choir College inducted Jenkins into the Music Education Alumni Hall of Fame and presented her with the Alumni Merit Award. Jenkins earned degrees from Westminster Choir College of Rider University (B.M.), Temple University (M.M.) and University of Arizona (D.M.A.), and at the first two institutions was awarded the Elaine Brown Conducting Award.