Kim Adams

Photo of Kim Adams
Kimberly Dunn Adams (Kim)
Associate Professor, Director of Choral Activities
Office: 
(269) 387-4715
Fax: 
(269) 387-1113
Location: 
1720 Dalton Center, Mail Stop 5434
Mailing address: 
Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5434 USA
Education: 
  • D.M.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • M.M., Yale University
  • B.M., Oberlin Conservatory
  • B.A., Oberlin College
Bio: 

Kimberly Dunn Adams is the Director of Choral Activities and Associate Professor of Music at Western Michigan University, where she directs the University Chorale, Anima, Collegiate Singers, Grand Chorus, and graduate program in choral conducting. She also teaches choral literature, choral conducting, and advanced conducting. 

Under Adams’ direction, the University Chorale at WMU has been selected for performance at state and regional ACDA conferences, the Michigan Music Conference, and the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO) conference. In 2013, the WMU Chorale received 2nd place in the 2013 American Prize, a national music competition. In 2017, they traveled to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia on a performance and competition tour, winning three gold diplomas, the Director Prize, and the Grand Prix of the Kaunas Cantat. Adams has released two recordings with the WMU Chorale.  She conducted the premiere recording of Paul Lansky’s cantata, Contemplating Weather, for Bridge Records (2015). University Chorale’s album, Ex corde, was released in 2016; both albums are available through iTunes, Amazon, and other international retail distributors for purchase and streaming.  

Adams has earned numerous accolades and opportunities throughout her career. She was named a Conducting Fellow in the ACDA International Conductors Exchange Program (Sweden, 2015) and authored an article in the Choral Journal about the experience.  She has presented at World Choral Symposium (Barcelona, 2017) and Nordic Choral Conference (Malmö, 2015), the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO) conference (Baton Rouge, 2017), ACDA conferences (2022) the Michigan Music Conference, and MSVMA’s Summer Workshop (2014, 15, 19, 21, 22).  She has guest conducted and given workshops to choirs around the United States and in several countries and is a popular guest conductor for All-State and Honor choirs. 

From 2006–11, Adams was the Director of Choral Ensembles and Lecturer in Music at Mount Holyoke College, where she taught conducting and directed the Glee Club, Chorale, and Chamber Singers. Adams holds a Bachelor of Arts in religion from Oberlin College, a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from Oberlin Conservatory, and the Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the Yale School of Music. Adams earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting with a minor in music theory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As a graduate student, she received 2nd Prize at the ACDA national conducting competition and was a fellow at both the Oregon Bach Festival and the Conductor’s Institute at the University of South Carolina. 

Adams has served on the boards for both Massachusetts and Michigan ACDA and her professional affiliations include MSVMA, Chorus America, NCCO, ACDA, and PKL. Adams is highly praised for her energetic, positive, and insightful work as an honor choir conductor and is a sought-after guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator.

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