New England Conservatory has appointed Michele Adams as the first director of choirs in its Expanded Education Department, placing her in charge of choral ensembles serving students from early childhood through high school.
Adams will oversee the conservatory's Preparatory School choirs, whose singers range from 4 to 18. She will also lead the new BSO x NEC Honors Children's Choir, a partnership that will provide training through NEC Prep and performance opportunities with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The appointment adds a dedicated choral leader to a precollege program operating within a major conservatory. That setting can give young singers access to faculty, advanced musicians and a wider range of ensemble experiences while they continue their primary and secondary education.
Adams previously worked with the Handel and Haydn Society's youth choruses and the Boston Children's Chorus. NEC said her responsibilities will include developing collaborative music-making across its preparatory choral program. The new honors choir also creates a formal pathway connecting children's choral training with one of the country's leading professional orchestras.
For more information, visit necmusic.edu.