Australian born conductor Heather J. Buchanan is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Montclair State University, where she conducts the 170-voice Chorale, 55-voice University Singers, and 24-voice Vocal Accord. She holds degrees from The Queensland Conservatorium of Music of Griffith University, Australia (Bachelor of Music in music education), Westminster Choir College of Rider University (Master of Music with distinction in choral conducting and music education), and a PhD candidate from the University of New England in Australia. A certified Andover Educator, Ms. Buchanan specializes in the teaching of Body Mapping and somatic pedagogy for musicians. She is in demand as a guest conductor and clinician in the United States, Europe, and Australia.

In addition to the Teaching Music through Performance in Choir series, she published Evoking Sound: Body Mapping and Basic Conducting Technique DVD (GIA) with James Jordan of Westminster Choir College and co-edited three choral octavos with Matthew Mehaffey in the Evoking Sound Choral Series (GIA). Choirs under Ms. Buchanan’s direction have received critical acclaim for their “heartfelt conviction,” “vibrant sound,” and for singing with the “crispness and dexterity of a professional choir.” Her choirs have been recognized for their performances in a variety of prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the Ferenc Liszt Zeneakadémia (Budapest), St. Nicholas Church (Prague), Rachmaninoff Hall (Moscow), and the Russian Museum (St. Petersburg) as invited U.S. representatives for the Imperial Garden Festival.