District III Choral Assessment – This year, Grissom Choir will be hosting it's 2nd Annual Grissom Choral Assessment, newly renamed the "District III Choral Assessment", which will act as an in-house choral performance assessment for Grissom Choir, alongside its three feeder middle school choral programs in District III of Huntsville City Schools: Challenger Middle School, Mountain Gap Middle School, & Whitesburg Middle School.  In this assessment, each of the schools various choirs perform two songs in contrasting style in front of two performance adjudicators for ratings ranging from "Outstanding" to "Fair".  The on-stage choir is then given a post-performance one-on-one clinic with one of the adjudicators.  This workshop is designed to encourage, invigorate, and enforce the daily teachings of each department, alongside the overall goals for AVA & Choral Music Educators in the state of Alabama.

This Year's Clinicians:

Mrs. Heather Cantwell, M.Mus

Liberty Park Middle School
​Choral Director

Heather Cantwell is in her 28th year of teaching choral music in Alabama and her 18th year as Choir Director at Liberty Park Middle School in Vestavia Hills. Her career is marked by numerous honors, including the 2015–2016 Rotary Teacher of the Year, the 2022–2023 Alabama Music Education Association (AMEA) Music Educator of the Year, and the 2023–2024 Dr. Thomas R. Smith Award for Excellence in Choral Music from the Alabama Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA).

A native of Hoover, Alabama, Mrs. Cantwell received a strong foundation in music from an early age, inspired by mentors Amanda Klimko and Diana Mayhall. She holds both a Bachelor and Master of Music Education from the University of Montevallo, where she studied under Dr. Michael Meeks and the late Dr. Robert E. Wright Jr. While she has taught at both the high school and middle school levels, she finds her greatest passion in working with middle school singers.
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Throughout her career, Mrs. Cantwell has served in leadership roles within the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and Alabama Vocal Association (AVA). She currently serves as President-Elect of the Alabama Chapter of ACDA and has previously contributed as a member of the Alabama ACDA Young Voices Committee and as State Secretary, District Chair, and Co-Chair for AVA. Under her direction, choirs have consistently earned superior ratings at district and state performance assessments and have performed across the United States, including in Atlanta, New York City, Orlando, and Los Angeles. Mrs. Cantwell is also an active presenter, clinician, and adjudicator throughout the Southeast and has mentored numerous student interns.

Mrs. Cantwell resides in Trussville, Alabama, with her husband of 27 years, Bard. They are the proud parents of three children - Connor (23), Cameron (20), and Kate (12). ​

Mr. Stacy Daniels, M.M.Ed.

Covenant Presbyterian Church
Director of Worship & Arts

Stacy Daniels is a versatile teacher, clinician, conductor, and soloist. He currently serves as the Director of Worship & Arts at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama, where he oversees ensembles comprising both youth and adult musicians. Mr. Daniels is also the director of the Huntsville Community Chorus Association Treble Chorale (grades 6–8). With over 20 years of experience in teaching and performance, including public school teaching, he has contributed to both sacred and secular choral music across settings.
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Mr. Daniels is frequently invited to serve as a guest conductor and clinician for honor choirs, festivals, and workshops. He has presented at conferences for the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama music education associations throughout the Southeast. Choirs under Mr. Daniels’ direction have consistently received superior ratings and top honors at both state and national festivals. His ensembles have been invited as guest choirs for collegiate honor choir festivals and, most recently, performed at the 2023 AMEA In-Service Conference.

Mr. Daniels is a graduate of the University of Montevallo, where he earned dual Bachelor of Music degrees in Choral Music Education and Vocal Performance. He holds a Master of Music Education degree with an emphasis in Choral Conducting from The Florida State University. He has received Kodály certification from the University of Montevallo Kodály Institute.

He is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the Organization of American Kodály Educators. Mr. Daniels currently serves on the Executive Board of the Alabama Choral Directors Association and is a past president of the Madison County Choral Directors Association.