Dr. Susan J. Avery, associate professor of music education at Ithaca College, was the former director of vocal ensembles and department chair of Waterloo High School for 24 years. She received her BM from the Eastman School of Music, MM from Ithaca College and a PhD from Eastman, where she was awarded the Eastman Graduate Teaching Assistant Prize for excellence in college teaching. Dr. Avery conducts elementary, junior high and senior high honors, All-County and Area All-State Choruses throughout New York State; judges solo vocal and All-State Vocal Jazz as well as choral major organizations for the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA); and gives clinics and workshops on the local, state and national levels in the field of music education. While teaching at Waterloo, her men's ensemble Just Us was chosen to be the opening performing ensemble at the New York State School Boards Association's state convention. Dr. Avery's choral ensembles consistently received high awards at festivals and her students participated in all levels of local, state and national ensembles. She currently conducts the Seneca Singers (an adult choir in her hometown of Seneca Falls) and directs the faculty-staff choir voICes on the Ithaca College Campus in addition to her teaching duties. Dr. Avery accompanies the summer conference Director’s Chorus and reading sessions and has served NYSSMA as Piano Chair, High School Classroom Chair, Assistant Choral Chair; and the Choral Chair for New York State. Susan is a charter member of the North American Coalition for Community Music." Her research on adult rehearsal preferences was presented at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Lifelong Learning Symposium in April 2005 and two posters sessions (for original research/best practice) were given at Society of Music Teacher Education in September 2005. She has published in American Music Teacher, The School Music News, Music Educators’ Journal and contributed to MENC’s Benchmarks in Action: A Guide to Standards-Based Assessment in Music.