Interested in becoming a Member of AKTS?

Joshua Block is in his 23rd year teaching music and movement at public and private schools. He currently teaches Pre-K through eighth-grade music at All Saints’ Episcopal Day School in Phoenix. Joshua is a Past President of AZ Orff and teaches movement classes for Orff-Schulwerk certification courses in Arizona, New Mexico, and San Diego. He has also completed his Kodály certification and is a Past President of the Arizona Kodály Teachers Society. He is a past member of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association Board of Trustees and has presented sessions at the AOSA National Conference. He is a frequent presenter at Orff Chapters around the country and has presented for the Chinese Orff-Schulwerk Association in Beijing and Chengdu. Joshua has articles published in Reverberations and the Orff Echo. He is a past director of the Phoenix Boys Choir’s Cadet Choir and has taught music, dance, and creativity classes at Arizona State University. He is the worship leader at Valley View Bible Church in Paradise Valley.

Herbert Washington is the Harvey K. Smith Artistic Director of the Grammy-award winning Phoenix Boys Choir. With culture and roots deeply grounded in and molded by Arizona choral pedagogy, Mr. Washington is an alumnus of the Phoenix Boys Choir. Recognized for his dynamic teaching style and his ability to instill a love for the choral arts, he is a frequent choral clinician, conductor, lecturer, writer, and adjudicator for regional and state festivals, workshops, and conferences around the country.  

With a continuous thirst for knowledge and development of his craft, Washington created and founded the Choral Window. This international crowdsourcing online resource engages, educates, and inspires directors to connect with each other and share innovative or learned choral and music literacy techniques that aim to energize and enhance the rehearsal environment.

Beyond the scope of choral music education, Washington is an advocate for diverse styles of music. He has ongoing efforts in producing, composing, and arranging radio and commercial music. Mr. Washington has collaborated with leaders in the music industry, including Grammy Award-winning Tori Kelly, Jordin Sparks, Bret Michaels, and Jason Derulo. While working toward his B.A., he was a tenor, counter-tenor, and soloist in the St. Olaf Choir, conducted by Dr. Anton Armstrong, and he directed “Voices of Praise,” the St. Olaf Gospel Choir. Upon graduating from St. Olaf College in Minnesota and earning a dual B.A. in Music and Fine Arts, Mr. Washington went on to receive an M.M. in Choral Conducting from the University of Arizona. While under the mentorship of Dr. Elizabeth Schauer and Dr. Bruce Chamberlain at UArizona, Washington founded the all-male award winning ensemble, CatCall A Cappella before graduating in 2009.  

Washington is a proud member of the Arizona Music Educators Association (AMEA), former ACDA Western Division Chair board member (WDACDA), and currently serves as the Repertoire and Resource Chair for Boy Choirs for the Arizona American Choral Directors Association (AzACDA). Herbert resides in Chandler with his beloved wife, Yadira, and their sons Elian and Yadian.

Phoenix Children’s Chorus: Presto Choir Conductor & Music Literacy Instructor

Mrs. Huyett began her involvement with the Phoenix Children’s Chorus in 2006. Her first role with the organization was as a music literacy instructor. She became the Presto Choir director in 2008. Mrs. Huyett is very excited to be named the Program Director for the Phoenix Children’s Chorus Neighborhood Choir Program, “Voices”. In this role she will oversee the Voices Programs in the East Valley and in the Northwest Valley.

Mrs. Huyett is originally from the mid-west but considers Arizona her home. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of Iowa and a Master of Arts in Education: Administration and Supervision from the University of Phoenix.

Additionally, Mrs. Huyett proudly serves as a general music teacher in the Mesa Public School District. 

Mrs. Huyett is a member of the National Flute Association, the American Choral Directors Association, and the Arizona Music Educators Association. She has presented regional and national conference sessions on elementary vocal warm-ups, music literacy for beginning choirs, and motivating the elementary chorister to practice at home. She has had both her elementary band and choir perform at state conferences.