CHORAL STAFF
DEREK CROSS, Director
Derek Cross was born and raised in Appleton City, Missouri. He completed his undergraduate degree in both Choral and Instrumental Music Education (BME) at the University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Missouri in 2011. He received his Master’s Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Choral Conducting (MME) at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida in 2015. While at FSU, he studied conducting under the direction of Kevin Fenton and Andre Thomas, both Kansas natives. Recently, Derek was the Director of Choirs at Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, Kansas. His choirs receive consistent superior ratings at festivals both locally and nationally. The SMWHS Chorale and SMWHS Black and Gold Singers (non-auditioned TB choir) both performed at KMEA in 2020. Similarly, the SMWHS Chorale and SMWHS Aurora (non-auditioned Treble choir) both performed at KMEA in 2023. Derek began his career teaching in rural Missouri for six years. During this time, he started the Appleton City Community Choir, and directed this ensemble for six years as well. Choirs under his direction have performed in university concerts at Aurora University, Kansas State University, and University of Missouri – Kansas City. Derek has been a baritone in the Tallgrass Chamber Choir, under the direction of Jacob Narverud, since 2017.
JASON SICKEL, Assistant Director
Jason Sickel is in his 19th year of teaching choral music and is thrilled to be the assistant choral director at Olathe East and Olathe South High Schools. He has been an active member of the Kansas Choral Directors Association where he currently serves as Repertoire and Resources Chair for High School Choirs. Choirs under his direction have performed in concerts and clinics at many universities across Kansas and Missouri. His ensembles have performed at the Kansas Music Educators Association In-Service Workshop (2011, 2016, 2018, 2020). He has presented a variety of workshops and presentations at state and regional music education conventions. He was selected Blue Valley School District Secondary Teacher of the Year in 2016 and was humbled and honored to represent all teachers in Kansas as the 2017 Kansas Teacher of the Year.
DR. KEZIA SCHRAG, Collaborative Pianist
Dr. Schrag is a native Kansan and has pursued bachelor and doctoral degrees in her home state. She has performed recitals and as soloist with orchestras in the U.S., Poland and Hungary. Additionally, she has participated in masterclasses with professors of the Liszt Academy, the Peabody Institute, Indiana University, Juilliard, and more. She has a serious love for teaching and currently maintains an active teaching studio in Olathe, Kansas where she is also the accompanist at Olathe East High School.
Her recent performances included the premier of Sonata for Saxophone by Mike Leibowitz at the University of Oklahoma, a lecture recital on the Liszt song transcriptions with baritone, Dr. Robert McNichols, Jr., and a collaborative recording with saxophonists, Dr. Crystal Alexander and Keri Wing. Dr. Schrag also enjoys jazz, cooking, and most of all, spending time with her trusty sidekick, Amélia Schhrag-McNichols.
A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE
The Story of Olathe East Choral Music
Established in 1992, Olathe East is a leading high school in the midwest for academics, athletics, and performing arts. We currently serve a population of almost 2,000 students each day, and offer a wide array of activities for students to engage in.
The Choral Music program was founded by the inimitable Texanna Ollenberger. A KMEA Hall of Fame Educator, recipient of the Harry Robert WIlson Award through KCDA, and a legend of the craft, Texanna gave Olathe East Choirs a profound beginning.
In 2000, the program welcomed it’s most long-standing director, Dr. Dwayne Dunn. Under the direction of Dr. Dunn, the Olathe East Choirs performed at numerous festivals and received many awards. Convention performances include the Kansas Music Educators Association in 2007, and the MENC Biennial Convention in 2008. Awards include Superior ratings and Best-in-Class awards at both the Alamo Showcase of Music in 2002, the Spring in the Park Music Festival in 2010, and the Dallas Classic Festival in 2011. During these years, they also toured internationally in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Canada, and throughout the United States.
Following Dr. Dunn were the tenures of Dustin Cates, Susan Scheibler and Baker Purdon from 2011-2019. During these transitions, Mr. Cates and Mrs. Scheibler and Mr. Purdon continued the exceptional growth in the program, culminating in a 2018 performance at the Kansas Music Educators Association, premieres of commissioned works and invites to sing at the Kauffman Performing Arts Center.
In the Fall of 2020, during the middle of COVID, the program invited its sixth director, Ms. Laura Klaassen. As the program enters this new era, we look forward to continuing to grow the excellence in both musicianship and citizenship of our singers.