Jonpaul Taylor
Executive Director
Jonpaul Taylor serves as the Executive Director of the Detroit Children's Choir.
After graduating from Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English, Jonpaul worked as a freelance grant writer for various non-profits, educational institutions, and government agencies. He previously served as the Director of Development and Operations and Executive Director of the Detroit Children's Choir. He has also served as a business development advisor for both non-profit and for-profit businesses in Southeastern Michigan, advising on marketing, operations, and sustainable growth.
He plans to focus on growing DCC's in-school program in partnership with Detroit Public Schools Community District to expand vocal music education throughout the City of Detroit.
Eric Taylor
Artistic Director
Eric Taylor serves as the Artistic Director of the Detroit Children’s Choir.
Throughout his career, Eric has served as a choral conductor and professional singer throughout Metro Detroit and the United States. Prior to the Detroit Children’s Choir, he was the Vocal Music Director at Notre Dame Marist Academy in Pontiac. In addition, Eric served as Graduate Assistant for the Wayne State University Choirs, under the direction of Noah Horn. He has also served as Chorus Master and Assistant Director for the Detroit Choral Society, where he prepared the ensemble for performances with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO). Eric’s mentors in choral conducting include Norah Duncan, IV, Dennis Tini, Noah Horn, Andrew Kreckmann, and Gerald Custer. Along with Detroit Children’s Choir, Eric also serves as Artistic Director for Aeolian Chorale, an adult choir based in Allen Park.
Eric is a much sought-after vocal coach and choral clinician, preparing choirs for festivals, national broadcasts and recordings. Several projects include collaborations with Jill Jack, Gark Mavigan (San Francisco), Detroit Music Weekend, and the Walt Disney Company. He also serves as the Artistic Director for annual concerts and workshops including the Detroit Children’s Choir Christmas Festival and Detroit Beatz (workshop), both of which draw hundreds of students to the city of Detroit every year.
As a professional tenor, Eric is a member of Audivi, a professional choir based in Ann Arbor. He has also sung in the Archdiocese of Detroit Chorus and sounding light (Michigan-based professional choir). Currently, Eric is a cantor and staff singer at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.
Eric earned a Master of Music in Conducting (Choral) as well as a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Music Education from Wayne State University. He is also a member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Michigan School Vocal Music Association (MSVMA), and the Detroit Music Foundation.
Sheila Brookins
Accompanist
Sheila Brookins serves as an Accompanist for the Detroit Children’s Choir.
From the age of seven through high school, Sheila studied piano with local piano teachers in Warren, Michigan. As a teenager she attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and also was awarded a local piano scholarship from the Warren Vivace Club to attend Interlochen Fine Arts Camp. Sheila also played the clarinet in her high school concert band and piano in the high school jazz band. Aside from early classical music, the music of Louis Moreau Gottschalk and Scott Joplin greatly influenced her as a pianist. In the early 1980’s, Sheila attended the University of Michigan as a piano performance major, studying performance, music theory, conducting and composing. Sheila later changed majors to accounting, business and information technology, receiving both a Bachelors and Masters degree from Walsh College of Business. Still actively involved in music, while working full‐time in various corporate positions, Sheila has held staff pianist positions at local Detroit area churches from 1988‐2010, working with both choirs and bands. Sheila has performed on piano for weddings, has been the piano accompanist for high school and community theatre productions, and has been a piano accompanist for Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association solo and ensemble festivals for countless middle school and high school students. From 2012‐2014, Sheila performed with local bands at the Detroit Hard Rock Café to benefit local charities. Sheila can be found online at http://www.youtube.com/SheilalelaB.