about us

our director

Elizabeth Mitchell

Elizabeth Mitchell is thrilled to join the Northville Chorale as Director. A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Elizabeth attended the University of Utah for her Bachelor of Music and moved to Michigan to pursue a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Michigan. Since then, the Mitten State has never let her go!

For over 20 years, Elizabeth has worked as professional singer performing nationally and internationally in opera houses, concert venues, and symphonies. In 2014 and 2015, she had the incredible opportunity to sing the Witch in Hänsel und Gretel and Dorabella in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte at Oper im Park in St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria. Nationally she has sung with Opera Western Reserve, Ohio Light Opera, Detroit Opera, Toledo Opera, Michigan Philharmonic, Firelands Symphony Orchestra, Toledo Choral Society, Orchestra Sono, Dodworth Saxhorn Band, and the Detroit Symphony. On the theatrical stage, Elizabeth won the 2021-2022 Wilde Award for "Best Lead Actress" in a Play for Jenny in Jenny's House of Joy with the Dio and was nominated as "Best Supporting Actress in a Musical" in the 2019 BroadwayWorld Detroit Regional Awards for her performance as Marmee March in Little Women: The Musical with One Off Productions. She also competed in national and international competitions and was selected as a Utah District Finalist at the Metropolitan Opera Competition and an international finalist at the Lotte Lenya Competition for Singers in 2007.

In addition to performing, Elizabeth is a teacher, stage director, and music director. As Voice and Musical Theater Faculty at Concordia University Ann Arbor, she was music director for theater productions including Bye Bye Birdie and Big Fish. Concurrently, she taught the Voice I & II Class at Washtenaw Community College working with students from High School to senior citizens helping them find their true voice. In 2019, Elizabeth made her stage directorial debut with Mary Poppins featuring the high school students of Tecumseh Youth Theatre and returned as stage director for Beauty and the Beast with TYT in 2021 and Newsies in 2023. She was honored when Mary Poppins was nominated for the BroadwayWorld 2019 Detroit Regional Awards in several categories including Best Production for Young Adults and Best Ensemble. She also directed H.M.S. Pinafore in 2021 with the University of Michigan Gilbert and Sullivan Society and in 2025 she directed Detroit Opera's Outreach production of the Three Little Pigs, featuring the music of Mozart. This production is performed at elementary and middle schools throughout the metro Detroit area, teaching local children about the fun of opera.

In 2024, Elizabeth began a new adventure as the Director of Music at First United Methodist Church of Northville, leading several adult choirs, Celebration Bells, the Praise Band, and larger cantata works with choir and orchestra. She has fallen in love with the Northville community and cannot wait to begin working with the Northville Chorale starting September, 2025

our assistant director

Tom Bowman

Tom Bowman, tenor, is a multi-faceted composer, conductor, educator, and singer. He holds an undergraduate degree in Choral Music Education from Wayne State University. While there, he studied voice with Dr. Jonathan Lasch and choral conducting and composition with Dr. Gerald Custer.

Tom has appeared as a soloist and chorister in several groups and performances around the Metro Detroit area. He is a passionate member of First Presbyterian Church of Northville’s Chancel Choir, also serving as its assistant conductor. Tom has also performed with the Fort Street Chorale as Tenor Section Leader. Recently, Tom appeared as the tenor soloist in Handel’s “Messiah” with the Detroit Lutheran Singers.

New to conducting, Tom recently conducted Cantatio, an all-male chorus based out of Detroit for their 2025 Summer Season. Tom is also the founding director of the Oakway Children’s Choir, a community choir based in Northville, sponsored by First Presbyterian Church of Northville that serves children ages 5-12.

As an educator, Tom is very passionate about the next generation of musicians. Tom teaches K-8 Vocal Music in Detroit Public Schools. While there, he reintroduced music at his current school, expanding it into a middle school extracurricular choral program, as well as coordinating several performance opportunities for his students to showcase their talents.

In his free time, Tom enjoys composing vocal music, spending time with friends and family, as well as fishing the many rivers and lakes around the state of Michigan.

A Northville High School alumnus, Tom is overjoyed to join the Northville Chorale as Assistant Director to help carry on the legacy of one of his greatest mentors, former NHS choral director Mary Kay Pryce. Tom credits Mary Kay as the reason he decided to pursue music education as his career.

our accompanist

Minjung Byun

Pianist Minjung Byun is a passionate and versatile artist. She studied music composition and music theory with Professor Mikyung Park at Keimyung University, South Korea.

Minjung moved to Michigan to further pursue her education and passions for music, studying with Professor Garik Pederson and receiving her Bachelor's and Master's degree in Piano Performance with honors from Eastern Michigan University. During her studies, she worked as a Graduate Assistant and received numerous scholarships and awards.

Minjung actively performs with various soloists and ensembles and enjoys both classical and contemporary music. She has played harpsichord, organ, synthesizer keyboard and piano with university orchestras, symphonic bands, opera singers, high school bands, and church choirs.

Minjung is also a dedicated piano teacher with more than a decade of teaching experience. She is a member of the Music Teachers National Association and National Federation of Music Club. She is currently working as a pianist for the Orchard United Methodist Church and Livingston County Women’s Chorus. She is looking forward to sharing and growing her musicianship with the Northville Chorale.

our inspiration

MARY KAY PRYCE

Northville Chorale is not an NHS Alumni chorus, but several of our founding members are former students of long-time Northville High School music director Mary Kay Pryce. This choir exists in no small part because of her profound influence on a generation of students. Thanks to her, we share a lifelong love of music, singing, and an enduring love for our community, and this choir is proof of that.

If you are an alum of the Northville High School music program, we invite you to join the Chorale and continue into your adult life the legacy of an amazing music program. If you are a local community member who just loves to sing, or you think you might like singing if you tried it, we invite you to join the Chorale to honor - or discover - your own love of music.

Northville Chorale is excited to become a part of Northville's rich artistic community, and we can't wait for you to join us.