Carla McElhaney Named Executive Director of Chorus Austin

Award-winning pianist, innovator, coach, arts administrator, and educator Carla McElhaney has been named Executive Director of Chorus Austin, the non-profit community-based organization dedicated to bringing great choral works to Austin and the Central Texas area. Carla begins her position ahead of the launch of Chorus Austin's 62nd season on August 1, 2026.

Carla is known throughout Austin as the co-founder and Executive/Artistic Director of the Austin-based collective Revel, where she produced and performed in over a hundred concerts while managing operations and securing funding for twelve concert seasons, six summer festivals, and three recording projects from 2009-2020. At KMFA Classical 89.5, she was the on-air host of Night Music and was appointed Director of Creative Learning and Artistic Director of the Draylen Mason Music Studio, supporting educational initiatives and development efforts as KMFA transitioned from its longtime headquarters in Central Austin to its custom-built forever home at The Hatchery in East Austin.

'I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Carla McElhaney as Chorus Austin's new Executive Director,' Chorus Austin's Artistic Director and Conductor, Ryan Heller, said. 'Carla brings an extraordinary combination of leadership, vision, and passion for the arts, and I know she will play an integral role in shaping the future of our organization and deepening and strengthening our ties to the community. Beyond that, our connection as friends and long-time collaborators only serves to deepen the impact I know Carla is going to have as we vision into the future together to create more meaningful experiences for our community.'

As a pianist, Carla's playing has been recognized by the Austin Critics' Table, praised by the Austin American-Statesman as exhibiting 'infectious enthusiasm,' commended by the Austin Chronicle as delivering 'an exciting mix of focus and passion,' and described in the Chronicle's 2019 'A Guide to Classical Music' as 'absorbing and exhilarating.' She can be heard on several recordings, including Conspirare's Grammy-nominated albums, The Hope of Loving and House of Belonging.

Chorus Austin also welcomes its former Assistant Student Conductor, Lilly Boessen, to a new role as Assistant Conductor this season. Lilly recently graduated with her Master's in Choral Conducting from Texas State University in San Marcos, TX, and completed a semester teaching at her alma mater of Austin College in Sherman, TX, as a visiting professor.

Chorus Austin's 2026-2027 season highlights include performances with Ballet Austin and the Austin Symphony Orchestra, premieres by the winners of the 12th Annual Composer's Competition, interactive holiday singalongs where the audience is invited to guest conduct, the return of the Women's Chorus for a special Mother's Day brunch event, and performances of choral masterpieces at venues around Austin.

About Carla McElhaney

Carla McElhaney is an award-winning pianist, innovator, coach, arts administrator, and educator whose mission is to foster an unshakeable sense of wholeness, connection, and aliveness-both within individuals and among communities-through the soul-affirming power of the arts. Her playing has been recognized by the Austin Critics' Table, praised by the Austin-American-Statesman as exhibiting 'infectious enthusiasm,' commended by the Austin Chronicle as 'an exciting mix of focus and passion,' and described in the Chronicle's A Guide to Classical Music as 'absorbing and exhilarating.'

Carla's passion for music became evident early on; she gave her first public recital at the age of three and was a top prize-winner in numerous competitions throughout her youth. She continued her musical studies at the Eastman School of Music and the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating from UT with her Doctor of Musical Arts degree, Carla joined the piano faculty there and went on to earn a tenured faculty post at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory in Ohio before returning to the fertile creative climate of Austin to co-create Revel.

As co-founder and Executive/Artistic Director of the Austin-based nonprofit arts organization Revel, McElhaney produced and performed in over a hundred concerts while managing operations and securing funding for twelve concert seasons, six summer festivals, and three recording projects. At KMFA Classical 89.5, she was the on-air host of Night Music and was appointed Director of Creative Learning and Artistic Director of the Draylen Mason Music Studio, supporting educational initiatives and development efforts as KMFA transitioned from its longtime headquarters in Central Austin to its custom-built forever home at The Hatchery in East Austin.

An active performing artist, McElhaney has appeared widely on series such as Albuquerque's Chatter, Blanco Performing Arts, Ojai's Krotona Institute, Costa Rica's Credomatic Music Festival, and has collaborated with many Austin-based ensembles, organizations, and artists including the Austin Chamber Music Center, the Austin Saxophone Ensemble, Chorus Austin, Invoke, LOLA, VAMP Vocals, and more. Her recording credits include collaborations with cellist Joel Becktell, saxophonists Todd Yukumoto and Todd Oxford, and two GRAMMY-nominated albums with Conspirare: The Hope of Loving (Delos, 2019), and House of Belonging featuring the Miró Quartet (Delos, 2023).

Carla earned degrees in piano performance from Eastman School of Music (B.M. 1989) and The University of Texas at Austin (M.M. 1992, D.M.A. 1998). She currently serves on the board of Austin's One World, One Music Series. A dedicated teacher, she has taught for nearly three decades, both privately and as a faculty member at The University of Texas at Austin, Baldwin Wallace University, Texas Lutheran University, and the Austin-based community arts collective, Studio A.

About Lilly Boessen

Lilly Boessen is an Austin-based conductor, educator, and soprano. She holds a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Texas State University, where she studied under Dr. Craig Hella Johnson and Dr. Joey Martin, served as Graduate Instructional Assistant and Director of the Treble Choir, and assisted with the Texas State Chorale and University Singers-as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Music (summa cum laude) from Austin College. She recently served as Visiting Director of Choral Activities at her alma mater, Austin College, where she directed The Austin College A Cappella Choir and treble vocal ensemble, Descant, in addition to teaching a Diction for Singers lecture course and several voice students. Concurrently with her work at Chorus Austin, Lilly teaches music/choir at The Valor Institute in South Austin and leads as the Soprano Staff Singer at The First Presbyterian Church of Austin.

In addition to her work behind the podium, Lilly is an active performer throughout Texas. A founding member of the Conspirare Artist Citizen Choral Collective, her recent vocal credits include Advena: Liturgies for a Broken World (2026 Grammy Award nomination for "Best Choral Performance") and Conspirare Christmas: House of Love with Conspirare, J.S. Bach's Mass in B minor and Angels and Dragons (soprano soloist) with the Victoria Bach Festival, Mozart's Requiem with the Texas Bach Festival, Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil with the Conspirare Symphonic Choir, Hear my Prayer with Philharmonie Austin, and frequent engagements with Austin Cantorum.

Off the podium, Lilly enjoys trying new recipes in the kitchen, whether savory or sweet, and has recently taken on a new role as plant mom. She has missed the Chorus Austin family dearly and is incredibly excited to return in her new permanent role.

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