As we kick off the 2025-26 program year, we’re excited to welcome three new conductors to our faculty: two familiar faces and one brand new to the organization.
Jimmy Deignan will serve as the conductor for the Beverly Neighborhood Choir Program, in addition to the Prelude Program for first and second grade students in Hyde Park and School Programs around the city. Prior to moving to Chicago, Jimmy and his wife, Christine, taught for two years at Boston International School in Wuxi, China. He holds a BA in music education from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and an MA in music education from St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Diya Ghayal will serve as the conductor for the Austin Neighborhood Choir Program, in addition to the Prelude Program for first and second grade students in Lincoln Park/DePaul and School Programs around the city. Diya recently completed Uniting Voices Chicago’s Future Music Educators mentorship program, which gave her opportunities for observation, guest instruction of our ensembles, sharing sessions with their peers, and direct guidance from our experienced faculty. She holds a Bachelors of Music Education (Choral Concentration) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Kevin Rudzinski will serve as the conductor for the Humboldt Park Neighborhood Choir Program. Kevin will also continue on as a Program Assistant at the Lincoln Park/DePaul Neighborhood Choir Program, where he has spent the last three years. He has worked with numerous show choirs of all ages across the country and loves to celebrate joy and artistry through music and movement.
We sat down with the three new conductors to learn about what inspired them to become a music educator and the unique perspectives they’ll each bring to their ensembles.
Uniting Voices Chicago: What originally inspired you to become a music educator and, now, conductor?
Jimmy Deignan: I come from a family of music educators and conductors. Music making has been a daily part of life for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always been happiest when I’m working with a group of people towards making beautiful sounds. Then in sixth grade I met Dr. Andrew Last and sang in his choir for a day, and I’ve barely thought about doing anything else for my career since.
Diya Ghayal: I was fortunate enough to attend a performing arts high school in Dallas, Texas. I was given so many opportunities and experiences that were truly unforgettable, like working with world-class musicians, attending all-state, having access to various musical programs, performing in the city and more. I absolutely fell in love with music and, more specifically, with choir, and knew that this is what I wanted to pursue long-term. My high school experience greatly shaped who I am today, inspired me to go into music education and made me want to provide other students with similar opportunities!
Kevin Rudzinski: Choir has always been a place where I felt like I belonged, and I love being able to create music with other people. Music and choir changed my life, so I wanted to be able to share that love with others.
UVC: Diya, how did the Future Music Educators mentorship program prepare you for your new role?
DG: Being a part of the Future Music Educators program gave me access to various Uniting Voices events, like Paint the Town Red and conducting workshops, and also allowed me to shadow and observe other conductors in action. We had monthly meetings in which we discussed prevalent themes in music education; having these conversations with other aspiring educators prepared me for what to expect in the real world.
UVC: Kevin, how has being a Program Assistant better prepared you for this next step in your journey as a music educator?
KR: As a Program Assistant, I am used to supporting our singers and families, all while watching some incredible colleagues teach. Now I’m able to support singers musically as a conductor, and my commitment to inspiring and changing lives through music has only deepened.
UVC: Jimmy and Diya, one of the programs you'll be conducting is Prelude, our program for first and second graders that provides them with beginning level vocal instruction and literacy. What inspires you to work with these younger students? How is it different from working with other levels and age groups of singers?
JD: The earlier in young people’s lives that we can provide a space for them to be expressive, artistic and vulnerable, the better. The idea of being a part of creating that community for some of our youngest singers is inspiring to me. Prelude singers bring a beautiful openness to their music making. Because of their young age, relatively few of them have learned to be scared of their voices as so many do at some point in their lives. I find that openness refreshing and beautiful.
DG: With Prelude students, lessons will look a lot more game-based and will focus on introducing and exploring broader themes of music. I honestly love working with students this age, as they are truly willing to try anything and everything! Working with this age group always keeps me on my toes, and I am constantly inspired by their curiosity and creativity. I can’t wait to begin working with Prelude in Lincoln Park and look forward to singing with all of the students!
UVC: Kevin, you've already choreographed some numbers for the after-school programs. Why is movement and dance an important part of performing music?
KR: Movement and dance are an important part of performing music because it helps us to physically embody the rhythms, melodies, and lyrics that we already feel. Just like music can act as a universal language, so does dance, and it allows us to enrich how we are communicating our songs to each other and to our audiences.
UVC: Jimmy, with your wife, you co-wrote a musical for middle schoolers, Motley & Spark, that will have its midwest premiere in 2026. Tell us a little bit about the writing process and collaboration that went into creating this.
JD: In 2021, Christine and I realized we had a shared experience of both being very confused by the plot of Fiddler on the Roof Jr. in separate productions as performers in middle school. This led us to a multiyear period of discussing the under representation of middle-grade specific shows in the musical theater repertoire. In 2024, in our last year of teaching abroad near Shanghai, China, we spent nearly every day after school working on our original show Motley & Spark, the first show by Middle Kid Musicals, our new business. We completed revisions in May of 2025, recorded a cast album in July with former students from PiM Arts High School, and I am mixing the album now as Christine gears up to take meetings with local middle school teachers looking for something fresh and exciting this year. Middle schoolers deserve better- shows that are tonally and developmentally appropriate for their age, gender-neutral parts for maximum casting flexibility, manageable vocal ranges, and a wealth of small parts to incorporate a large cast. We’re excited to start providing it!
UVC: Summer is almost over, but what was your song of the summer?
JD: I didn’t listen to one specific song a lot this summer, but I did create a 700 song playlist of all my favorite songs from different time periods of my life that I jokingly titled “A Perfect Playlist.” I’ve really enjoyed shuffling that every day on the commute and walking down a musical memory lane.
DG: Any song by Bad Bunny!
KR: For me, it’s definitely “Golden” from K-Pop Demon Hunters. It’s a song about embracing and trusting yourself and how sharing that with others can be incredibly powerful! And it’s also soooo catchy! Sorry to all of the parents who have been hearing it on repeat lately, but in my book, it’s a certified bop.
UVC: If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring conductors, what would it be?
JD: Show your students you love them and expect a lot of them. Those two things together create a beautiful community.
DG: As important as preparation is to teaching, I have found that lessons don’t always go according to plan. When this happens, it is important to trust your teaching instincts and know that it is completely okay to toss your lesson plan out the door.
KR: I would tell aspiring conductors to never stop learning. Every day is a school day, but not just for our singers and students. Continue to be curious while trusting what you know, and enjoy the journey!