Chase Alexander Upchurch, tenor, is a young educator, performer, and composer located in the greater Pittsburgh area. Chase graduated summa cum laude from Slippery Rock University with a degree in Music Education, and also pursued graduate studies in music at Youngstown State University. In his professional work, Chase teaches voice and piano at Sing Sing Sing!, provides Eurhythmics and voice instruction at Duquesne University’s City Music Center, and works as the Director of Music at Hope Lutheran Church in Cranberry, PA. Most notably as an educator, Chase has taught for the Pittsburgh Symphony’s “Fiddlesticks” concert series, presented at the APME (Association for Popular Music Pedagogy) national conference. He was awarded an international music education scholarship through Mu Phi Epsilon, a honorary music fraternity, for his teaching experience, professional recommendations of his teaching, and his philosophy of music education. As a performer, Chase won the musical theatre division for NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) both in his undergraduate and graduate studies, placed 1st in the Chad Williamson Vocal Competition at Slippery Rock University, and earned a spot in the prestigious international summer opera program, Accademia Vocale Lorenzo Malfatti in Lucca, Italy, where he studied opera performance with master teachers and coaches. Recently, Chase performed as the tenor soloist with Thiel College in their presentation of Schubert’s “Mass in G Major.” In addition to teaching Eurhythmics at Duquesne University, Chase has been studying Dalcroze Eurhythmics, a movement and music pedagogy, at Carnegie Mellon University, with additional study at the Dalcroze School of the Rockies. In addition to his summer studies at CMU, Chase also trained under Anthony Molinaro during his student teaching, and has subbed for CMU’s preparatory classes in the Eurhythmics room. All in all, Chase strongly believes that it is his job as an educator to show everyone, especially his students, how music can unlock the beauty and joy of the world around them and inside of them, for that is the essence of music. He believes that a music education is incredibly beneficial to all people through its characteristics of passion and discipline, and that all teachers of music should work towards teaching about life through music, since music is not independent of life, but interconnected in almost every aspect of humanity. He believes that through the process of music training, one may be able to enhance their physical, social, emotional and/or spiritual being. To guide that process, he believes that it is his moral responsibility to create an environment in which students have the ability to explore, express, and find their own way with the guidance of a teacher. Lastly, he believes in the betterment of those who are a part of his classroom or studio. This means that as an educator, he will do his best to teach in ways that reflect the interests, identities, and joys, of his students. This is the focus of his teaching. He believes that it is about the journey that is taken together through music.