Michelle Folta

Dr. Michelle Folta serves as Associate Professor of Choral/General Music Education at Columbus State University's Schwob School of Music and Artistic Director for the Voices of the Valley Children's Chorus. With extensive experience in both academic and K-12 music education, she maintains active roles in community performance initiatives and professional development.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of North Texas
• Master's degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas
• Bachelor's degree in Music Studies from the University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Folta's research focuses on practical applications in music education, particularly children's choral development and community engagement. Her work emphasizes effective teaching methodologies for diverse student populations, with presentations at major conferences including the National Association for Music Education and Society for Music Teacher Education. She investigates how music education programs can transform educational institutions and prevent school closures through arts integration.

Her professional recognition includes:

• Quarterfinalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator of the Year Award
• Columbus and the Valley's Rising Star award

As Artistic Director of Voices of the Valley, Dr. Folta mentors young singers through performance opportunities at regional festivals, ballet productions, and international tours. She has significantly contributed to music education through guest clinician roles for state honor choirs, adjudication at festivals, and lectures at institutions including Georgia State University. Her community impact extends to organizing large-scale events like The Big Sing, which supports scholarship funding for student tours.

The Voices of the Valley program under her leadership has developed into a multi-tiered youth choir system with international performance experience, including collaborations with university ensembles and community organizations across Georgia and England.