Biography

Conductor-teacher Kole Butler is currently the choral director at Edison High School in Fairfax County Public Schools in Alexandria, VA. In addition to his work within the classroom, he serves on the executive board of the Virginia chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, is a member of the vocal music faculty for the Virginia Governor's School for Visual & Performing Arts, and co-hosts the podcast Young Conductors, which aims to inspire, educate, and encourage aspiring conductor-teachers.

Butler holds a master’s degree in choral conducting and music education from Radford University, where he studied under Dr. Meredith Y. Bowen. While at Radford, he served as the Graduate Teaching Assistant of Choral Studies, assisting with the university’s choirs and undergraduate choral music education courses. During his graduate lecture recital, he presented his research on teaching and programming music through a socially conscious lens, focusing on inclusive and culturally relevant practices in the choral classroom. He earned a B.M. in Voice Performance from West Virginia University, where he studied conducting with Dr. Kym Scott and voice with Laura Knoop Very.

Butler has been selected to participate in masterclasses with renowned conductors, including Drs. Sandra Snow, Daniel Bara, Jennifer Sengin, Amanda Quist, and Janet Galván, among others.

He maintains an active schedule as a guest clinician, adjudicator, and presenter, collaborating with high schools and university student chapters across the region.