Mr. Aaron Lafreniere serves as middle school choral director and piano instructor at Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, NC.  His choirs at NWSA have consistently received Superior ratings at MPA Festival and were the Chair’s Choice for the West District in 2013, 2016, and 2017.  Prior to working at NWSA, Lafreniere taught Chorus, Handbells, Piano, and Band in Catawba County and Columbus County Schools.  He served as the clinician and guest conductor of the Richmond All-County in March of 2015.

He received a Bachelor’s of Music in music education from Appalachian State University in 2005 and a Masters of Music in music education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2009.

Mr. Lafreniere is a basso profundo and currently sings with Carolina Voices.  In addition to singing, he plays clarinet, handbells, piano, and flute.  He has performed with many groups including Seventh Son, The Green Room Community Theatre, Lake Norman Orchestra, Queen City Ringers, and Carolina Wind Orchestra.

Mr. Lafreniere is a member of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the North Carolina Music Educators’ Association (NCMEA), the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), as well as a brother of the professional fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Inc.  He also serves on the Middle School Choral Board of NCMEA and is the coordinator of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Middle School Honors Chorus.

He was born in Massachusetts and moved to North Carolina when he was eight years old.  He has lived in NC ever since and currently resides in Cornelius.  In his spare time, he enjoys Broadway theatre, folding origami, and spending time with his friends and family.

Ms. Stephanie R. Madsen is a Charlotte native. After graduating from East Mecklenburg High School, she completed her Bachelor of Music Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In 2005, immediately following completion of her degree, Stephanie began her teaching career at Southeast Guilford High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. After working in Guilford County for three years (2005-2008) life moved her to Atlanta, Georgia where she taught middle school at Pine Mountain Middle School in Kennesaw, Georgia (2008-2013). In Georgia, Stephanie’s students consistently were selected to participate in All-State, District Honors Chorus and maintained a superior rating at Georgia Music Educators Association Large Group Performance Evaluation (LGPE).  In 2013,

Stephanie returned home and began her work at Northwest School of the Arts.
Some of her performance credits include, UNCG Women’s Glee, UNCG Women’s Choir, UNCG Choral, Sine Nomine of Charlotte, The William Baker Festival Singers, a featured soloist for Cobb Festival Singers, Guest Jazz Vocalist at Tate St. Coffee, Guest Clinician for McClure Middle School’s LGPE clinic, and various other singing opportunities.

Stephanie is a member of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), North Carolina Music Educator’s Association (NCMEA), American Choral Directors Association (ACDA),  Sigma Alpha Iota, Mars Hill Choral Clinic Zone Coordinator, Host of the District Honors Chorus Workshop, a partner in coordinating CMS High School Honors Chorus and has also served on the District XII Honors Chorus Board, Large Group Performance Evaluation Board and organizes Music Performance Adjudication for the region.   Stephanie is also a mother of two sweet little girls, Loralei, 4 and Olivia 2.