Our Team
Chris Munce
Chris Munce is a highly regarded choir director, conductor, and educator in the choral music community. He has worked with a variety of choirs, from youth ensembles to professional groups, and is currently the director of Kantorei KC, a professional choir based in Kansas City. Munce has also been a choral director at Lee's Summit High School for 18 years, where he has made a significant impact on the school's music program.
In addition to his work as a choral director, Munce is the host of the Choralosophy podcast, which explores the art and science of choral music. The podcast has been the world's top-rated choir podcast for over four years and is among the top-performing arts podcasts. Through the podcast, Munce has shared his expertise and insights with a wide audience and has become a sought-after clinician and speaker.
Munce holds a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance and has presented at conferences and workshops across the country. His dedication to excellence in choral music, his passion for innovation and collaboration, and his commitment to education and mentorship make him a valuable leader and contributor to the choral community.
Media reviews of his directed recordings with Kantorei KC include praise from the KC Star for "Music and Sweet Poetry" for its "lush and full bodied sound…gorgeous singing." The Observer (London) called "To Bethlehem" one of the best Choral albums of the year and "the most interesting festive album." He has also performed with the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers, and the Grammy Winning Kansas City Chorale. Chris was fortunate to be a part of the Chorale's Grammy Nominated album, "Rheinberger: Sacred Choral Works."
Chris received a Bachelor's of Music Education and a Master's Degree in Choral Conducting from the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance. His graduate research focus was the performance practice of early Baroque choral singing in the French and Italian styles. Chris has studied with Eph Eely, Charles Robinson, Ryan Board, William Dehning, Peter Bagley and Jerry McCoy.
In 2019, Chris launched the Choralosophy Podcast which has quickly become a top rated Fine Arts Podcast reaching the top 25 on the iTunes charts in the US. Chris is married to Beth, a soprano and voice teacher. They live in Lee's Summit, Missouri with their two children, Clara (17) and Colin (13).
Carter Hintz
Carter Hintz is a versatile and involved choral educator, composer, and singer. He is in his 4th year of teaching. As a performer, he has sung baritone in KC Vitas (a new vocal music ensemble), for the Baroque Consortium, and many churches throughout the Kansas City area and Warrensburg.
Mr. Hintz's previous position was at Grain Valley High School where he taught traditional choirs, show choir, AP Music Theory and Guitar. Prior to this, he was a music instructor at Center Stage Academy of Performing Arts, where he taught private voice, piano, and guitar lessons. He still offers private voice and piano lessons to select students in his free time.
Mr. Hintz is a published composer and his choral compositions can be found on Endeavor Music Publishing and his personal website. Most recently, he has completed his Master of Music Education at Florida State University where he studied abroad in London, England. His graduate research focused on the selection practices of All-State Choirs across the states. He has studied with Kevin Fenton, Adam Zrust, Jackson Thomas, David Okerlund, and Michael Hanawalt. Mr. Hintz lives in the Kansas City Metro with his German Shepherd.
Dr. Shao Zheng
Dr. Shao Zheng (composer/pianist) has earned the doctoral degree in music composition at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. He won the third prize of International Composers' Competition of the European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016 (Poland), and he is also the winner of 2016 Celebrate Asia Composition Competition, and his winning piece BaiChuanFuHai received a world premiere by Seattle Symphony in Seattle, Washington. In the same year, he has also won the Third Lin Yao Ji International Competition for Violin Compositions with his piece Xian Ge. In 2015, his symphonic overture XiaoYaoYou has been performed as one of the finalists by the China National Opera House orchestra in the China National Center of Performing Arts concert hall in Beijing, China. Shao Zheng holds a bachelor degree from Tianjin Conservatory, China, where he gave a whole evening concert of his orchestral works performed by the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra. In 2014, he received the master's degree in music composition from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Shao Zheng's Professors of composition includes Dr. Chen Yi, Dr. Zhou Long, and Dr. James Mobberley. Besides, he was also a student of Dr. Robert Olson studied orchestral conducting during his doctoral career.
As a pianist, Shao Zheng received the International Piano Master Class Diploma by the Grazyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music in Lodz, Poland. From 2011, he has become a resident pianist for the Musica Nova ensemble, especially playing contemporary chamber music and solo piano music; also the principal pianist in Composer's Guild ensemble and the pianist in Radical Art and Technology ensemble. He also became a concert pianist after the graduation in 2017, playing touring concerts internationally both chamber music collaborating from professional musicians and also solo recitals as well.