Mr. Carlin Truong

Carlin Truong 張希 (he/him) is an educator and conductor whose mission is to make music education more accessible to all. As an advocate for social change through the arts, he has directed concerts that address LGBTQIA+ rights, mental health, women’s suffrage, criminal justice reform, and immigration policies. Since his early career, Truong was involved with pop a cappella ensembles, and is consequently known for programing nontraditional repertoire in addition to the beloved canon. He’s presented and led performances at various state and regional conferences throughout the United States, and curates student-centered, innovative, and expressive concerts that engage people on both sides of the stage.

Prior to his appointment in Maryland, he served as the Visiting Director of Choral Activities at Arkansas Tech University where he taught Choral Methods, Ear Training, Choral Arranging, and Intro to Music in addition to preparing the flagship ensemble for their state convention performance. Currently, he is a DMA candidate at the University of Houston under the tutelage of Dr. Betsy Cook Weber. During his time in Houston, he served as the interim director for multiple choral ensembles at UH, and was the assistant conductor for the Moores Opera Center under Dr. Raymond Harvey where he conducted Handel’s Giulio Cesare. Truong also worked at the Houston Symphony Chorus as a chorus preparer, rehearsal conductor, and co-chorus manager.

From 2016-2020, Truong taught at Clovis East High School in California where he directed the choirs and taught AP Music Theory. In 2020, the Clovis East Choraliers were invited to perform at the California All-State Music Education Conference and Western Division ACDA Conference. Truong has a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from San José State University where he studied with Dr. Jeffrey Benson. In 2011, he studied abroad at the University of Ghana where he founded a course in contemporary a cappella music while completing his B.A. in Psychology from UC San Diego. He is also an alumnus of the Crystal Children’s Choir where he sang for Dr. Karl Chang.