Biography

Conductor-teacher Kole Butler is completing a master's degree in choral conducting and music education at Radford University under the mentorship of Dr. Meredith Bowen. At RU, he serves as the Graduate Teaching Assistant of Choral Studies, assisting with the various choirs and choral music education courses. Kole recently presented his graduate lecture recital, sharing his research on teaching and programming music through a socially conscious lens. He also serves on the music faculty for the Virginia Governor’s School for Visual and Performing Arts and on the executive board for the Virginia chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.

Kole has been selected to participate in numerous conducting masterclasses, working with esteemed conductor-teachers such as Drs. Sandra Snow, Daniel Bara, Jennifer Sengin, Amanda Quist, and John Dickson, among others.

Outside of RU, Kole proudly serves as the choir director at the First Baptist Church of Radford, leading a passionate group of singers in various stages of life. He also co-hosts the podcast Young Conductors alongside friend and orchestral conductor, Shaun Hancher. This platform seeks to inspire, educate, and encourage aspiring conductor-teachers, with the duo currently creating content for their second season.

Kole holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from West Virginia University, where he studied conducting with Dr. Kym Scott and voice with Prof. Laura Knoop Very.

Kole maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor and adjudicator, recently collaborating with choral groups in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.