Dr. Lauren Fowler-Calisto serves as the Director of Choral Studies and Vocal Jazz at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia where she conducts “Uncommon Ground,” the premiere vocal jazz ensemble at Christopher Newport University. This select performing group, one of three choral ensembles in the Department of Music, participates in the annual Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Festival held each spring on the campus of Christopher Newport University. Previous engagements for the groups during the Ella Festival have included performances with Ann Hampton Callaway, Steve Zegree, Jennifer Shelton Barnes, Michele Weir, Phil Mattson and Kirby Shaw. Prior to her position at Christopher Newport she served as the Associate Director of Choirs and Specialist in Choral Music Education and Vocal Jazz at Iowa State University. Dr. Fowler also initiated and directed the University of South Dakota Vocal Jazz Ensemble “8va.”

In addition, she directed Vocal Jazz II in the highly respected jazz program chaired by Gene Aitken at the University of Northern Colorado. Other studies have included Vocal Jazz Ensemble repertoire and directing with many well-known jazz educators including Phil Mattson, Steve Zegree, Diana Spradling, Michelle Weir, Kirby Shaw, Kirk Marcy, Jennifer Shelton Barnes, Frank DeMeiro, Dave Cross and Dave Barduhn. Dr. Fowler-Calisto has appeared as the Guest Conductor for one of two New Hampshire All-State Jazz Choirs, the Kentucky Collegiate Honors Choir at the 2001 Southern Division MENC convention, the South Dakota All-State Jr. High Honors Choir and the Northern Kentucky Women’s High School Honors Choir. Both her traditional and jazz choirs at the university and public school levels have been selected to perform at state music education conventions in Oregon, Colorado, South Dakota, Iowa and Virginia. Dr. Fowler-Calisto also conducts the CNU Chamber Choir and Women’s Chorus in addition to teaching conducting, secondary choral methods and pedagogy, vocal jazz techniques and applied conducting and improvisation. On occasion she enjoys singing with her husband’s jazz quartet “Round Midnight”.