the Choirs of Manchester
MANCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL ~ MIDLOTHIAN, VA
Robyn Kim
Director OF Choral Activities
Director (The Chamber Ensemble, Capital Swing, Touch of Swing, Vocal Swing, The Treble Choir)
Mrs. Robyn Kim is a 1995 graduate of Manchester High School where she was an active participant in the choral music program, performing in the Ninth Grade Mixed Ensemble, Touch of Swing and Capital Swing. In 1999, she graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and received a BA in Music Education.
After college, Mrs. Kim taught three years of middle school in both Henrico and Charlotte-Mecklenburg counties. In 2002, she had the privilege of returning to her alma mater and became one of two choral directors at Manchester High School.
In her tenure at MHS, she has directed Touch of Swing for twelve years. Under her direction, TOS earned Grand Champion at the FAME and Showstoppers National Show Choir Competitions, as well as other top honors. In 2010, Mrs. Kim took over the choral program at Manchester, directing both show choirs, Capital Swing and Touch of Swing, as well as the Chamber Ensemble, the Treble Choir, Just Swingin’ and Vocal Legacy. She currently holds professional memberships in the National Association of Music Education, Virginia Choral Directors Association, the Virginia Music Educations Association and the Virginia Educators Association. Mrs. Kim is happily married to her husband and MHS alum, Ho, and mother to her beautiful children Addisen and Walker.
After two years of teaching at H.H. Poole Middle School in Stafford, VA, Lynsey Strohminger is thrilled to be joining MCHS as the director of Altalena. A Midlothian native, she graduated from Midlothian High School in 2014 where she was active in the choral program as a member of City Lights and Just for Show. She went on to receive both a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Tech, serving on the Virginia Tech Women's Chorus leadership team in multiple roles and as an undergraduate teaching assistant in Class Applied Voice.
Lynsey Strohminger is also proud to be the choral director at L.C. Bird High School where she conducts the Treble Choir, Mixed Chorus, Vocal Ensemble and their mixed show choir, Sudden Image. She would like to thank the Manchester Choirs community for welcoming her into the family with open arms.
RYAN SHAPIRO
choreographer (vocal swing, touch of swing, capital swing)
technical director
LYNSEY STROHMINGER
director (altalena)
Ryan Shapiro is a 2004 graduate of manchester high school. Ryan has served show choir and performing arts departments in the region for the past 17 years as a Choreographer, Technical Director, Event Organizer, Stage and Travel Manager, Project Manager, and Show Designer including costuming, props and set. Ryan regularly serves as Master of Ceremonies for events throughout the region. He has most recently served as Stage Manager for Heart of America Entertainment.
Hard work, dedication and the mindset of "reaching for the stars" has kept him passionate about the performing arts and always seeking to stay true to his objective: To create an exciting, enriching and educational experience in music through performance in the arts.
JOSH MURRELL
Director (show band)
A 2010 Manchester alumni, Josh is thrilled to be back at his alma mater to work with the show choir band this season! Josh received his Bachelor’s in Music Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2015. As a trumpet player, Josh has traveled both the eastern United States and to Colombia with his brass quintet, Broad Street Brass, and can be seen playing locally with Brunswick and The KOS Band. Josh is also the Front of House Production Manager at Grove Avenue Baptist church where he runs sound for Sunday services and coordinates with the Words of Victory foundation for their weekly television broadcast.