Directors
PAULA EDWARDS, returned to her alma mater, Robert E. Lee High School as Choral Director in 1989. She earned both her Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees at Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene studying conducting with Loyd Hawthorne. She began her teaching career in Brandenburg, Kentucky where she taught elementary music and middle school and high school choir. She returned to Texas to become Choral Director at Madison High School, San Antonio. During her nine years at Madison High School, Paula served as Fine Arts Chairman and Region Vocal Chairman. While at Lee she has served as Region 6 Vocal Chair, TMEA All-State Treble Organizer, and frequently has hosted UIL Concert & Sight-reading Contests and TMEA Area Auditions. Paula is married to Phillip Edwards, who teaches upper level Math at Lee and they have twin daughters, Clare & Elizabeth. Paula’s professional affiliations include: TMEA, TMAA, ACDA, TCDA, TCTA, and SAI.
KAREN BLACKSTONE, currently in her 11th year as Assistant Director and Accompanist at Lee, graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.M. and M.A. in vocal performance from Stephen F. Austin State University. Her post-graduate work includes a Ford Foundation Fellowship for Kodaly Study at Holy Names College in California and doctoral studies (coursework completed) for a Ph.D. in Vocal Performance/Literature at the University of Connecticut studying with Doris Yarick-Cross. During her 24 years as a music educator, Karen has taught in Round Rock lSD, Converse-Judson ISD and North East ISD in San Antonio. She was selected as one of 2 master teachers for the KodaIy Project in the San Jose Unified School District-a joint venture by SJUSD and the Ford and Hewlett-Packard Foundations. For ten years prior to returning to Texas, she was an opera/vocal coach and artistic administrator for the Yale University School of Music Graduate Opera program in New Haven, CT.
CRAIG GRIFFITH, currently in his 13th year as director of the Abell Junior High Choirs and his 8th year as co-director of the Lee Freshman High School Choirs, is a graduate of Robert Service High School in Anchorage, Alaska, where he was an All State Bass Player for two years and received a Presidential Award for Music Excellence. Mr. Griffith, a 1982 graduate of East Texas Baptist College, was a member of the College Choir under the direction of Jim Moore. Prior to moving to Midland, Mr. Griffith taught at Liberty-Eylau Junior High and High School in Liberty-Eylau, P. E. Wallace Junior High in Mt. Pleasant, and Wills Point Junior High, where he had the privilege of developing the choir program. He was chosen as Abell's Teacher of the Year in 2001. Craig has served Region VI as Junior High Vocal Coordinator for 5 years. He is a member of TMEA, TCDA, and TCTA. Craig resides in Midland with his wife Davelyn and their two daughters, Whitney and Andrea.
BETH KAUFMAN GARZA, currently in her seventh year as director at Alamo Junior High School and co-director of the Lee Freshman High School Choirs, is a 1997 graduate of Robert E. Lee High School, where she was a member of Chorale. Beth graduated summa cum laude from Hardin-Simmons University with her degree in Music Education in 2001. While at HSU, she was a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, International Women's Music Fraternity, Pi Kappa Lambda, music honor society, and the HSU Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. Loyd Hawthorne. Miss Kaufman recently completed her Master's degree in Music Education at Texas Tech University under Dr. Janice Killian.
