Janice Trumbull, Director, grew up in Fairbanks, and as a student at West Valley High School, was selected for the Alaska All-State Honor Choir three times, was selected to represent Alaska in the All-Northwest Honor Choir, and traveled to Europe with America’s Youth in Concert. She has been a judge for High School All State Honor Choir audition and regional Solo and Ensemble events. She has been in a number of FLOT shows, with leading roles in The Sound of Music and the Secret Garden. She has sung with and been soloist for the University Chorus, the Alaska Chamber Chorale, Choir of the North, Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, and is a frequent soloist in the annual Sing-It-Yourself Messiah. Miss Trumbull studied piano with Delores Heine and James Johnson. Her voice instructors include Marvilla Davis, Jaunelle Celaire and Byron McGilvray. She currently teaches private voice and conducts numerous local choral groups.
Miss Trumbull retired from teaching in the public school system in May 2009 and realized the fulfillment of a life-long dream when her private school, Northern Lights Academy, opened. Sun Valley Studios, her private voice studio keeps her busy teaching private voice. Miss Trumbull earned a B.Ed. from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, a M.Ed. from Cambridge College and a graduate certificate in Bible from Multnomah School of the Bible. As a general music teacher in the local schools, she received her Orff-Schulwerk Level II Certification. Along with singing and playing the piano at University Park Bible Church, she keeps busy as a Sunday school teacher and board member for the church. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Northland Youth Choir/Northland Center for Choral Arts.
Miss Trumbull assisted Melissa Downes with the formation of the Northland Youth Choir in 2000. She was the choir accompanist for the Northland Youth Choirs for 17 years before assuming the position of Artistic Director and conductor of choirs in 2018. During her tenure the choir program has continued to grow and expand, adding additional levels of the youth choir, a men’s choir, and the Sing-It-Yourself Messiah. Along with the board of directors, she is currently developing the Northland Center for the Choral Arts as the overall umbrella for all the various choirs.
Dr. Joshua Vigran, Accompanist, is an avid music educator, performer and online content creator in the classical music arena. In 2016, he made his performance debut at Carnegie Hall playing chamber and solo works. He graduated summa cum laude in 2020 from the University of North Texas with a degree in piano performance. In the spring of 2024 he was invited to tour Brazil as a guest
harpsichordist for UNT’s syndicated Fantasmi early music ensemble. In fall 2024, he relocated
to Fairbanks, Alaska and now works as a pianist for the Northland Center for Choral Arts.
Piano technique, musical arrangement and improvisation are key focuses for Dr. Vigran, who wrote his dissertation on the topic of improvisation for classical pianists. In 2019 he was sponsored to make a series of YouTube videos providing musical and pianistic analysis for Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor. This eventually led to the creation of his single piano arrangement. Documentation of the progress of this arrangement along with tutorials and additional projects can be found at Dr. Vigran’s Patreon @josh.v.music.
Dr. Vigran was employed as a professor of music appreciation at Parker University, and has taught piano, guitar, bass, and theory at several professional music schools in California, New York, Texas and Alaska. In 2020 he founded Off the Grid Music Studio which specializes in music education as well as recording and videography for classical musicians.
Dr. Vigran holds a summa cum laude Master’s Degree of Music from Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College and a magna cum laude Bachelor’s of Music degree from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University Long Beach. His former teachers include Dr. Nina Lelchuk, Gustavo Romero and Valentina Gottlieb. More of his work, including educational vlogs, performances, and podcasts may be found @josh.v.music on YouTube and other social media.