Preparation — relentless preparation — is the hallmark of Dr. Francis Cathlina’s work ethic as the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Memphis in Tennessee. “I outwork the room long before I enter it,” he says. “Scores are marked, rehearsals are mapped minute by minute. I arrive having solved most musical programs so rehearsal time can be spent shaping sound, refining intention and elevating students.”
This level of preparation quickly builds trust, which allows ensembles to move fast, take risks, perform beyond expectations and grow, he explains. “The most meaningful growth in the UofM Choral Program has been cultural. When I arrived here, many students participated in choir because it was required. Five years later, they sing because they want to.”
Cathlina goes on to say that students remain because “the work is demanding, the mentorship is direct, and the professional trajectory is clear. The studio functions like a launchpad already in motion,” Cathlina explains. “Each year, the University Singers reach further because it stands on a shared foundation of trust, discipline and ambition.”
The growth of the program has been driven by a recruitment and retention model grounded in access, rigor and visible outcomes. Cathlina also actively recruits working conductors who seek advanced training, and he designs degree pathways that make balance possible.
Cathlina defined both a Singer Track and a Conductor Track, which ran concurrently. This required “detailed, hour-by-hour planning to coordinate clinicians, choral faculty and ensembles without overlap, while keeping directors actively engaged rather than sidelined,” he explained.
Because the program is centered on shared purpose, trust and artistic excellence, students remain invested not only in the music, but in one another. “That collective commitment has raised both the level of performance and the durability of the community. Growth in numbers matters, but this shift in ownership is the achievement that sustains everything else,” Cathlina says proudly.
During his first semester at the University of Memphis in 2021, Cathlina founded the Choral Invitational. “Working in close consultation with my choral colleagues, I designed a model that prioritizes access — allowing visiting ensembles to rehearse, observe and receive clinics from the UofM Choral Faculty. I launched the inaugural year with three invited choirs, establishing a sustainable framework that has continued to grow,” he says.
Cathlina also reimagined the University of Memphis Honor Choir as more than a student-only experience. “I redesigned the structure to serve singers and their directors — strengthening the Memphis choral ecosystem through intentional professional development,” he explains.
The result is an Honor Choir that functions as both a transformative student experience and a meaningful training ground for conductors — one that invests in the long-term growth of the regional choral community.
