Dr. Todd Prickett
Artistic Director
Dr. Todd Prickett was named Artistic Director of the Texas Boys Choir in 2022 following a comprehensive national search. An accomplished choral conductor, previous conducting experience includes positions at First Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama; the University of Arkansas and First United Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas; Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana; and First Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Texas. He also served as director of the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir – Youth Chorale for four seasons, including performances at the Bach Youth Choir Festival in Toronto and Festival 500 in Newfoundland.
He also serves as Minister of Music and Choirmaster at University Christian Church in Fort Worth, Texas. In that role, he conducts the Chancel Choir, high school handbell choir, and annual Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival performances. Last summer, he led UCC Bell Ringers on their 10th Quadrennial England Tour, performing concerts in Oxford, Bath, Salisbury, Nutburst, Canterbury, and London.
Todd has a particular passion for conducting choral-orchestral works. Memorable performances include Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass, Duruflé’s Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s St. John Passion, Poulenc’s Gloria, and world premieres of Titanic Requiem by Donald Patriquin and The Tyger & The Lamb by Ola Gjeilo. He has also prepared choruses for the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra and Fort Wayne Philharmonic.
As a professional tenor, Todd sang in the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus under Helmuth Rilling from 2001-2008, including a recording of Haydn’s Heiligmesse for Hänssler Records and world premieres of works by Felix Mendelssohn and Tan Dun.
Todd received his doctorate in conducting from Michigan State University, studying with Charles K. Smith and Jonathan Reed, and degrees in music education and choral conducting from Texas Christian University under the tutelage of the late Ronald L. Shirey.
Melissa Sky-Eagle
Accompanist
Dr. Melissa Sky-Eagle has held continuous jobs as pianist, collaborator, and music director for the last 27 years. She is honored to be a part of the Texas Boys Choir team at Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts! In the last few years, she has been the staff accompanist and vocal coach at East Los Angeles College, piano teacher at California Baptist University, and music director at A Noise Within Theatre in Pasadena, California. After a recent move to Texas, she served as the music director, pianist, and organist at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church. Her academic credentials are all in piano performance: BM, Texas Christian University; MM, Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University; and DMA, University of Southern California. She’s passionate about supporting singers of all ages, helping them to find their voice and sound their best! She is also an enthusiastic sight reader, participating in reading sessions and conferences whenever the opportunity arises. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her parents, who live next door.
