Carlton Kilpatrick is Assistant Professor of Music in Vocal Music Education at the University of Louisiana Monroe. He teaches undergraduate and graduate coursework in music education and conducts Bayou La Belle, an upper-voice ensemble. A native of Florida, Dr. Kilpatrick taught high school chorus in the public schools in Lake City, FL and Altamonte Springs, FL for 15 years. In 2010, his choir was invited to perform for the Florida Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). He was recognized as the Florida Music Education Association’s Secondary Music Educator of the Year in 2018. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Florida and Master of Music in Choral Conducting and Ph.D. in Music Education from the Florida State University. Prior academic appointments include Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Kilpatrick is an active conductor, clinician, and adjudicator. His research has been published in The Choral Journal and Update: Applications of Research in Music Education. His research interests include nonverbal communication in conducting and teaching, inclusive practices in music education, and LGBTQIA+ issues in music education. He has presented sessions for music educators throughout the Southeastern United States. He is in demand as a curriculum specialist having served as the Instructional Design Editor on Jason Max Ferdinand’s Teaching With Heart and in the development and production of two units of educational videos for the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay.

During his teaching career in Florida, Dr. Kilpatrick was engaged in leadership roles with the Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) and Florida Vocal Association (FVA), including services as President of FVA (2016-2017). He continues to be involved in the leadership of the ACDA’s Southern Region as the Performing Choir Chair-elect for the upcoming 2022 conference in Raleigh. Prior leadership roles in the Southern Region include the Application and Ads Chair for the 2020 conference in Mobile, the Honor Choir Chair for the 2016 conference in Chattanooga and the 2014 conference in Jacksonville. He served as the coordinator of the National ACDA High School Honor Choir at the 2017 conference in Minneapolis. He served as the Secretary of the Florida chapter of ACDA from 2008-2015.

Dr. Kilpatrick holds memberships in NAfME, ACDA, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.