East Longmeadow, MA
Director: Carol Toth-Forward
“May It Be” by Eithne Ni Bhraonain, Nick Ryan, & Roma Ryan
About Director Carol Toth-Forward
Watch a video clip from this ensemble’s director.Carol Toth-Forward has been a clinician, general music and choral music educator for over fifteen years, teaching students at all levels from pre-school through post-graduate since 1996. She received two Bachelor’s Degrees from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in Vocal Music Education and Vocal Music Performance, and her Master’s Degree in Education from University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, where she has also just recently completed her Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Educational Leadership. She received her Kodaly training at the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA, and a summer of study at the Kodaly Pedagogical Institute in Kecskemet, Hungary.
Mrs. Forward has served the East Longmeadow, MA Public School District since 1998, both at Meadow Brook Elementary School and as choral director at East Longmeadow High School. In this position, she has expanded the program selection to include a general chorus, advanced chorus, a select women’s ensemble, and a select men’s ensemble. Her high school chorus has collaborated with many other school and community choral ensembles throughout the state to promote music learning and enrich the choral experience for her students.
In addition to her position in East Longmeadow, from 2001-2006, Mrs. Forward expanded the Early Childhood Chorus at the Community Music School of Springfield from 6 to 30 members and co-directed the Prelude Early Childhood Music Program for pre-school music education. She has also served as adjunct faculty for Cambridge College in Springfield, MA, and at The Hartt School of Music in West Hartford, CT. Mrs. Forward is currently the Clerk for the Massachusetts Music Educators Association.
Mrs. Forward has been granted the Children’s Empowerment Award, as well as several grants from the East Longmeadow Endowment Association, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Hasbro Foundation, and the Wallace Foundation. Mrs. Forward currently lives in Wilbraham, Massachusetts with her husband, Todd, and her two children- Stephen, age 9, and Cassandra, age 7.
