Regina McAllen

Regina McAllen was raised in the Yukon Territory, Canada, where she studied music extensively.  She  was a two time winner of the Canadian Advanced Artists Grant, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Outreach Piano Competition, and the Canadian Arts Council Scholarship Winner.  Regina spent a year at the Vienna Conservatory of Music in Austria before attending college at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ.  She graduated magna cum laude with degrees in Piano Performance, Piano Pedagogy and Music Education. Choral performances include works with Leonard Bernstein, Luciano Pavarotti, and the New York and Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestras.  She went on to study at the American Institute of Foreign Studies in Florence, Italy, as well as the Julliard School and Penn State University.  She has been the President, Vice-President, Secretary and accompanist numerous times for the All Shore Chorus Association, and the NJ American Choral Directors Society Repertoire and Standards Chair for Male Choirs.  Her choirs have performed in Bermuda, Montreal, Florida, New York City, the Bahamas, Washington, London, been featured on numerous cruise ships, the NJ Music Educators Conference, and as well as performances with full orchestra at Carnegie Hall with Kate Winslet, Jackie Evancho, Sarah McLachlan, Loreena McKennitt, Hayley Westenra, Andrea Corr, guitarist Steven Van Zandt, singer Darlene Love and Jersey Boy John Lloyd Young.   She has been accompanist and guest judge for the “Rising Stars High School Classical Musicians Competition”, and is a faculty consultant for the AP Music Theory Examination.  Her choirs have placed first in Monmouth and Ocean County eight years in a row, and has consistently been one of the top five highest placing choirs in New Jersey All State and All National Chorus.  She has been nominated five times for “Who’s Who in American High School Teachers” and “America’s Outstanding Educators”. The Pt. Pleasant Borough High School Chorus commissioned a choral piece by notable American Composer Kirby Shaw entitled "Make A Joyful Noise" dedicated to her. "Make A Joyful Noise".  In 2012, Regina McAllen's chorus commissioned a new work by composer Eric Whitacre, "Goodnight Moon", and the choir made the New Jersey premiere of this new work.  It will be available for publication for the public in 2014.  Regina also teaches and accompany's at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, and is a reader for the New York Musical Theater Festival. In March of 2012, Regina McAllen was selected by Greater Media of New Jersey to receive the 2012 “Teacher Who Rocks” Award.  McAllen was honored at the annual Greater Media of New Jersey Teacher Awards Ceremony in Toms River  .Teachers Who Rock  She has musically directed and performed in over 75 musicals, working at Phoenix Productions, The Premier Theatre Company, The Algonquin Arts, The Strand Theater  and Spring Lake Theater  as well as Cabarets at the Duplex in NYC and BMI new musical workshops.  She has received numerous Count Basie Theater and Paper Mill Rising Star nominations and wins in the category of Outstanding Musical Director.  She has been nominated for the Grammy Music Educators Award three times, and out of 30,000 applicants, was a quarter finalist. Regina currently has numerous voice students performing on Broadway, Miss America, National Tours and cruise ships.  Regina McAllen was recently featured in a television segment of "Classroom Close-Up" entitled Meet the McAllen's which featured herself and her husband John, a teacher of AP Calculus at Point Pleasant Borough High School.  In 2012, John was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science, and was invited to the White House to receive the award by President Barack Obama.  The TV segment highlights how two teachers work together to create successful programs.  Regina's choir and John's math class was also featured on the NJTV television program "One-On-One With Steve Adubato" in March of 2013.   In 2014, Regina was awarded "Teacher of the Year".   Regina has also raised thousands of dollars for numerous charities - The Twin Towers Orphan Fund,  The Jose Carreras Leukemia Foundation, Broadway Fights Aids Organization, America Sings Children's Foundation, The Officer Christopher Matlosz Fund, The 1st Lt. Brian Brennan Scholarship Fund, The Toms River Firemans Fund, the Manasquan Police Family Fund and Hurricane Sandy victims.  She has raised funds to donate 50 immunization kits and 25 music education kits to schools affected by the Tsunami.  She has also delivered and stocked over 6000 cans of food to St. Gregory's Food Pantry, and 2000 cans of food to the Washington DC Food Bank.  In addition, she has done over 125 volunteer performances and fundraisers at:  The Geraldine Thompson Senior Care Center, The Old Guard Retired Military Personnel  Claremont Senior Care Facility, The Rotary Club, Relay for Life, Leisure Village Men's Club, Provident Bank, The Kiwanis Club of Brick, The Lehmann School for Autistic Children, Harvey Memorial Church,  The Sunshine House (children's cancer) of Point Pleasant, The Women's Club of Greenbriar, Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony's in Point Pleasant and Spring Lake, Allaire State Park Christmas Celebration, The Townhouse Senior Citizens Center, Brick Hospital, Point Pleasant Hospital, The Pt. Beach Presbyterian Church, numerous elementary and middle schools, and the Spring Lake Holiday Festival.  Regina has established a scholarship program and fundraiser to send disadvantaged students to summer music programs, and assist paying for voice lessons.  Finally, Regina and her husband John are the co-founders and co-presidents of the Point Pleasant Special Education Parent Advisory Committee - SEPAC.  This organization provides workshops, resources and trainings for family's with special needs children.  Ocean Star Article. For more information about the SEPAC meetings and opportunities, please visit the website:  www.pointpleasantsepac.com    

Musical Theater, Broadway, Choral, Show Choir, Education, Performing Arts.