Dr. Carlton Kilpatrick is Assistant Professor of Music, Interim Director of Choral Activities, Coordinator of Music Education and the Summer MME Program at the University of Louisiana Monroe. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses and conducts three choral ensembles– Concert Choir (mixed voices) Bayou La Belle (treble voices) and Warhawk Singers (changed voices). A native of Florida, Dr. Kilpatrick taught choral music for 15 years at public high schools in Lake City, FL and Altamonte Springs, FL. Under his direction, the Lake Brantley High School Patriot Singers were invited to perform for the Florida Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) in 2010. He was recognized as the Florida Music Education Association’s (FMEA) 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 Choral Conducting & Music Education from the Florida State University. Prior to ULM, Dr. Kilpatrick taught graduate coursework at Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Kilpatrick is an active choral conductor, clinician, and adjudicator in Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana. He will make his Carnegie Hall debut in March 2026 conducting Dan Forrest’s Jubilate Deo with MidAmerica Productions. He has presented interest sessions for music educators throughout the southeastern United States and will headline the 2026 conference of the Tennessee Choral Directors Association.

Dr. Kilpatrick’s research has been published in The Choral Journal and Update: Applications of Research in Music Education and presented at National NAfME, National ACDA, Desert Skies Research Symposium, and several state MEA conventions. His research interests include nonverbal communication in conducting and teaching, inclusive practices in music education, and LGBTQIA+ issues in music education.  He is in demand as a curriculum specialist and educational consultant, including Teaching With Heart (GIA Publications) by Jason Max Ferdinand. 

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 serving 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 for the 2026 conference in Memphis. Prior leadership roles in the Southern Region include the Performing Choir Chair for the 2024 conference in Louisville; Performing Choir Chair-elect for the 2022 conference in Raleigh; Application and Ads Chair for the 2020 conference in Mobile; and 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. He also serves as the Chancel Choir Director at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Monroe.