Leah Holder Wyman, DMA

Leah Wyman, DMA, (she/her) is a conductor, educator, and scholar committed to authenticity, curiosity, and care for music, students, and the communities they build.

At Graceland, Wyman leads choirs and teaches conducting, aural skills, music history, studio voice, and Music and Social Action. She encourages students to explore scores alongside social, emotional, and cultural contexts within a CULTURE of belonging. Her ensembles are renowned for their diverse and bold repertoire, spanning centuries, styles, and cultures, encompassing everything from Icelandic folk songs to Renaissance madrigals to contemporary premieres, often in collaboration with culture bearers to honor multiple perspectives.

Dr. Wyman is dedicated to using choral music as a tool for empowering communities. She has presented and led workshops nationwide on inclusive rehearsal practices, culturally responsive teaching, and equity-centered pedagogy. She mentors future educators and leads projects that connect music to social consciousness and peacebuilding. Her artistic achievements include directing the Ohio premiere of Requiem: For Victims of American Mass Shootings and Considering Matthew Shepard, as well as interdisciplinary collaborations spanning music, dance, theater, and visual arts, which support broader community causes.

One will find the rehearsal and classroom buzzing with joy and vibrant sound. Her neuroscience-informed methods incorporate problem-solving, metaphor, and reflection to foster growth and curiosity. Students build vocal confidence, expressive freedom, and ensemble cohesion through multimodal strategies, kinesthetic shaping, critical inquiry, and creative leadership opportunities. She prioritizes policies that affirm identity, economic accessibility, and student agency, welcoming students of all levels and backgrounds to discover the joy of singing.

Wyman earned degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, the University of Washington, and the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory, mentored by Dr. Geoffrey Boers, Dr. Giselle Wyers, Dr. Jennifer Sengin, and Dr. Charles Robinson.

Outside of music, Wyman enjoys road trips, college football (even when she doesn’t understand what’s going on), fishing, writing, and studying psychology. She lives with her husband, Nathan, and her dog Burt, who has zero musical skills but lots of main character energy.