Jillian Burgam
Artistic Director 2022-Present

Jillian Burgam is thrilled to serve the Detroit Women’s Chorus as the Artistic Director! She has been passionate about DWC since she started singing with the organization in 2021, and she strongly believes in the importance of creating a space where all singers feel welcome. After completing her undergraduate work at Western Michigan University, Jillian went on to work with choirs throughout the country, directing middle school and high school choirs in Wickenburg, AZ, Helena, MT, and Dearborn, MI.

In Montana, she fostered her love of community work as she helped reboot the Helena Youth Chorus, led volunteers for the Helena Symphony, and directed a 40-voice adult church choir. Jillian completed her graduate degree in Choral Conducting from Westminster Choir College, serving as the graduate assistant conductor of the Westminster Choir. Along with her work with DWC, she is a choral lecturer at Eastern Michigan University and sings professionally throughout the Metro Detroit area.

Education: B.M. Music Education, Western Michigan University; M.M. in Choral Conducting, Westminster Choir College

Sheila Brookins
Pianist

Sheila Brookins began studying piano at the age of seven. As a teenager she attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and received a scholarship from the Warren Vivace Club to attend Interlochen Fine Arts Camp. Aside from early classical music, the music of Louis Moreau Gottschalk and Scott Joplin greatly influenced her as a pianist. Sheila attended the University of Michigan as a piano performance major, studying music theory, conducting and composing; and later changed majors to accounting, business and information technology. While working in full‐time corporate positions, Sheila remained active in music as a staff pianist at Detroit area churches from 1988-2010, has performed for numerous weddings, events and high school and community theatre musicals, and provides piano accompaniment for Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association solo and ensemble festivals each year for middle school and high school students.  She also served as accompanist for the Detroit Children’s Choir from 2017 – 2023. Sheila can be found online here.

Sheila lives with her husband, three children, and a schnauzer who she shares a birthday with, and together, they enjoy RV camping trips as much as possible!

Education: M.S. Business Information Technology, Walsh College of Business; B.B.A. Computer Information Systems, Walsh College of Business; A.A.S. Accounting, Macomb Community College

 Shara Nova
Composer-in-Residence

Shara Nova has released six chamber-pop albums under the moniker My Brightest Diamond; her newest album, entitled “Fight the Real Terror,” was released in September 2024. Shara was an original member of the Broadway show Illinoise, directed by Tony Award winner (2024) Justin Peck and co-written by Jackie Sibblies Drury.

She has composed works for choirs such as The Crossing, Conspirare, Roomful of Teeth, iSing Youth Choir, Detroit Women’s Chorus, and The Detroit Opera’s educational touring company, as well as for the yMusic chamber ensemble, Oregon Symphony, Aarhus Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, American Composers Orchestra, and the BBC Concert Orchestra, among others. Her 2022 album The Blue Hour, co-composed with Sarah Kirkland Snider, Angélica Négron, Caroline Shaw, and Rachel Grimes, was listed in NPR’s Top 10 Albums of the Year.

Nova is a 3-time Grammy nominee (2023), an Opera America Discovery Grant awardee (2024), a Kresge Arts fellow (2012), a Carolina Performing Arts Creative Futures fellow (2018–2021), a United States Artists fellow (2015), and a Knights Grant recipient (2018, 2024).