Our Team

Katie Hoitt

Katherine “Katie” Hoitt started singing in church choirs at the age of 3 in her hometown of Mobile, Alabama. Her passion for choral music was ignited during her 9-year membership in Mobile’s Singing Children, which began under the direction of our founders, Bonnie Jean and Valery Early.

Katie earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in K-12 Vocal Music Education and Choral Conducting at the University of Southern Mississippi. After starting her career teaching middle school choir in Memphis, Tennessee, she directed the Academy of Innovation (AOI) middle school choir in Vicksburg, Mississippi, establishing the school’s first contemporary a cappella ensemble. In 2021, she received the Outstanding Young Music Educator of the Year award from the Mississippi Music Educators Association. While teaching at AOI, Katie also served as the Artistic Director of the Mississippi Boychoir, grades 3-12, with branches in Vicksburg and Jackson. Under her direction, the Boychoir performed in the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, TX as the Prelude Choir for the Texas International Choral Festival.

Katie has just completed four years as Choir Director at Kimbrough Middle School in Mesquite, Texas, where her choirs received 10 Sweepstakes awards at UIL (annual choral assessment). While at Kimbrough, she established its first a cappella group, Elevation, and served as assistant director of the Texas Youth Chorale and director of the Texas Children’s Chorale. Since she began her teaching career, she has sung in the Memphis Symphony Chorus (TN), Mississippi Chorus (MS), Plano Civic Chorus and Chamber Chorus (TX), Summer Women’s Chorus (TX), and Voces Lucis chamber choir (TX).

Susan Hoitt

After twenty years as Artistic Director of Mobile’s Singing Children, Susan Hoitt has become MSC’s new Executive Director. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, with dual emphasis in choral and instrumental music. Susan has broad teaching experience in public school choral music, community choir and band. Her choirs have earned consistent superior ratings at district and state festivals. Also experienced serving churches in Mississippi and Alabama, Mrs. Hoitt is currently the Coordinator of Children’s Choirs at Spring Hill Presbyterian Church.

Under her direction, MSC was selected for MS-ACDA and AL-AMEA conferences while also regularly performing with the Mobile Symphony Orchestra and Mobile Opera. During Hoitt’s tenure, many of MSC’s outstanding musicians have continued music education, becoming teachers and/or performers while many others have moved on to other outstanding professional careers.