VOCAL MUSIC STAFF
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Ben J. Walters
Director of Choral Activities
In his twenty-first year of music education in Iowa, Ben Walters is in his eleventh year as Director of Choral Activities at Ankeny High School in Ankeny, Iowa. In addition to overseeing the Ankeny High School’s Vocal Music Department, his current conducting/teaching responsibilities include Ankeny’s most select choral ensemble, Concert Choir, the auditioned treble ensemble Cantorei, and the varsity show choir, Visual Adrenaline. Mr. Walters also serves as the music director for the annual musical production, and serves as artistic director for the annual holiday production Julefest.
Prior to his appointment at Ankeny, Mr. Walters served on the vocal music faculty at Waukee High School in Waukee, Iowa where he led and conducted men's choirs, concert choirs, show choirs, and jazz choirs to high levels of performance distinction. Previous teaching assignments have also included Hudson Community Schools and Cedar Rapids Community Schools. Mr. Walters is in demand across the metro and state as a judge and clinician for show choir, all-state, and solo/ensemble contest events in addition to frequently serving as an adjudicator at numerous Iowa High School Music Association Festivals and Contests. Choirs under Mr. Walters' direction have received many awards and honors including state and regional convention performances, an invitation to sing at Carnegie Hall, invitations to perform as a featured ensemble in honor choir festival settings, numerous show choir class championships and caption awards including many best vocal awards, and consistent division 1 superior ratings at state large group contest.
In addition to public school teaching, Mr. Walters serves on the directing staff of Wartburg College's Meistersinger All-State Camps and previously held positions as tour choral director of the Celebration Iowa Singers & Jazz Band, and assistant conductor of Chorale Midwest, a semi-professional choral ensemble based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Mr. Walters is an honors graduate of the University of Northern Iowa where he earned a degree in music education with an emphasis in voice and conducting. While at UNI, his collegiate accomplishments included being a winner of the Regional ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) conducting competition as well as a regional NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) finalist. He holds professional memberships with the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association For Music Education, and the Iowa Alliance For Arts Education.
Riley Anderson
Assistant Director of Choral Activities
riley.anderson@ankenyschools.org
Riley Anderson is excited to join the Ankeny High School Choral Music Department as the Assistant Vocal Music Director for the 2025-2026 school year. Mr. Anderson will have the privilege of conducting Chorale and Ankeny Singers, teaching the Fundamentals of Music course, and directing the prep show choir, Perpetual Motion.
A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mr. Anderson is entering his seventh year of teaching, all in the Ankeny Community School District. He previously taught 6th and 7th grade vocal music at Prairie Ridge Middle School, and most recently taught 8th and 9th grade vocal music at Northview Middle School. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Wartburg College (2019) and a Master of Music in Music Education from the University of Northern Iowa (2024). He is eager to bring his passion for music and teaching to Ankeny High School and looks forward to getting to know the students and families in the program!