About Huntsville Sacred Chorale
Our Dedication to Musical Excellence
The Huntsville Sacred Chorale is a professional level vocal ensemble founded to present sacred music of the highest caliber. Rooted in the heart of North Alabama, the Chorale is committed to sharing masterworks of the sacred choral tradition—spanning from Renaissance polyphony to Baroque masterpieces, Romantic-era gems, and compelling contemporary compositions.
With a deep reverence for the spiritual and artistic power of sacred music, the Huntsville Sacred Chorale seeks to create transformative experiences for both performers and audiences. Each performance is designed not only to showcase musical excellence, but also to cultivate stillness, reflection, and wonder.
The ensemble draws its strength from a collective of trained vocalists, selected through auditions, who bring depth, discipline, and passion to every performance. Whether singing in cathedrals, historic churches, or concert halls, the Chorale’s aim is the same: to elevate the spirit through sound and to connect hearts through sacred beauty.
We rehearse on Sunday nights from 6:00-7:30 PM at Huntsville First United Methodist Church.
Artistic Leadership
Dr. Aaron Jackson, Artistic Director, is the Minister of Music and Worship at First Baptist Church of Huntsville, Alabama. In this capacity, he oversees a comprehensive music ministry, which includes both choral and instrumental ensembles. Before moving to Huntsville in 2023, he was an adjunct professor of music at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC and Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC where he taught conducting courses and improvisational piano.
In addition to ministry and teaching responsibilities, Dr. Jackson appears regularly as a guest conductor and maintains an active schedule as a local and regional choral clinician and adjudicator. He has also been an active leader in both North Carolina ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) and Southern Region ACDA. He is currently the Music in Worship Chair for Alabama ACDA.
He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a Master of Church Music degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Campbell University.
Jillian Gardner is the Director of Music at First United Methodist Church in Huntsville, Alabama, where she serves as the primary organist and oversees music programs for both adults and children. She is also an adjunct instructor of organ at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, the state’s only institution offering a degree in organ or church music. Jillian recently completed a seven-year term as the Councillor for Young Organists on the American Guild of Organists National Board, where she successfully launched initiatives that brought over 1,200 new young organists to the Guild and created an organ scholar program for young professionals.
Known for her versatile and accessible performances, Jillian has performed at iconic venues worldwide, including Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Grace Cathedral, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. She is frequently invited to perform at conventions and festivals and has been featured on the Pipedreams radio show. Her repertoire spans Baroque to contemporary music, including transcriptions and commissioned works.
Jillian holds a B.M. from Oberlin College and Conservatory and M.M. and A.D. degrees from Baylor University. She has won top prizes in several competitions and was named one of The Diapason’s inaugural “Top 20 under 30” organists in 2015. Jillian advocates for wellness and believes in the importance of a healthy mind and body to sustain artistic excellence. For more information, visit JillianGardner.com.