John Hayden

Alyssa Stoddard

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Director, John Hayden

John Hayden is the proud father of Taylor, Carter, Ella and Kaleb.  Mr. Hayden is currently head of the vocal music department at Benton Community High School in Van Horne, Iowa.  His duties at Benton Community include directing two high school mixed choirs, a men’s choir, a women’s choir, two show choirs, and a madrigal choir. At the middle school he directs an eighth grade mixed choir and a 130 voice seventh and eighth grade boy’s choir.  Mr. Hayden holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa and a master’s degree from the University of Iowa.

Concert Choirs at BC have consistently received top ratings at State Competitions including Division I ratings, Best of Center Honors, and perfect ballots. Show choirs under his direction have captured grand championships at the Fort Madison Invitational, the Southeast Polk Show Choir Invitational, and the Tomah, Wisconsin Show Choir Invitational, Fort Madison Invitational, and the Pella Show Choir Invitational. They have won the 3A Championship at the  Cedar Rapids Jefferson Invitational, Davenport's Great River Revelry, Linn Mar “SuperNova”, Cedar Rapids Washington “MoShow” , and the Emmetsburg Show Choir Invitational.  Mr. Hayden is also an active arranger, clinician and judge for show choirs around the country.   

Mr. Hayden is also the director of  the Cedar Rapids Harmony Hawks Men’s Barbershop Chorus.  Under his direction the chorus has won the Plateau AA Championship in the five-state Central States Region.  He is an active clinician at choral festivals in the United States and Canada, an arranger, festival judge, and has been on the faculty at the Barbershop Harmony Society sponsored “Director’s College”.  John is married to Jennifer, the most energetic, amazing and supportive wife and Mom in the world!

Assistant Director, Alyssa Stoddard