Amanda Sprague Hanzlik is Past-President of the ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) Eastern Region, Director of Choral Activities at Edwin O. Smith High School in Storrs, Connecticut and currently serves as Director of Music at Immanuel Congregational Church UCC in Hartford, Connecticut. A five-time Quarterfinalist and twice semifinalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award (2024 & 2022) she is also a recipient of the 2023 Connecticut State Department Hero of the Arts Award.

Hanzlik made her Carnegie Hall conducting debut in 2023 and is a frequent guest conductor for all-state and regional honor choirs. Under her direction, the E.O. Smith Chamber Singers are regularly featured at ACDA and NAfME festivals and conferences as a selected/performing ensemble.

Notable initiatives and collaborations include developing integrated projects with Scott Hoying and Pentatonix, co-creating shared All-State choral experiences with living composers, and founding the inaugural ensembles for both the Connecticut All-State High School Treble Choir and the Children’s Justice Choir at the Aspen Music Festival. Her writing has been published by The Choral Journal, ChorTeach, the ISME Journal and she has been featured in numerous industry podcasts and media.

Deeply passionate about creating new choral music with living composers, she strives to uplift and elevate the art and artists of the choral art medium into all spaces of culture and society.

Amanda Hanzlik holds a BA in Music/Vocal Performance and K-12 Education from the University of Iowa and an MA in Music and Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.