Our Team
Anacrusis is defined as "one or more unstressed syllables at the beginning of a verse or before the first bar line of a piece or passage". It is more commonly termed as a "pickup". Here at Anacrusis, we hope to use music as a way to alleviate stress and in turn give each singer the tools to use music as a pickup. We achieve this by providing a safe environment for every singer to find, grow, and nourish their voice.
Jennifer Agbu
Founder
Jennifer Agbu received both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music Education at the University of Houston. She is currently in her 10th year of teaching junior high choir and private voice lessons. Jennifer has also performed in several local musical theatre productions and has sung with the Houston Symphony Chorus.
A two-time grant recipient, and a two-time teacher of the year, Jennifer believes that music is a vehicle through which we build life long skills. She has helped students prepare for roles in Elementary District musicals, music school auditions, and musical theatre shows. Jennifer is currently teaching in Katy ISD where her choirs have consistently received top honors at contest. She enjoys food, books, sleeping, and sharing her joy for music with everyone she meets!
Blythe Hopson
Coach
Blythe Hopson is the Head Choir Director at Manvel High School, where she has been teaching for her whole career. She graduated from the University of Houston in 2015 with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education. Since graduating, she has sung with the Houston Symphony Chorus and currently sings professionally with Cantare Houston, for which she is the Alto Section Leader. Blythe's choirs have consistently received Sweepstakes at UIL Concert & Sight reading, and were recently invited to the Houston Chamber Choir's Hear the Future Clinic.
When she isn't teaching, Blythe loves to watch all the local sports teams and spend time with her family and friends!
John Gallagher
Coach
John Gallagher graduated summa cum laude from the University of Houston with a bachelors in music education in 2009. He studied voice from Dr. Timothy Jones, and rehearsal technique from Dr. Betsy Weber, and has been teaching privately and in the classroom for a total of twelve years. Mr. Gallagher’s students are all state and region choir members, music majors at colleges across the country, musical theatre enthusiasts, and budding opera singers. He has experience teaching students from varied backgrounds, and with numerous different goals and interests.
Mr. Gallagher has sung professionally with the Houston Chamber Choir, CANTARE Houston, the Houston Ballet, and is currently a staff singer at Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Houston. Mr. Gallagher has had numerous solos with the Houston Symphony, including der Müller in Schumann's Der Rose Pilgefahrt, and as a baritone soloist in the symphony's world premiere of Gabriela Lena Franck's Conquest Requiem. He currently resides in Pearland with his wife, Jennifer, their daughter, Lily.
Eliza Nicholson
Coach
Eliza Nicholson got her undergraduate degree in Music Education from the University of South Florida, and she taught middle school choir for four years before moving to Texas for grad school. Her Masters degree is in Choral Conducting from the University of Houston, Go Coogs! She spent the past Covid year as the Assistant Director for the Texas City High School Choir and has just opened a brand new junior high school in Alvin ISD: Caffey JH. Ms. Nicholson is a member of the Houston Symphony Chorus and Casulana, local choral ensembles in Houston. Her "favorites" include playing the ukulele, cooking, walking her dog Whiskey, and spending time with friends.
Tiffany Sau
Coach
This spring begins Ms. Sau's first year of teaching. She graduated with her Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston. Ms. Sau currently performs with the Houston Symphony Chorus. In her free time, she enjoys playing the drums, baking (and eating!) sweets, reading, and spending time with her loved ones. Her goal as an educator is to give her students the space to explore all the world has to offer through music and to learn musicianship, empathy, and leadership in her classroom.
