Robby Napoli (he/him), a conductor, educator, tenor, and composer/arranger from College Park, Maryland, will be pursuing a master’s degree in Choral Conducting at the University of North Texas, beginning Fall 2024. Prior to UNT, Napoli co-founded the professional chamber choir, Lux, and served as the Choral Director at Chesapeake High School in Pasadena, MD.

As Founding Artistic Director of Lux, Napoli has led the ensemble through over 20 concert programs and recorded five full-length albums, including a collaboration with world-renowned composer Paul Mealor. Lux's accolades include two Wammies (2021), and a Featured Choral Album on Classical MPR. In 2024, Lux performed at the American Choral Directors’ Association (ACDA) Eastern Region Conference.

During his tenure at Chesapeake High School, Napoli directed their Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, and a cappella group, Evolve, earning superior ratings at District and State Festivals. Under his direction, Chamber Singers performed at school and community events, and across the East Coast. They were requested at multiple invitational events, including the University of Maryland Choral Invitational, out-of-state competitions, and collaborations with nearby professional and school choirs. Singers from Chesapeake's choral program were named to various honor choirs, receiving state-high selections to Maryland’s All State Chorus in 2022 (11 singers), and 2024 (13).

Napoli also served as director, arranger, and choreographer for Chesapeake’s contemporary a cappella group, Evolve. With him, they advanced in the International Competition for High School A Cappella (ICHSA), placing as high as Semifinal Runners-up in 2022. Under Napoli, members of Evolve earned honors as Outstanding Soloist, Outstanding Vocal Percussion, and for Outstanding Choreography. Pentatonix’s Matt Sallee also selected the group for a workshop with him at the Maryland Music Educators’ Association Conference. In 2024, Napoli organized and hosted the first A Cappella Festival in Anne Arundel County, bringing together local high school a cappella groups for combined performances and interest sessions & masterclasses led by industry leaders like Christopher Diaz & Michael Brisentine.

Throughout his public school career, Napoli was actively involved in local and statewide music events, managing All County Chorus, the Maryland Tenor/Bass Demonstration Chorus, and hosting District Choral Festivals for both high school and middle school. He has also presented various sessions for county and state conferences, and served as adjudicator/clinician for secondary choirs throughout the state of Maryland. An avid performer, Napoli maintained an active career as a professional choral singer throughout Washington, D.C., and regularly with the Choir of Christ Church, Georgetown.

Robby especially enjoys contemporary choral music, and has premiered over thirty works with choirs since 2019. He is particularly passionate about creating opportunity for and inspiring upcoming generations of choral musicians.

Napoli holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College, with concentrations in voice and composition. There, he studied conducting with Robert Natter and Brent Talbot, voice with Matthew Osifchin, and composition with Avner Dorman. He is a member of the American Choral Directors’ Association, the National Association for Music Educators, and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.