Matthew Callaghan, Director of Choral Activities

Matthew Callaghan holds his Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University, and his Bachelors of Music Education from Grand Valley State University.  Matthew Callaghan began teaching in 2008. As Director of Choral Activities at Haslett High School,  Mr. Callaghan will be in charge of directing Varsity, Men’s Chorale, Concert Choir, and Chorale at HHS, along with the 6^th and 7^th grade choir.  He will also be taking a role in the stage production of the fall musical.

Mr. Callaghan’s career has taken him through many experiences in K-12 music education in Colorado and in Michigan, including teaching elementary music, middle school and high school choir, musical theater, and intro to the theater.  Through these experiences, his students have consistently received the highest ratings at both District and State Choral Festivals.  He has also performed as a soloist and guest artist throughout Michigan, and has performed in and directed multiple plays and musicals with various high school groups including; Bye Bye Birdie, Oklahoma!, Maxwell P.I., Damn Yankees, The Pirates of Penzance, La Traviata, Amahl, and the Night Visitors, Monkey See Monkey Do, The Pajama Game (Vocal Director), Charlottes Web (Vocal Director), Shoestring Theatre (Director), Once Upon a Mattress (Vocal and Stage Director), The Music Man (Vocal and Co-Director), Seussical the Musical (Vocal and Co-Director), Once Upon a Mattress (Vocal and Co-Director), Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Vocal and Co-Director), Annie (Vocal and Co-Director), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Vocal and Stage Director), and Beauty and the Beast (Vocal and Stage Director).

Mr. Callaghan has three children – David, Aria, and Benjamin.  The Callaghan family is excited to be a part of the Haslett choral family!

Samara Valla, Associate Director of Choral Activities 

Samara Valla grew up in Western New York. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education at Michigan State University followed by a Master's in Music Education from Michigan State University. Mrs.Valla began her teaching career here in Haslett and has been the Haslett Middle School choir director since the fall of 2000. Her students regularly receive the highest ratings at both District and State Choir Festivals. She also directs the middle school musicals and co-directs the high school musicals. As a soloist, Mrs. Valla has performed both internationally and locally. She has toured Europe and the Midwest with various choirs and has participated in community theater in New York in such musicals as Anything Goes, Barnum, Bells are Ringing, Guys and Dolls, Into the Woods, Leader of the Pack, and Fiddler on the Roof. Previously, Mrs. Valla was a Community Music School Instructor of early childhood music classes and the coach for the Ladies First A Capella Ensemble at Michigan State University. She currently resides in East Lansing, Michigan, and is married to Justin, orchestra director at Okemos High School. She has three daughters; Myah, Julia, and Lara.