Cassie Schmitt - Director
NOLA Vox is proud to be under the direction of, Cassie Schmitt. Cassie is a full-time music director and choral conductor in New Orleans. Hailing from sunny Southern California, she received her B.A. in Choral Music from USC in 2017 (Fight On!), and completed her M.M. in Choral Conducting at LSU in 2019 (Geaux Tigers!). With an affinity for contemporary pop, jazz, and musical theatre, Cassie served as music director, principal arranger, and beatboxer for the USC Sirens treble a cappella group for four years, founded and directed a vocal jazz ensemble at LSU - ‘The Red Stick Riffs’, and currently can be found frequently music directing shows at Rivertown Theatres (most recently Disney’s Newsies!). Since planting roots in NOLA, Cassie has been teaching lower, middle, and upper school music and choir at the Louise S. McGehee School. She is an avid member and leader of the American Choral Director’s Association, currently holding the state chapter position of Vocal Jazz Repertoire & Resources Chair for LA-ACDA. Cassie recently debuted as a performer in the New Orleans music scene at the first annual NOLA Swiftie Fest as a featured singer and beatboxer! She is thrilled to excited to be collaborating with more local singers, celebrating the musical roots of New Orleans with NOLA Vox.
Joe Jacquat - Assistant Director
A native of New Orleans, Joe Jacquat is currently the Assistant Director of NOLA Vox. Joe continues to sing Bari as a 25 year member of the Southern Tradition barbershop quartet which has twice had the grand experience of performing as the School Board Quartet in local productions of The Music Man at Tulane Summer Lyric and Rivertown Theatre. For the past 20 years, the quartet has organized free Spring and Fall variety shows at a member’s church to highlight local talent and raise donations for their music program.
Joe is a 30+ year member of the Barbershop Harmony Sociey and for the last 10 years has been musical director for The Mardi Gras Chorus (former Greater New Orleans chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society).
Joe is most proud to have founded and directed the Barbershop Blue Jays to introduce young men and women at Jesuit High School to the joys of a capella song. The group performs at school and parent’s club functions throughout the year. Many members have participated in a capella groups at their college to continue their singing career.
Away from singing, Joe also finds time to work as a structural engineer at a local engineering firm. He is supported by three other graduate engineers in his family; his wife Carolyn and two grown daughters Claire and Amelia.
Joe has made many great friendships over the years through music, and this continues as he meets many interesting characters through NOLA Vox. His only regret is not finding barbershop singing at a younger age.
