Nora Thomas Hunter, MA

Originally from Lake Tahoe, California, Nora first came to Chico for college in 1997. Although she maintained a variety of interests throughout college, including Wilderness Emergency Medicine, Nora also pursued her love of music, which lead to a love and passion for teaching music.

Nora stayed in Chico in the early 2000s to complete her Master’s Degree in Instrumental Conducting and Music Education. In addition to serving as Graduate Assistant to Chico State Bands, Nora also helped to begin the Citrus Elementary Music Project and the Children’s Choir of Chico.

In 2004, Nora moved to Mill Valley, California, just north of San Francisco. In addition to a full-time music teaching position for Mill Valley School District, she also began a post as Associate Conductor for the Marin Symphony Youth Orchestra. There, she worked with the premier performing ensemble and also with the preparatory programs. She expanded the leadership and performance opportunities for both string and wind players and also began a high caliber Wind Ensemble.

After three years with the Youth Orchestra, Nora began working for the famous Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley, and Marin Youth Performers. Here, Nora conducted musicals, ran a chamber music program, played piano for special events, and grew immensely as a musician and teacher.

Meanwhile, the job for Mill Valley School District was changing and growing. At the end of her fourteen years at that post, Nora built a full kindergarten - fifth-grade music teaching position, conducted huge groups of elementary choruses at five school sites, conducted musicals, talent shows, endless performances with thousands of students. She also began a Women’s Chorus filled with teachers and staff from the school district.

Throughout all of this time, Nora continued to accompany choirs and soloists and continued to play clarinet with the Juneau Symphony, and also the Mill Valley Philharmonic.

In 2018, Nora left Mill Valley, and with her husband and two kids returned to Chico. Nora is bringing her expertise and passion not only to the Chico Unified School District but also to her dear alma mater, Chico State.