These five words have echoed in Douglas Carnes’s mind for as long as he can remember. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Music Education, Douglas graduated from Five Towns College with a master’s in Choral Conducting. Upon graduation, he accepted a position at Democracy Prep Harlem Middle School (DPHMS) in Harlem, NY, where he developed a choral curriculum focused on healthy singing and fostering relationships through barbershop-style singing. As the program flourished, so did DPHMS's very own youth barbershop quartet. That quartet went on to be part of Harmony Foundation International’s annual fundraising campaign and helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for young singers around the globe. From the podium to the bandstand, Douglas has enjoyed the privilege of singing and playing worldwide. His credits include percussion on Disney’s “The Lion King” on Broadway, performances at Carnegie Hall, The Ordway, MGM Grand, Schermerhorn Symphony Center, and many others.

In 2015, Carnes relocated to Minnesota as the Artistic and Musical Director of The Great Northern Union Chorus and the choral director at St Louis Park Middle School, where he helped grow the SLP choirs to over 300 students. Then in 2019, he transitioned from '“The Mighty GNU” to work with young adults again as the Artistic and Musical Director of Sing Out Loud Young Women’s Choirs in Rochester, MN. Most recently, he has coached and performed in South Korea, Canada, Ireland, and various states across the US. He is an active member of The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and The National Association for Music Education (NAfME), having presented at both national conferences and multiple ACDA state conferences. In 2017, he had the honor of presenting at NAfME’s Hill Day in Washington D.C., and in 2018, at NAfME's national conference.

Now living with his wife, Taryn, in County Donegal, Ireland, Carnes is the founding director of Danu Young Women’s Choir. He continues to develop curricula, coach, and conduct while pursuing his Doctorate in Music Performance at The Royal Irish Academy of Music. In his teaching practices, he believes in staying real and relevant, creating and maintaining lasting relationships with his students and choral singers. Carnes sincerely believes that to change the world, today’s minds must fully invest in the minds of tomorrow.