Sune Aaes-Jørgensen is studying musicology at the University of Aarhus, Denmark.

Daniel Privette is in his 7th year as the musical director for the Alamance Chorale. He has taught choral music in North Carolina schools for 15 years in Alamance, Durham, and Orange Counties.  Daniel has participated in several church choirs as director, member, and soloist.  He has also played Tuba in brass ensembles for church services. 
Daniel was involved in music at an early age. He was trained in music during the summers of his teen years at the Stamps-Baxter School of Music in Nashville, TN. He has participated in school and church choirs and bands since middle school. He earned his undergrad degree in Music Education from Asbury University in 2000 and his master’s degree in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greenboro in 2007.
Music is a major part of Daniel and his family’s lives. Daniel hopes to spread his love of music to everyone he meets.

Mary Beth McCarthy is a professional vocal artist and serves as the Conductor and Artistic Director of the Fox Valley Festival Chorus. As a vocalist, she won a place in the International Bel Canto Competition, and worked with Martina Arroyo, Giorgio Tozzi and Natalie Limonick. In the Lincoln Opera Company of Chicago, she performed various roles. McCarthy has received multiple Awards, at both the University and High School levels, which honor excellence in education. She reconstructed the Aurora University Vocal Music Program, created Illinois' only all-girl Symphony Orchestra at Rosary High School and directs Instrumental Music at IMSA. She received degrees from Northwestern University and North Central College.

David Fitzgerald presently serves as the Minister of Worship, Music and Arts at Ardmore Baptist Church in Winston Salem, NC, where he oversees a music ministry involving multiple choral, handbell and instrumental groups and a Music and Arts Concert series. He has taught music in the public schools, at the college graduate level and has served in music ministry positions in churches in Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina for over thirty five years. David received his BA in Music from Lynchburg College and Master of Church Music degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. David is an active handbell clinician and has directed numerous State Handbell festivals and workshops. He has served as pianist/organist for the Virginia Baptist Male Chorale, The Northeast Piedmont Chorale and for music conferences and festivals in Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina. David has performed with choirs on tours throughout the US and Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic. As an organist, he has competed in local and regional AGO competitions and given recitals for local AGO chapters.

Robert Anderson is currently in his nineteenth year as Director of Choral Activities at Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Iowa. He has taught public school choral music in Iowa for over thirty years. Mr. Anderson’s choirs have done featured performances at two North Central ACDA Conventions and the 2005 National ACDA Convention.  His choirs have toured internationally on four different occasions. Robert was President of the Iowa Choral Directors Association from 1991-93, served as the President of the North Central Division of ACDA from 2002-2004 and was the Chairman of the 2004 North Central Division Convention. He holds a B.M.E. degree from Westmar College in Le Mars, Iowa, and has done graduate work at the University of Iowa.

Robert and his wife Jill live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jill is the choral director at Northwest Junior High in Iowa City. They have a seventeen-year-old son, Matthew.

Candace Syman-Degler, music director of the Asbury Singers at Asbury United Methodist, has a mission of producing high-quality SATB music every Sunday, year-round. Because composer Pepper Choplin’s work are beautiful and accessible, the Singers have performed six of his major works and numerous shorter anthems. Candace has been at Asbury for almost 20 years. She studied piano at the University of Illinois and University of Oregon, and has accompanied numerous choirs, musicians, and singers in the Eugene area.

Billye Brown Youmans, soprano, is an active recitalist, conductor and vocal pedagogue, and has appeared as guest artist with numerous orchestras in the southern United States, the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany. As conductor, she is acclaimed for the choral sound she achieves encompassing music from the Baroque to contemporary repertoire. She offers workshops and training on diction, effective choral techniques and tone, and vocal pedagogy.  Under her direction, the Great Bridge Presbyterian Chancel Choir completed two international tours; Germany/Austria (2007) and Scotland (2012) with plans for a third tour underway. Ms. Youmans is the Director of Music at Great Bridge Presbyterian Church, a Performing Artist Specialist at Virginia Wesleyan College, the soprano soloist for Ohef Sholom Temple in Norfolk, VA, and maintains a private voice studio.  She is a member N.A.T.S., ACDA and Chorister’s Guild.

The Chancel Choir of Great Bridge Presbyterian Church has successfully completed two international tours.  In 2007, Germany and Austria, and in 2012, Scotland.  Currently, the choir is making plans to for their third international tour to France and Italy.

The choir membership numbers sixty-five, including professional and volunteer musicians. In addition to weekly worship offerings they regularly perform on the church’s renowned Candlelight Concert Series offering concerts of classical sacred repertoire, include authentic Moravian Lovefeasts, The Last Words of Christ (Dubois), Requiem (Rutter), Christ lag in Todesbanden (Bach), Requiem 9/11/2001, (Dixon) to name a few. The annual Festival of Lessons and Carols draws capacity audiences, well over one thousand.  The church is located in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Beth Dampf and Kiesha Daulton co-direct the choirs at Jefferson City High School. Choirs under their direction include the Simonsen Freshman Choirs, the JCHS Concert Choir, Men’s Choir, Women’s Choir, Chorale, Chamber Choir, and the J-City Riot Showchoir as well as the Jefferson City High School Jay Choir. These ensembles have received awards and performed in festivals and competitions statewide as well as Washington D.C., Chicago, Orlando, Memphis, Nashville, and New York City. Both directors are active members of the Missouri Choral Directors Association, the Missouri Music Educators Association, and the National Association of Music Educators.

Carol Covington is the new director of Music and Worship Arts at Clemmons UMC, where there are nearly a dozen vocal and instrumental ensembles for musicians of all ages.

Mountain View Presbyterian Church Choir is under the direction of Kay Randolph, Director of Music Ministries.  This vibrant group of singers is comprised of all volunteers - business folks, nurse, housewives, students, retirees - people from all walks of life who share a passion for singing.  They boast a membership of 100 voices and have made five trips abroad, sharing their music in England, Scotland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and France.  The choir is known locally for their fabulous dinner theatres, which run for two weekends to sold- out crowds.  Being a choir member goes far beyond one anthem on a Sunday morning.  It is a ministry that reaches out in the community and to folks within the church.

Blake Smith serves as Director of Music at Kirk in the Pines Presbyterian Church in Hot Springs Village, AR, as well as Director of Bands and Choirs at Melbourne (AR) High School. He is a 2013 graduate of Henderson State University, where he studied conducting with Stephen Eaves and Ryan Fox and voice with Bill Higgins. He is an active baritone soloist, having performed as featured soloist in pieces including Messiah and Faure's Requiem, as well as titular roles in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro and Puccini's Gianni Schicchi. Blake is a member of American Choral Directors Association, American Guild of Organists (Central Arkansas Chapter), and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Michael J. Glasgow (b. 1977) is an award-winning composer, with accolades from the American Guild of Organists, SoundPrint Productions, VocalEssence, American Composers Forum and more. His Requiem premiered in 2001 with full orchestra and choir at North Raleigh UMC, and his numerous commissions have included choral, handbell, and orchestral works. His combination of precision, musicality and approachability have led Michael to a wide array of guest-conducting engagements around the country and abroad. He also serves as the Bass Section Leader of the North Carolina Master Chorale and the Choral Conductor for the Tar River Orchestra and Chorus (Rocky Mount, NC). www.michaeljglasgow.com

Dr. Douglas Jewett is Founder/Artistic Director Our Artistic Director, Dr. Douglas Jewett, is also the founder of our organization. He is an ordained minister and is Minister of Music of North Stuart Baptist Church since 2001. He and his family, wife Sharon and two daughters, moved to Stuart from East Tennessee where he was Minister of Music at First Baptist Church, Clinton, TN, for almost 20 years. Dr. Jewett has a BA in Music Theory, an MM in Choral Conducting, and an EdD in Organization Leadership. In addition to his duties at the church and with TCCS, Dr. Jewett is President of The CenturyMen, a national male choir of professional church musicians, for 2015. He also has recently been elected to the board of MartinArts Council. He is the recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow from Rotary International and the 2010 MartinArts Performing Artist of the Year. He has been an adjunct instructor at IRSC and has judged numerous choral and solo events for the Florida Vocal Association. He is a member of the American Choral Directors’ Association. Music has been a way of life for Dr. Jewett. He is a second generation music minister. “Music transcends the present aural experience. Music has the power to transport us to the past with both joyful and sorrowful thoughts. It can take us to locations all over the world. It can remind us of people who have been in our lives. It can move us to tears or make us explode in joy. I am thrilled to be able to share with you in an experience that contains such power.”

Joshua K. Brown became the Minister of Music and Worship at Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Greenwood Village, Colorado in August 2013. Joshua is a Master of Music graduate from Texas State University. While at Texas State University, Joshua studied choral conducting under the tutelage of Dr. Joey Martin and Dr. Jonathan Babcock, choral music education with Dr. Lynn Brinckmeyer, and voice with Brigitte Bellini. Joshua was the Associate Conducer of Texas State Chorale, Assistant Conductor of the Texas State Men’s Chorus, and a cast member with the Texas State Opera’s performance of Street Scenes. Joshua received his Bachelor of Music from the University of Texas at Tyler where he was a choral assistant for The Patriot Singers and University Chorale. While at the University of Texas at Tyler, Joshua was active with the UTT musical productions of Little Women and Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Joshua is also an active voice teacher with students who have achieved membership in the Texas All-State Choir, superior ratings, and outstanding performer awards at the UIL State Solo and Ensemble competition. Professional music organization memberships include American Choral Directors Association, Texas Music Educators Association, and Texas Choral Directors Association. Joshua was previously Director of Music at First United Methodist Church in Grand Saline and Lockhart, Texas.

The Presbyterian Church of the Covenant Chancel Choir is the primary vocal ensemble. This 30 member choir leads in weekly Sunday worship services and special services throughout the liturgical year. The Chancel Choir consists of four Choral Interns and volunteers from within the congregation and community. The ensemble’s repertoire ranges from Gregorian chant to 21st century literature. PCOC’s Chancel Choir collaborates twice a year, during Christmas and Easter, with member of the Lamont School of Music’s Symphony Orchestra. This is PCOC Chancel Choir’s first time being able to debut a significant work. 

Julie Haydon has been the choir director at Trinity Lutheran since 2010, where she has enhanced the choir program and introduced diverse repertoire and performance opportunities for adult and youth singers. Julie is also Director of Cantare Children’s Choirs, a nationally-recognized program bringing music education opportunities to 2900 underserved students weekly in urban Oakland. Julie loves working with singers of all ages and helping them discover the positive difference singing makes in their lives. Julie earned her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and a Master’s in Music Education from Holy Names University and has been a mentoring conductor with DCINY.

Karen Harvey is Minister of Music at UCC, Norwell, MA, conducting four choirs in a multi-generational music ministry, and enjoys a career as pianist, educator and composer.  An M.I.T. Affiliate Artist, Tanglewood fellow and soloist with numerous orchestras, Karen has premiered many compositions, including several written for her. She has performed with the Cantata Singers in Boston’s Symphony Hall, and served as pianist for the Boston Pops Chorus and Boston Ballet. As Music Director for the Holiday Chorus, she led performances at Faneuil Hall for several seasons, and recently conducted a 175-voice choir at the Vatican in Rome.

Cynthia Jackson was named conductor of the WCC Choir when the choir was formed in August 2013. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Music with an emphasis in piano performance from Emory & Henry College and a Master of Arts degree in Music and Education from Radford University. She has done additional graduate course work at Westminster Choir College (where she studied with John Bertalot and James Jordan), The University of Central Oklahoma, The University of Southern Mississippi, Shenandoah University, Radford University and Virginia Tech. As an undergraduate, Cynthia was in the prestigious Emory and Henry Concert Choir under the direction of Charles Davis and served as its Student Director. Cynthia has been the Music Director and Organist at First United Methodist Church in Hillsville since 1991. Cynthia has taught music in Roanoke County Public Schools, Gloucester County Public Schools and at Carroll County High School in Hillsville. In March 2012, she was selected by national audition to perform with the Music in Worship Festival Choir under the director of John Rutter for the Opening concert of the American Choral Director's Association National Conference in Dallas, Texas.

The Wytheville Community College Choir was established in 2013 under the direction of Cynthia Jackson of Galax, Virginia. The choir has received many positive reviews in Southwest Virginia and has performed for standing room only audiences. Along with their local seasonal performances in the fall and spring, the WCC Choir performed with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and the Southwest Virginia Community College Chorus in 2013. The WCC Choir also performed with “Vita in Canto,” a women's chorus from Ekaterinburg, Russia. Wytheville Community College celebrated a 50th Anniversary in 2014 and commemorate that anniversary, the college decided to support a major gifts campaign to establish an endowment that would fully support the choir program at the college. 

Ponca City Festival Singers is a group created following a “Meet the Composer” weekend with Pepper Choplin in February of 2015.  First United Methodist Church of Ponca City, Oklahoma, hosts a weekend of this type every other year.  We have opened the event to churches and singers in and around the area creating an ecumenical choir of over 50 singers.  Pepper extended the invitation for us to participate in the New York premiere of “Our Father” while he was in Ponca City working with us.  Eighteen singers from this choir plus a few others were able to make the commitment on such short notice.  We are extremely pleased to be included.

Elsie Shuler has been the Music Director at Wake Forest United Methodist Church for 15 years. She is also employed by Wake County Schools as the Heritage Middle School Chorus Teacher. Mrs. Shuler has been teaching music 32 years in all levels including elementary, middle and high schools. Her school choirs have sung in Europe, Carnegie Hall, Disney World and Busch Gardens. She has a Music Ed. degree from the College of Wooster, Wooster OH and a Master of Arts from the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. Mrs. Shuler is also a National Board certified teacher. She and her husband Bill have been married 8 years and have two children and three grandchildren.