Pamela Mindell is the Artistic Director of the Worcester Children’s Chorus (MA), where she directs the Bel Canto and Cantare ensembles. In addition to her work with WCC, Pamela is also Music Director of the Cambridge Community Chorus. She has served on the faculties of Smith College, Clark University, and College of the Holy Cross. Under her direction, the Holy Cross choirs traveled to Italy and Spain, as well as throughout the Northeastern United States. Pamela has served as adjudicator and guest clinician throughout the Northeast and sings in the greater Boston area.

The mission of the Worcester Children’s Chorus is to enrich the lives of children ages 8-18 by providing a quality musical experience through training in choral singing. WCC's four ensembles enhance young people’s lives, helping them to develop qualities of self-reliance, personal integrity, compassion, and confidence in their abilities. Past season highlights have included tours and performances at Carnegie Hall (2015) and New Orleans, LA (2016). WCC has collaborated with several area choruses in MA and will be part of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem in November, 2017. Next summer, in celebration of the 10th Anniversary, WCC singers will embark on a tour to Iceland.

Dr. John Anderson is in his twenty-seventh year as a member of the Music Faculty of Monterey Peninsula College where he teaches music history, theory and performance studies. For the past sixteen years he has also served as Chair of the Division of Creative Arts. In this capacity he has full supervisory responsibility for the Theatre, Art, Photography and Music Departments. Dr. Anderson has had nationwide experiences as a guest conductor and clinician, and has served on the faculties of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky; Indiana State University; Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo; and Cabrillo College. As a professional flutist he has held positions with the Alpine Wind Quintet, the Greeley and Terre Haute Symphony orchestras, and as Principal Chair of the Breckenridge Festival Orchestra. He has played for numerous conductors including Zubin Mehta, Johnny Green and Meredith Wilson. He has also served as Associate Conductor of Colorado’s prestigious Breckenridge Festival for seven seasons. Active and involved in community organizations, he has served as President of the Central Coast Section of the California Music Education Association, Vice President of the Board of Youth Music Monterey and as a member of the State Board of Directors of the California Music Educators Association. Dr. Anderson is the founding Conductor of the Ensemble Monterey Chamber Orchestra, an elite professional ensemble which critics have called “…a unique musical treasure.” (Nathalie Plotkin, Monterey Herald). Ensemble Monterey is now in its’ twenty-fifth season of concerts. A recognized expert in the music of Edgard Varèse, his articles on music theory have been published in the Musical Quarterly and the CBDNA Journal. Dr. Anderson also pursues a second career as a classical recording engineer. His recording credits include the Aspen Music Festival and School, and the 250th anniversary recording of Handel’s Messiah in Dublin, Ireland. He has served as recording engineer on numerous international concert tours around the world. A native of Cupertino, California, he holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Flute Performance and a Master’s Degree in Music Education and Aesthetic Philosophy, both from UCLA. In 1984 he was awarded a Doctorate in Conducting from the University of Northern Colorado. His teachers have included Rocco DiStasio, Elizabeth A.H. Green, Nicolas Slonimsky, Sheridon Stokes and Eugene Corporon.

The Ensemble Monterey Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1992 as a consortium of professional musicians in the greater Monterey Bay area. Since its inception, Ensemble Monterey’s goals have been to bring to life master works rarely performed by other groups. Since its first concert, Ensemble Monterey has enjoyed gratifying critical response. One critic wrote of EMCO’s performance of Stephen Tosh’s Covenant of Light “We are very lucky on the Central Coast to be able to enjoy the collaborative excellence and professional talent of Ensemble Monterey, Cantiamo and Stephen Tosh.” In its 25-year history, Ensemble Monterey has been proud to perform numerous world and regional premieres, and actively supports local composers. Composers who have written specifically for Ensemble Monterey include Stephen Tosh, John Wineglass, William Zeitler, Barry Phillips and Imant Raminsh.

Valerie Hart graduated from Christopher Newport University in Newport News Virginia in May of 2004 with a degree in Choral Music Education. In fall of 2004 she began teaching Choir and General Music at Toano Middle School in Williamsburg Virginia, where she continues to teach today. She teaches sixth, seventh, and eighth grade non-auditioned curriculum choirs as well as an after school jazz choir named the Hart Beats. In General Music she teaches basic musical concepts as well music appreciation. Mrs. Hart was named Toano Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2016.

The curriculum choirs at Toano Middle School consist of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade non-auditioned students. There is a small select afterschool Jazz choir, named the Hart Beats. All choirs perform two formal concerts a year as well as at numerous school and community events. All Choirs participate in and have consistently received Excellent and Superior ratings at both their District Assessments and Spring Music Festivals. Over the past 13 years, the ratings have resulted in 19 first place finishes, 4 second place finishes, and 1 third place finish, including 5 Grand Champion Awards.

Ruthie Millgard (Intermediate, Girls Concert and Chamber Choir director) has been with the San Diego Children’s Choir since 2014. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Western Washington University (Dr. Leslie Guelker-Cone) and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Oregon (Dr. Sharon Paul). From 2008-2012, she taught music at a new, 6-12th grade school in Queens, NYC. Ms. Millgard directed the San Diego Unified School District Middle School Honor Choir in 2016, and their Elementary Honor Choir in 2017. Michael Sakell (Boys Concert Choir director) has been with the San Diego Children's Choir since the inception of the Boys Concert Choir in the fall of 2016. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from James Madison University, and is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from San Diego State University. Prior to his arrival in San Diego, Mr. Sakell taught choral music at Dixon-Smith Middle School in Stafford, VA.

The San Diego Children’s Choir’s premiere ensembles, Girls and Boys Concert Choirs and Chamber Choir, are made up of choristers from grades 5-12. Each ensemble meets once a week for two-hour rehearsals throughout the academic year for repertoire study as well as literacy and vocal health training. Premiere level ensemble choristers are expected to sing independently in multiple parts, display mature and healthy vocal technique, and use advanced solfege and literacy skills. Choristers at all ensemble levels perform music in a variety of languages, styles and difficulty levels. Leadership is emphasized at all ensemble levels and choristers are encouraged to become leaders through vocal modelling and/or administrative roles in and outside of rehearsal.

Anne Murray Saxon is currently the President of the NC Chapter of the American Choral Director’s Association, where her work as the former Newsletter Editor garnered two national awards. She is also the Director of Children’s and Youth Music at Home Moravian Church in Winston-Salem. Saxon holds a Master of Music Degree in Choral Conducting from UNC Greensboro, and a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Greensboro College, Piano Applied. An active member of the NC Music Educators' Association, she is a frequent guest conductor and piano accompanist for Honor and Festival Choirs, and an adjudicator for choral festivals.

Founded in 1999, the Winston-Salem Girls Chorus (WSGC) is a community organization of auditioned young singers from Winston-Salem and surrounding areas. A partner with the Music & Arts Ministries of Centenary United Methodist Church, WSGC’s mission is to provide a joyful and empowering experience for girls and young women through vocal music education and artistic excellence in choral music performance. WSGC performs locally and throughout the region, and has toured extensively in the United States and abroad. The Gate City Young Singers of Greensboro, with Director Tami Fields, joins WSGC for this Carnegie Hall experience.

Karen Ramirez has been the choir director at Teague in Aldine ISD since 2015. Although she is fairly new to teaching, she is not new to Aldine. Aldine is where she found her passion for music with the guidance of Megan Truelson, Kathryn Amshoff, and Anna Long. While at Sam Houston State University Karen studied under the direction of Dr. Jammeica Mott, Dr. James Franklin, and Denise Eaton. Karen is an active singer and cantors at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Huntsville, TX and sings with the Houston Symphony Choir.

Teague's Varsity Womens Ensemble has received Sweepstakes at the University Interscholastic League Concert and Sight Reading since Karen Ramirez joined the Teague family in the Fall of 2015. Her Non-Varsity Women's Choir earned a First Division rating on Stage and Excellent ratings in the Sight Reading room in 2016 and Sweepstakes in 2017. In 2017 the Men's choir received a First Division rating in the Sight Reading room and Excellent ratings on stage being Karen's first Men's group attending the competition.

Emma Brondolo is Artistic Director of the award-winning Young People's Chorus at Thurnauer, and Director of Early Childhood Music and Voice at JCC Thurnauer School of Music. She expanded the choral program to seven choirs, streamlined the philosophy of the voice program, and helped reshape the Early Childhood Music Program. She is a festival conductor for regional choral celebrations. She studied with Francisco Núñez, Artistic Director/Founder of the Young People's Chorus of New York City; received her B.M. in music education from the Hartt School of Music; and earned an M.Ed. in special and general education from St. John's University.

The Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer (YPC@T) is an affiliate of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City and shares the mission of bringing together children of diverse backgrounds, providing them with a choral experience that includes challenging choral music, cultural understanding and friendship. The chorus is in partnership with the Englewood Public School District and has expanded to seven choirs, serving children throughout Bergen County. YPC@T has won multiple 1st place awards at the Music in the Parks Competitions and is committed to singing a variety of musical genres, including new choral works, opera, gospel, classical and pop.