Clark Duhrkopf is a graduate of Sumner Iowa High School, Waldorf College - Forest City, Iowa - and the University of Northern Iowa, in Cedar Falls. Not only a conductor, Clark has performed the role of Tony in West Side Story and Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden. He has also sung "God Bless America", "O Canada" and the "Star Spangled Banner" for the Minnesota Twins Baseball organization, as well as the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Center. Mr. Duhrkopf has sang in China and made several visits to Europe, including a performance for the Pope in 1998 with the UNI Varsity Men's Glee Club. He has also directed many Musical Theatre productions.

Carpe Diem Vocal Ensemble (CDVE) and Parish Choir are based within St. Stephen's Church, in Edina, MN. CDVE is marking it's 15th Season (founded in September 2001). Clark has been with the Parish Choir since February of 1997. Both choral ensembles sing a wide variety of musical styles, including Broadway tunes, Jazz, Spirituals, major works by Karl Jenkins, and more. Additionally, CDVE performs Christmas and Spring concerts and the "Star Spangled Banner" for the Special Olympics in Minnesota. The Parish Choir leads worship on Sundays, holidays and for special services. Each group is comprised of excellent singers who simply "love to sing". This performance marks their second DCINY appearance.

This will be Erin Phillips’ fifth year teaching at Ridge View High School. Last year was an amazing year and a very successful year for the Singing Blazers. The Chamber Singers received Superior ratings in 40th Lander Choral Festival at Lander University in Greenwood, SC. They also received 2rd place overall and most inspiring performance. Mrs. Phillips also took the students to participate in the SCMEA Big 16 State Choral Festival at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. There, two choirs received a Superior Rating for their performances and one choir received a Superior with Distinction rating. All three choirs received a Superior rating for their efforts in sight-singing. The Ridge View Choirs also participated in the Music in the Parks Festival at Carowinds. All three choirs received Superior ratings from both judges. The choirs placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd in their division, as well as 1st place overall for the high school choral division. We also received two outstanding vocalist awards. The choirs are expected to participate in the same choral festivals again this upcoming year. Mrs. Phillips received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Lander University in May 2006. After that, she went on to receive a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. In 2009, she returned to Lander University and earned her K-12 Certification in Music Education. She is currently a member of the National Association for Music Education, American Choral Directors Association, the Palmetto State Teachers Association, Alpha Chi Honor Society, and the National Music Honor Society of Pi Kappa Lambda. Mrs. Phillips lives Ridgeway, SC with her husband, Al, and their three children: Emilee, 14, AJ, 11, and Keaton, 4. Emilee enjoys dancing, playing softball, and reading. AJ is a Georgia Football fan and enjoys playing video games, and Little League baseball. Keaton loves hanging out with her cousins and playing dress up. Outside of school, Erin enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, camping, swimming, reading, and singing.

The concert choir is one of the top performing groups at Ridge View. ​The ensemble is made up of 60 students ranging from 9th to 12th grade. The choir participates in many state events including state choral festival and the music in the parks festival at Carowinds. Members of the ensemble also participate in many other events, including All-State Choir, District Honor Choir, Region Choir, Solo & Ensemble, USC Honors Choir, ACDA State Honor Choir, and ACDA National Honor Choir.

Jason Womack is in his 14th year of teaching within Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District just outside of Houston. This is his 11th year conducting choirs at Cypress Woods High School. Jason graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston, Moore’s School of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Music Theory. He is an active member of Texas Choral Directors Association and Texas Music Educators Association as well as a guest conductor/clinician throughout the state. Jason is married to Lindsay and they have four children – Sarah (11), Storm (9), Katherine (7) and Emmett (4).

The Cypress Woods High School Varsity Choir is a combination of 120 students from the high school’s top two performing groups - Mixed Choir and Varsity Women’s Choir. Students in these two ensembles are selected based on character, academic excellence and musical ability. The choir program alone has over 300 students and consists of students from all walks of life, including National Merit Scholars, athletes, artists, JROTC, and thespians. Notable performances include two appearances at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention (2011,2016), Distinguished Performance at American Classics’ Madrigal Festival (2013) and several best in class performances at festivals throughout the state and country.

South Sound Classical Choir Director, Dr. David LaBerge, organized the Bach Society of Minnesota with Charles Stroebel and was Music Director for 21 years of annual Bach Festivals and concerts by other composers. He prepared choruses for concerts by the Minnesota Orchestra, conducted by Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, and by guest conductors Robert Shaw, Neville Marriner, Raymond Leppard, Leonard Slatkin, and Henry Charles Smith.

The South Sound Classical Choir is made up of about 50 community singers from Puyallup, Tacoma, and surrounding South Puget Sound areas in the State of Washington who love to sing a diverse musical repertoire. Celebrating their 15th year, choral members continue to enjoy singing concert programs that include classical music, from Renaissance to modern periods. Two years ago, we chose "The Ground," by Ola Gjeilo, as our signature piece (or, as we often say, it chose us), and sing this to close each concert program.

Claire graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music in 1996, winning the prestigious Frederic Cox Award. Her BBC debut was in the recorded première of Britten’s Three Small Songs, in 1995. Joining English National Opera in 1999, as Principal Artist, her roles included Fiordiligi in Cosi fan Tutte, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro, and soprano soloist in a staged production of Verdi’s Requiem. She sang Freia, Ortlind and Gutrune in ENO’s production of The Ring Cycle directed by Phyllida Lloyd, being the first classical work performed on the main stage at the Glastonbury Festival. In 2004 she won the Bayreuth Scholarship from the Wagner Society of Great Britain. Claire became Music Director of Suffolk Singers in 2009.

Founded in 1991 Suffolk Singers is a largely acappella choir performing a wide variety of music, both sacred and secular. We perform four or five concerts a year and regularly visit Ely Cathedral to present music for Easter. In the 2012 Suffolk Festival Suffolk Singers emerged as the best adult choir and winner of the Wightman Cup. In July 2014 Suffolk Singers qualified to take part in the Choir of the World competition at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. In May 2015 the Singers performed at The Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy in London. We have performed alongside G4 at the Ipswich Regent and have recorded for SkyArts with Richard E Grant for Tate Britain. We have been on tour in Ireland and Wales and will be visiting Belgium in 2018.

Dr. Lana Stephens Pollard, conductor, organist, pianist Lana is a proud native of South Carolina and graduated from Presbyterian College, earned a MME at the University of South Carolina School of Music, and a Doctor of Worship Studies degree from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2009. Lana has over 30 years experience in church music and is currently Director of Music Ministries at Pawleys Island Presbyterian Church. She also taught music in public schools for a number of years and was honored as Teacher of the Year at Carolina High School in Greenville, SC, in 1986.   Lana has also worked with and directed a great variety of community artistic efforts, from the Greenville Chamber Singers, Greenville Little Theater, to the Northeast Florida Conservatory Orchestra. Lana and her husband Tim are delighted to be living in beautiful Pawleys Island, SC.

The Music Ministry at Pawleys Island Presbyterian Church is one of joy and celebration that enhances worship and moves us closer to God. Music is a vital part of the life at PIPC and opportunities are offered to participate in vocal, handbell, and instrumental ensembles for all ages and ranges of experience. PIPC has a long tradition of excellence in choral music and also has a strong commitment to make quality music and arts accessible to the Pawleys Island Community. The Chancel Choir leads traditional worship at weekly and special services.