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I Hear America Singing: The Music Of Andre Thomas And Greg Gilpin

Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall

Acts

André Thomas, Guest Conductor
The Music of André Thomas
Featuring Distinguished Concerts Orchestra and Distinguished Concerts Singers International

Greg Gilpin, Guest Conductor
Greg Gilpin: Music for Young Voices (Children's Choirs and Middle Schools)
Featuring Distinguished Concerts Singers International

Jeffery Redding, Director
The Music of André Thomas
Featuring Distinguished Concerts Orchestra and Distinguished Concerts Singers International

Participating Groups

Ambassador Choir of the Alabama Choir School

Crowley ISD Honor Choir

Canto Voce

Vocal Students of Bridget Warren

The Choral Society of West Georgia

Pine Crest School Concert Choir and Middle School Chorus

Discovery Canyon Varsity Choir

Mayberry Cultural and Fine Arts Middle School Choir

Chancel Choir, First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood

Chamber Choir of the Alabama Choir School

Christchurch City Choir, New Zealand

Sanctuary Choir, First Baptist Church, Stephenville, Texas

West Orange High School Concert Choir

Special Guests

Artist's Name

Greg Gilpin

Artist's Name

Greg Gilpin

Artist's Name

André Thomas

Artist's Name

Jeffery Redding

Participating Group Directors

Ambassador Choir of the Alabama Choir School
Doff Procter
Doff Procter holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Vocal Performance from the University of Alabama and the Cleveland Institute of Music, plus an Artist Diploma from the Music Conservatory in Geneva, Switzerland. He has sung ninety leading lyric baritone and tenor roles from opera, operetta, and musical theatre across the US and nine European countries. Procter's most recent appearances were the title role in Sweeney Todd, Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music, as baritone for Orff's Carmina Burana and bass in Bach's B-Minor Mass. He is also currently the Director of Music programs at Christ Episcopal Church.

The Ambassador Choir is comprised of extremely talented 5th-8th graders chosen by competitive auditions around the area. The music they perform each year is a representation of the best composers and folk music from the last 500 years, including some popular titles from the 21st century. In the spring semester each year, they travel to perform in and explore different cities nationally and internationally. In May of 2015, the Ambassador Choir traveled with the high school Chamber Choir on their thirtieth anniversary trip to Japan for nine days of music-making, fun and collaborations with young Japanese musicians!                 
                

Crowley ISD Honor Choir
Kathy Chiles
Kathy Chiles is the founding director of the Crowley I.S.D. Honor Choir, organized in 2001. Under Ms. Chiles’ direction, the Honor Choir has been selected three times to perform for the Texas Music Educators Association’s annual convention. Her choirs consistently win Grand Champion and Best in Festival in state choral competitions. In 2006 and 2010, her choir performed in Carnegie Hall.
She taught elementary music for five years and junior high choirs for 18 years. Her choirs have been awarded numerous UIL Sweepstakes. She has served as an adjudicator and clinician. She is a member of ACDA, TCDA and TMEA.

The Crowley I.S.D. Honor Choir consists of 5th and 6th grade students from the Crowley School District. The 110-voice choir has been awarded every major honor in the Texas music community. The young singers enjoy performing in all venues, from classical to popular music. The Honor Choir has performed at Texas Rangers games, Celebrity Cutting Horse Shows, Stockyards Christmas, ICE at the Gaylord Texan, and Disney World. Under the direction of Kathy Chiles, the choir performed in Carnegie Hall in 2006, 2012, and 2017. The choir performed at the Texas Music Educators Association in San Antonio, TX in 2004, 2006 and 2010.

Vocal Students of Bridget Warren
Bridget Warren
Bridget Warren began piano lessons at age 7 and continued her music study through choir and vocal lessons. At 16, she taught voice and piano at a local music store. She was accepted at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. At UArts, she received the Vocal Faculty Award and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Vocal Performance and Master's Degree in the Art of Teaching Music Education. She was accepted as a student performer of the Bel Canto Institute program in Florence, Italy. She is currently the Head Choir Director at Dr. Dixie Melillo Middle School in Houston, Texas.

The Vocal Students of Bridget Warren is an ensemble comprised of middle school voices located in the Houston Metro area. They've performed for the Pasadena (TX) Chamber of Commerce, a regional Holiday Tour and made multiple appearances performing the National Anthem for a number of Rice University sporting events, including a nationally televised football game.
 

Canto Voce
Jacob Oxley
Mr. Oxley is in his fourth year as the director of the Antigo High School Choirs. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. He is a classical performer and is involved with Barbershop Quartets and Choruses throughout the United States.

Canto Voce is an auditioned choir of 24 singers from the Antigo School District. The choir was formed two years ago in an attempt to provide a higher level performing ensemble for the students of Antigo. The choir specializes in acapella music and has a wide range of styles that they specialize in.    

Pine Crest School Concert Choir and Middle School Chorus
Joanna Craik and Allison Mair
Joanna Craik has been a choir director for 26 years, eight of those years at Pine Crest School. She is currently the director of the grades two and three Cool Cats Chorus and the grades four and five Concert Choir. In addition to directing choirs, Ms. Craik teaches Lower School general music classes and voice lessons. Ms. Craik's students are consistently selected for All-State and National Honors Ensembles, and she is an active member of NAfME (National Association for Music Education), ACDA (American Choral Directors Association), FEMEA (Florida Elementary Music Educators Association), and FVA (Florida Vocal Association).

Allison Mair has been teaching at Pine Crest School for the past 10 years and is currently the director of the Middle School Chorus. Under Mrs. Mair's leadership, students maintain a rigorous choral performance schedule, including several yearly choral performances, as well as a full-length musical theater performance. In addition to directing choir and teaching voice lessons, Mrs. Mair is also an active member of NAfME (National Association for Music Education), ACDA (American Choral Directors Association), FEMEA (Florida Elementary Music Educators Association), and FVA (Florida Vocal Association) and has had students selected each year for participation in various choirs at a state, national, as well as international level.

The Pine Crest School Concert Choir and Middle School Chorus consist of 92 singers in grades four through eight who exude a true passion for music. The school's thriving choral program exists through the continuous support of adminstrators Dr. Dana Markham, Mr. David Clark, and Mr. Lawrence Mellone. The two choirs are led by Joanna Craik and Allison Mair, and are accompanied by Melissa Clark and Tennison Hubbard.

The Choral Society of West Georgia
Elizabeth Biggs
Elizabeth W. Biggs is the founder and artistic director of The Choral Society of West Georgia. She was a music educator with the Troup County School System for 28 years, teaching elementary, middle, and high school choral music. Biggs holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Converse College School of Music and Columbus State University in vocal performance and choral music education. She is the discipline expert for the Alabama Institute for Education for the Arts. Biggs has been a member of Cantus Columbus, a professional vocal ensemble, and is active in the Georgia Music Educators Association and the American Choral Directors Association.

Now in its tenth performing season, the Choral Society of West Georgia, based in LaGrange, GA, is comprised of two ensembles, The LaGrange Civic Chorale and Bel Canto LaGrange, A Women's Vocal Ensemble, performing three concerts yearly. The Society offers excellence in choral music through varied and eclectic repertoire and programming. Both groups perform throughout the West Georgia and East Alabama areas. All members of the Choral Society are community volunteer singers, ranging in age from 17 to 75.

Mayberry Cultural and Fine Arts Middle School Choir