Based in Santa Ana, California, the Mater Dei High School Choral and Vocal Program serves a diverse Southern California community. With 11 ensembles and nearly 300 singers participating in athletics, ASB, the arts, campus ministry, and more, the program consistently excels, earning superior ratings at competitions and festivals nationwide. Notably, they recently performed solo concerts at Carnegie Hall and renowned venues in Italy. Graduates of the program thrive in artistic careers ranging from the Metropolitan Opera to Broadway, upholding the legacy of excellence cultivated at Mater Dei. Additionally, the program prioritizes nurturing the spiritual growth of every singer, reflecting Mater Dei’s core values.

Dr. Jodi Reed is the director of Mater Dei High School Choirs in Santa Ana, CA and a Musical Director with Millennial® Choirs & Orchestras. Early in her choral music career she became the first female conductor to take first place, multiple times, in a prestigious California choral competition. Since then Jodi’s choirs have made many notable appearances including National Public Radio’s nationally syndicated radio show From the Top; concerts at the 2018 American Choral Directors Association’s Western Region Conference in Pasadena, CA, the 2018 California All-State Music Educators Conference in San Jose, CA, the 2022 CASMEC Conference in Fresno, CA; and performances in Carnegie Hall and St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City in 2019 and 2022. This year Jodi’s choirs performed at the 2023 American Choral Directors Association Western Region Conference.

Jodi enjoys traveling with choirs internationally and has conducted in magnificent venues, including the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey and La Sagrada Familia in Spain. In Italy Jodi has conducted her choirs in concert in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, the Chiesa di San Trovaso in Venice, the Chiesa Santa Trinita in Florence, and in Rome the Chiesa Sant’Ignazio di Loyola, the Basilica Papale di San Pietro, and the Sistine Chapel.

Jodi managed a competitive piano studio for two decades before turning her talents to choral music. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Claremont Graduate University in Conducting, a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from California State University East Bay, and a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from San Jose State University. In addition to spending time with her husband, six children and four grandchildren, Jodi enjoys scuba diving and any time spent at the ocean.

It is the mission of The Westchester Children’s Chorus to engage and empower our diverse community of children through choral education and performance opportunities. Our commitment to artistry and performance creates a collaborative space with hands-on musical learning experiences, while bringing cultural events to the residents of Westchester and its surrounding areas. The Westchester Children’s Chorus grew out of a festival day in the spring of 2015. Since then, we have expanded our choirs from ten singers in one ensemble to the WCChorus you see today. With eight performing ensembles grouped by age and ability that range from grades 1 - 12 as well as our early childhood classes, we are the proud winners of the 2023 Arts Westchester Education Award!

In addition to our regular seasonal concerts we participate in community performances all around Westchester. The chorus made its Carnegie Hall debut in June 2022 with DCINY. We traveled domestically in the summer of 2023, to participate in the Sing-A-Mile-High Festival in Denver, CO. This summer of 2024 we will head to Ireland for our first international performance tour. As of Spring 2024 we have students from 30 different schools in 15 school districts throughout Westchester County.

Amanda K. Gundling founded the Westchester Children’s Chorus in 2015 and serves as the Artistic Director and the conductor of the Chorale (9th-12th grade Treble Ensemble). A Graduate of Syracuse University and New York University, Amanda currently serves as the Director of Choirs at Scarsdale High School in Scarsdale, New York. “I am humbled to serve as the Artistic Director of the Westchester Children’s Chorus. This is an astounding group of young musicians and their dedication and love of choral music and singing is palpable. Watching our older singers become mentors to our younger singers and create a community that welcomes everyone with open arms has been one of the greatest joys. I am brimming with excitement as the Westchester Children’s Chorus expands and grows. I am forever grateful to our team of educators, administrators, board members, parents and singers for continuing to give WCChorus life and energy.

A native of Westchester County, Jennifer Giustino has been working with children’s choir programs for the past fifteen years in New York and Michigan. Jennifer is the Early Childhood Prelude Director and Cantabile Conductor for Westchester Children's Chorus. She currently serves as a K-5 General Music and Chorus teacher in the Scarsdale School District. Jennifer holds a Bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College in Vocal Performance and Music Education where she studied under Dr. Janet Galván. She received her Master’s in Music Education from Michigan State University, with choral study training taking place under Dr. Sandra Snow. Currently, she is enrolled in the Educational Leadership Master’s program at Long Island University. Internationally, Jennifer has served as a guest clinician for the summer SING! Children and Youth Choir Program in Cork, Ireland, and directed the inception of an early childhood music program to accompany the organization in the summer of 2018. Locally, Jennifer has served as an elementary all-county and honor choir conductor across New York in addition to chairing all-county and honor choir festivals through ACDA, MMEA, and NYSSMA. She has presented research on culturally responsive teaching, interdisciplinary teaching, choral teaching, and elementary music pedagogy in New York, California, and Michigan.