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current concerts

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Barbara Berner, Artistic Director
Mrs. Berner conducts the advanced touring ensemble, Concert Choir, and oversees all aspects of the children’s choir program which includes over 500 young singers.  Under Mrs. Berner’s direction the Concert Choir has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Oregon Bach Festival, the national American Choral Directors Association convention in Los Angeles, California, and at the White House.  Mrs. Berner has prepared the Concert Choir for numerous performances with the Saint Louis Symphony under conductors David Robertson, Hans Vonk, David Amado, Eri Klaus, Robert Kapilow, and John McDaniel. Mrs. Berner has conducted the young singers in performances with The Bach Society of Saint Louis, the St. Louis Holiday Brass Ensemble, featured broadcasts on KFUO Classic 99, and on international tours to and London and Wales (2004), Austria and the Czech Republic (2002), Scotland (2000), and Scandinavia (1998).

As an accompanist, music teacher and choral conductor, Mrs. Berner has had the opportunity to work with young singers from kindergarten through high school in the inner city schools of Detroit and Boston; on military bases in Osterholz-Scharmbeck, Germany and West Point, New York; and in the culturally diverse schools of the Washington D.C area.  At the United States Military Academy, Mrs. Berner was awarded the Department of the Army’s “Commander’s Award for Public Service” for her work in founding and directing the West Point Children’s Chorus.  She has served as a clinician for Kodály workshops and has been invited to conduct state honors choirs in Kentucky and New Mexico.  Mrs. Berner joined the artistic staff of The St. Louis Children’s Choirs in August 1996 and was appointed Artistic Director in 1999. Barbara Berner received her Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from Principia College and her Master of Music degree from Ithaca College.  She was awarded an Artist/Teacher and Master Teacher Diploma from the Institute for Choral Teacher Education, where she studied conducting with Dr. Doreen Rao.  Mrs. Berner holds an Advanced Certificate from the Kodály Pedagogical Institute in Kecskémet, Hungary.  Mrs. Berner and her husband Howard have two children who are recent graduates of Principia College:  Andrew, a licensed private pilot and solar car enthusiast, and Leslie, who is currently living in Munich, Germany.  Both Andrew and Leslie are alumni of the Children’s Choirs.

Adrienne Broyles, Director – Children’s Choir
Mrs. Broyles holds a Bachelors Degree in vocal performance with a minor in languages and a Master of Arts in Music Education from Indiana University.  She is a vocal music teacher at Mason Ridge Elementary School in the Parkway School District.  Adrienne Broyles has been a member of the artistic staff of The St. Louis Children’s Choirs since 2001. Mrs. Broyles has studied conducting with composer/conductor Bob Chilcott and completed Level III Certification from the Institute for Choral Teacher Education founded and directed by Dr. Doreen Rao.

Belinda Burnworth, Director – Children’s Choir
Belinda Burnworth is the director of the Children’s Choir 1A ensemble. Mrs. Burnworth holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree with honors from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and a law degree from Saint Louis University. After working as an attorney for a number of years, Mrs. Burnworth found she missed teaching and returned to the field of music education eight years ago. She teaches pre-kindergarten through 8th grade music at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic School in Belleville, Illinois. Mrs. Burnworth is deeply dedicated to the mission of The St. Louis Children’s Choirs. She has been a music reading teacher for Choristers and Concert Choir for ten years and served on the Choir’s Board of Directors from 2000 to 2008.

Joel Christie, Director – Chamber Singers
Joel Christie holds a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from Butler University in Indianapolis. Mr. Christie served as assistant conductor of the Indianapolis Children’s Choir and assistant conductor of the Indianapolis Arts Chorale. He has studied conducting under Joe Noble, Dr. Eric Stark, Henry Leck, and voice under Steven Rickards. Mr. Christie is a former member of the Webster University faculty where he directed the Webster University Concert Choir.

Greg Gastler, Director – Chorale and Young Men’s Ensemble
Mr. Gastler graduated from University of Texas with a Bachelors of Music Education and holds a Master of Music degree from Concordia University.  Currently, he is a music director at Salem Lutheran School in Afton, MO, and is the Publicity Director and a singer with The American Kantorei.  Previous professional responsibilities have included: Music Marketing Manager at Concordia Publishing House; Director of Choral Education at Grace Lutheran Church in Killeen, Texas; Choral Director in Texas public schools; Adjunct Faculty-Temple Junior College (Texas); and serving as a church choir director for over ten years.  Mr. Gastler joined the staff of The St. Louis Children’s Choirs in 2001 and lives with his wife Jenny in St. Louis.  His son Matt is a member of Chamber Singers and daughter Katherine is a graduate of Concert Choir.

Ragini Salomon, Director – Music Makers
Mrs. Salomon earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music with certification to teach vocal music in grades K-12 from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She recently completed her Orff-Schuelwerk Levels I and II at Webster University. Mrs. Salomon was first introduced to Children’s Choirs when she began working as an undergraduate rehearsal assistant in 1996 and has held many different positions in the choir family over the years. Currently she teaches vocal music K-5 at Craig Elementary School in the Parkway School District.  Mrs. Salomon joined the artistic staff as a director in 2006.

Brandon Williams, Director - Chorale
Brandon Williams received his Bachelors Degree from Western Illinois University and is currently pursuing his Masters Degree in at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  He teaches vocal and general music at Ladue Middle School, and will serve as the St. Louis Suburban Music Educators Association Middle School Choir Vice- President.  Mr. Williams joined the staff of The St. Louis Children’s Choirs in 2006.

Accompanists:

Billie Derham, Accompanist – Concert Choir, Music Makers
Billie Derham joined the SLCC in 2000 and performed with the Concert Choir at Carnegie Hall in April 2001.  She has also been a staff accompanist for the UMSL Music Department, St. Louis Conservatory of Music, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis.  Ms. Derham has played for the Saint Louis Symphony Chorus, the Bach Society, and many soloists including Christine Brewer, Robert McFerrin, Mark Madsen, and Jay Willoughby.  She has performed on the Premiere Performance concert series, Christ Church Cathedral concert series, the Sheldon Concert series, and many other venues in the St. Louis area and the Midwest as an accompanist and soloist.  Ms. Derham graduated magna cum laude from Lindenwood University and with highest honors from Southern Illinois University with degrees in piano performance. Her teachers include internationally acclaimed pianist Ruth Slenczynska, as well as Jane Allen, Evelyn Mitchell, Patricia Giron, and Groff Bittner.

Michael Frazier, Accompanist – Children’s Choir
Mr. Frazier is a graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where he received his Master of Arts in Piano Performance and Accompanying under the direction of Dr. Linda Perry.  In addition to The St. Louis Children’s Choirs he serves as accompanist for Main Street United Methodist Church in Alton, Illinois and Ladue Middle School.  Mr. Frazier also serves as musical director and accompanist for several theaters in the St. Louis metro area and is a private piano instructor.

Michael Herron, Accompanist – Young Men’s Ensemble and Chamber Singers
Mr. Herron is in his first year at Gateway Preparatory Junior High School where he teaches vocal and general music.  He taught the previous ten years at Pruitt Military Academy.  For the past thirteen years, he has served as rehearsal assistant, music reading instructor and accompanist with the St. Louis Children’s Choirs.  Mr. Herron earned a Bachelor of Music Education at Illinois Wesleyan University and a Masters of Music Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.  He has done additional study at the University of Missouri-Columbia.  He was honored in Who’s Who Among American Teachers in 2005 & 2006.  Mr. Herron is an alumnus of The St. Louis Children’s Choirs. 

Ruth Price, Accompanist – Choristers
Since moving to St. Louis in 1992, pianist Ruth Price has been active as a chamber musician, lecture-recitalist, and teacher. She has performed frequently on the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Prelude Concerts and the Chamber Music St. Louis series. Currently she teaches piano at Webster University and lectures for the Webster Community Music School’s Preparatory Program.  Ms. Price holds a doctorate from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and a Master's Degree from Indiana University. Ms. Price and her husband John McGrosso, a violinist with the Arianna String Quartet, live in St. Louis with their daughter Lucy, a future Music Maker!  This is her fifth season with the Children's Choirs.

Kathy Schneller, Accompanist – Children’s Choir
Mrs. Schneller joined the SLCC staff in 1998.  She has studied piano with Donna Vince of Webster University since 1993.  Previously Mrs. Schneller accompanied elementary chorus in the Mehlville School District.  Currently she accompanies children's choirs at Concord Trinity United Methodist and accompanies Oakville High School instrumental students at Solo-Ensemble Festivals.  Kathy and her husband Richard have two grown sons and two grandchildren.

Diana Umali, Accompanist – Chorale
Miss Umali completed her master’s degree in Piano Performance with an emphasis in Accompanying and Chamber Music from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE) in May 2006. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance and Bachelor of Science in Finance from Saint Louis University. Currently she is a music faculty member at SIUE, Saint Louis University, the Community Music School of Webster University and East Central College. Ms. Umali was a featured soloist with the SIUE Orchestra as a winner of the annual Concerto/Aria competition in spring 2005. She received the Edwin B. Warren Collegium Musicum/Graduate Performance Award and the Ernest A. Karandjeff Music Award, both from SIUE. Her teachers include Linda Perry (SIUE), Jennifer Lim and Pamela Dees (Saint Louis University).  Miss Umali joined the accompanying staff of The St. Louis Children’s Choirs in January 2002.