ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Betty
Bertaux is the founder of the Children's Chorus of Maryland for
which she was Artistic Director for its first eleven years. Regarded as an
authority on vocal and music development in children, in the summer of
2001 she was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Music Education from
Vandercook College of Music, Chicago, for her contribution to the field of
choral music education. Dr. Bertaux also holds the degree of Master of
Music with Kodály Emphasis from Holy Names College, Oakland, the degree of
Master of Music in Composition from the Shepherd School of Music, Rice
University, Houston, and a Certificate of Study with Dr. Edwin E. Gordon
in Music Learning Theory from Temple University, Philadelphia. A former
faculty member of Peabody Conservatory and Holy Names College, she has
just completed her twentieth year as a member of Vandercook College of
Music's summer MECA faculty. Professionally active for 40 years, Dr.
Bertaux has worked with music students of all ages and, along with her
continued interest in working with young singers, is currently active in
teacher training. She is also internationally established and frequently
commissioned as a composer and arranger of music for treble choirs. Her
music is published by Alliance Music Publishers, Houston, TX and she is
editor of the Betty Bertaux Choral Series published by Boosey &
Hawkes, New York. Having trained and conducted children's choirs of all
skill levels, she is widely experienced as a guest conductor and choral
adjudicator. Her successful career has been built on the belief that a
children's choral director can guide young singers toward a life enriched
by music through an instructive, artistic and joyful singing experience.
GENERAL DIRECTOR
Ramona Galey joined the Children's Chorus of
Maryland in the fall of 2000. Ms. Galey's experience in project
management, finance and computer systems, as well as her thorough
knowledge of the arts both as an administrator and as a performer, combine
to create the breadth of knowledge and experience required of management
personnel in the arts and education fields. Ms. Galey holds a Master of
Music degree from Rice University and a Bachelor of Music Education from
Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. In addition, she holds
a certificate in project management and Masters Certificate in Leadership
in Nonprofit Management.
FACULTY
Mairee Carr joins CCM
this year as our new Assistant Artistic Director, as well as Teacher. Ms.
Carr recently completed her second year of training at the American Kodály
Institute, and leaves Chicago for her new post in Baltimore. Mairee
(pronounced "Mary") served for four years as the Music Educator for the
Chicago Mennonite Learning Center, freelanced as a professional musician,
and received her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Wheaton
College Conservatory of Music in Chicago. Holding graduate studies in
Dalcroze, Orff and Kodály from DePaul University School of Music in
Chicago, Ms. Carr also plays the flute and the piano, speaks German, and
enjoys reading, baking bread, running and urban gardening.
Deborah Mandell Blank
biography will be published soon.
Jennifer Jordan will
begin her fourth year as a music teacher and choral director Loyola-Blakefield
School this fall. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from
Towson University, where she won the James Velie Music Education
Scholarship and the Lacey Award for interpersonal skills. She received
formal voice studies with faculty from the Peabody Institute and Eastman
School of Music. Jennifer continues her formal music education with
courses at Westminister Choir College and the American Kodály Institute at
Loyola College. She returned to CCM, where she once auditioned for Betty
Bertaux at the age of six, and was enrolled for the next ten years. She is
a member of the Maryland Educators national Conference, Maryland Music
Educators Association and the American Choral Directors Association.
ACCOMPANIST
Patricia McKewen Amato also serves as the Director of Choral
Activities at Hood College. She has also been the music director of the
Maryland Lyric Opera, assistant music director for the Baltimore Opera
Company, assistant music director and chorus master of Washington Summer
Opera, and music director and conductor of Annapolis Opera, Opera Americana
in Virginia, the Washington Savoyards, and the Brevard Music Festival. A
graduate of Catholic University of America, Ms. Amato earned her master's
degree from the University of Houston. A frequent performer in the Baltimore
and Washington areas, Ms. Amato has accompanied the Annapolis Chorale, the
Goucher College Chorale, Young Audiences of Maryland Kinder-Opera Theater,
and the Baltimore Symphony Chorus. Amato's extensive operatic experience
includes duties as coach and accompanist at the AIMS Institute in Graz,
Austria; the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado; the Brevard Music Festival in
North Carolina; and the Young Victorian Theater in Baltimore.
