Tampa Bay Children's Chorus

Staff

Artistic Staff

Dr. Averill Summer, Averill Summer, Music Director: Dr. Summer is the Founder of the Tampa Bay Children's Chorus and is the Music and Artistic Director. She holds the Doctor of Music and Master of Music degrees from Indiana University and is currently an Associate Professor of Piano at the University of South Florida. Dr. Summer is active as a clinician, lecturer, and recitalist, and has performed in the United States and Europe. Dr. Summer has served as guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for the American Choral Directors Association, Royal School of Church Music, Music Teacher's National Association, and Music Educators National Conference, and is an Artist-Teacher in the Choral Music Experience Program. She was the conductor for the Florida Music Educators Association All-State Elementary Chorus for 2002. An active performing pianist, Dr. Summer has appeared with orchestras throughout the state, including the Florida Orchestra, the Lakeland Symphony, and the Tampa Bay Symphony, and has performed and lectured in this country and Europe.

Barbara Woellner, Assistant Music Director and Apprentice Choir Conductor: Mrs. Woellner joined our staff in August 1993. She assists the Music Director in all aspects of training and musicianship, rehearses and directs Touring and Apprentice Choirs in conjunction with the Artistic Director. Ms. Woellner has a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the University of South Florida and over twenty-five years experience as a public school music teacher in Sarasota and Pinellas counties. She was honored as the 2001 elementary music teacher of the year for Pinellas County and currently serves as the Music Specialist for Leila Davis Elementary School in Pinellas County.
LaGretta Snowden, Pre-Preparatory Choir Director, graduated, cum laude, from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and received her Masters of Music degree from USF in 2003. Previously a Music Specialist at Schwarzkopf Elementary School in Tampa, Ms. Snowden currently is a coordinator for USF and plays the piano for several local area churches. She has been the TBCC Pre-Preparatory Choir Director since 1998.

David Matthews, Accompanist: Mr. Matthews has been with TBCC since its inaugural season. He studied organ and piano at Indiana University and currently serves as organist at Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church in Tampa. Mr. Matthews has also served as accompanist for the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and as pianist in the Phoenix Chamber Ensemble. He has toured as accompanist with the Norman Luboff Choir, Fred Waring Workshops and with the Dave Brubeck Trio. Mr. Matthews has served as staff accompanist at Indiana University and at the University of South Florida, and also accompanied the International Children's Choir Festival at Carnegie Hall, under the direction of Doreen Rao. As accompanist of the Master Chorale, Mr. Matthews has played under the direction of many distinguished conductors, including Sir David Willcocks, Robert Shaw, and Jahja Ling.

Genevieve Beauchamp, Assistant Conductor, Preparatory Choir and Assistant Accompanist: Ms. Beauchamp joined the TBCC Staff May, 2000. Before coming to the United States from Quebec, she studied in Sherbrooke. She recently received the Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the University of South Florida. Ms. Beauchamp was one of the four national finalists in the Canadian Music Competition in July 2000, and was the winner of the USF concerto competition and the Jacques Abram scholarship award. Ms. Beauchamp has studied conducting with Doreen Rao at the Choral Music Experience Institute in St. Andrew's Scotland.

Administrative Staff

Candace Otte, Chorus Manager: Ms. Otte joined the TBCC staff in March 1999. She hold a BS degree in Nursing from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. Ms. Otte is currently office manager and legal assistant for her husband's law practice. Her previous employment includes the position of staff nurse and medical records manager for United Cerebral Palsy of Tampa Bay and she has also worked as a pediatric nurse at several area hospitals. While at Duke she was a member of the Women's Glee Club and Chapel Choir. More recently she has been a community member of the Women's Chorale and the University Singers at the University of South Florida.
Ann Novero, Marketing & Development Director: Ms. Novero joined the TBCC administrative staff in March 2003. She graduated in 1998 with a BME-Vocal degree from the University of Oklahoma. She spent five years working as a theatre teacher and director/musical director for Kids Who Care, Inc., a non-profit musical theatre production company based in Fort Worth, Texas. After relocating to Houston, Texas, she started the Houston branch of that same theatre and directed it for two years prior to moving to Florida. She has taught private voice and elementary music for five years in Houston, Texas, serving on various school and district curriculum and compliance committees. Ann is a certified music teacher for grades K-12 in both Oklahoma and Texas. Most recently, she has been working as a director, vocal coach, and choreographer for theater productions at American Stage in St. Petersburg, Florida.