SEJ Music Week Conference Leadership

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Junaluska

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	ADULT CHOIR Jeffrey Redding, FL	ADVANCED HANDBELLS Arnold Sherman, TX
	CHAMBER CHOIR David Pegg, NC	INTERMEDIATE HANDBELLS Valerie Stephenson, FL
	SENIOR HIGH CHOIR Mark Burrows, TX	INTERMEDIATE HANDBELLS Kathleen Wissinger, VA
	MIDDLE HIGH CHOIR Hank Hinnant, SC	CHILDREN 3RD - 5TH GRADE Joseph Stobaugh, TX
	PREACHER Jody Seymour, NC	CHILDREN K - 2ND GRADE Cathy Mathia, TX
	LITURGIST Laura Jaquith Bartlett, OR	INTERMEDIATE DANCE Tim Ethridge, GA
	VISUALS Phillip Cox-Johnson, KS	ADVANCED DANCE Stella Matsuda, CA
	DRAMA Pam Abbey, CA	WORSHIP ORGANIST & RECITALIST Rodney Cleveland, FL
	INSTRUMENTAL Jim Kilgus, SC	CONCERT ARTIST Brethren, VA
	CONDUCTING Gary Alan Smith, TN	CHOIR CHIMES FOR CHILDREN Jerald Jay, FL
	GLOBAL PRAISE Debi Tyree, TN

	Pam Abbey • Drama Pam began her dramatic career in the fourth grade, when she produced, directed, and starred in the class Halloween play! She received a B. A. from the University of Indianapolis, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, and the M. A. from the University of Minnesota. Both degrees were in Theatre Arts. She also served as the Theatre Arts Coordinator for Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis. Ordained as a United Methodist pastor after receiving a M.Div. at Pacific School of Religion, she served as a parish pastor in northern California for 20 years, bringing dramatic flair to the congregations she served. Several years ago, she decided to join her passion for the theatre and passion for the church and founded Acting in Faith, which provides workshops and training for church drama teams and biblically themed worship scripts. Her goal is to help congregations build excellent, sustainable drama ministries. She continues to be an active clergy member of the CA-NV annual conference, and is Appointed to Extension Ministry. Currently, she is the chairperson of the Drama Area for the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts, and writes a regular column on drama ministry for “Worship Arts”. Pam lives near San Francisco with her husband, Kent Parr, an attorney who sings with a very active men’s a cappella group. They are owned by two cats. In the church they currently attend, she does creative drama in an afterschool program for neighborhood children, most of them recent immigrants. When she has time, she acts with a number of area theatre groups, cooks fabulous Chinese dinners and putters in her drought-tolerant garden.
	Laura Jaquith Bartlett • Liturgist Laura Jaquith Bartlett is a deacon in full connection. She has a passion for planning and leading worship, finding ways to empower God's people to sing out their faith. She has filled a variety of leadership roles in the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference, including chairing the Order of Deacons, serving as Conference Secretary, helping plan Annual Conference, and staffing our annual Choir Camp. Her writing has appeared in a number of publications such as Church Music Workshop and the Abingdon Worship Annual. Laura has been richly blessed by her involvement in the Fellowship. She served on the Design Team for the 2005 San Francisco Convocation and was thrilled to plan worship with leaders such as Tom Troeger, Carlton Young, Don Saliers, and Barbara Day Miller. She and her spouse, Todd (an ordained elder), have two daughters. They all enjoy traveling, canoeing, and Scandinavian folk dancing.
top of page	Mark Burrows • Senior High Choir Mark Burrows received his undergraduate degree in music education from Southern Methodist University and his graduate degree in conducting from Texas Christian University. Mark is currently the Director of Fine Arts at First United Methodist Church - Fort Worth. He directs choral ensembles of all ages and oversees programs in visual arts and puppetry. Prior to his work in Fort Worth, Mark was an elementary music teacher in Dallas. Mark has written music and curriculum for numerous major publishers. His song collections and musicals for children top many best seller lists. Mark now writes school and sacred music exclusively for The Lorenz Corporation. Known to many little listeners as "Mister Mark," he tours nationally, presenting high-energy family concerts. Mark's albums, You've Got a Song and Go Ape! have each won numerous awards for children's music. Mark resides in Fort Worth, Texas, with his wife Nina and daughters Emma and Grace.
	Rodney Cleveland • Worship Organist & Recitalist Rodney Cleveland joined Lakewood Presbyterian Church in September 2000 as organist/music director. In May 2006, the LPC leadership named him Minister of Music in recognition of his extraordinary ability to inspire the congregation and enrich their worship experience through music. His choir just recently returned from their fourth concert tour of Europe. They have had the opportunity to sing in Coventry Cathedral, St. Peter’s Basilica, and Notre Dame. Prior to coming to Lakewood, Rodney served other churches in Florida, as well as in Georgia and South Carolina. A native of Hartwell, Ga., Rodney earned his bachelor’s degree from Anderson College in Anderson, S.C., and his Master of Sacred Music degree from Emory University in Atlanta. Rodney currently is dean of the Jacksonville Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and is active in the Florida Federation of Music Clubs. He also is active as a recitalist and accompanist, performing as a featured soloist with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra; a recitalist/clinician for Music and Liturgical Arts Week at Lake Junaluska, N.C.; organist for the Florida Church Music Workshop sponsored by The Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts; and conductor of Handel’s Messiah with the Colleton County Arts Council Chorus with members of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.
	Philip Cox-Johnson • Visuals Philip Cox-Johnson holds a bachelor of music in vocal performance from Wheaton College Conservator of music and a master’s degree in church music from Scarritt Graduate School. Has served as choir director and elementary music and art teacher. Since 1986 Philip has been a fiber artist and dyer, his company, Gospel Colors specializes in art for worship settings. He has given workshops in the fields of church music, the use of symbols and colors in liturgy and worship, as well as many hands on workshops in various surface design techniques with fabric and dyes. Philip is the Director of Worship Arts at Broadway Church in Kansas City, Missouri.
top of page	Tim Ethridge • Intermediate Dance Tim Ethridge – Intermediate Dance – Lives in Savannah, Georgia and attends Asbury Memorial UMC. Tim has been a part of the liturgical dance community for over 20 years and he has danced and choreographed at various churches and events throughout the eastern U.S. Tim is co-founder of Mannafest a liturgical dance group that enjoys sharing the spirit of dance to groups such as churches, retirement communities, and schools/daycares. Tim served on the Design Team as Dance Coordinator from 2004-2006. Tim is excited to be teaching liturgical dance at Lake Junaluska and he would like to invite all dancers, non-dancers, movers, and shakers to attend his classes!
	Hank Hinnant • Middle High Choir Hank Hinnant is one of the most versatile musicians in the Southeast. As a choral director, he is a regular clinician for choral festivals of all ages and serves as Minister of Music at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC. As musical director for the SC Children’s Theatre, he has prepared many Broadway shows, such as Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Secret Garden, The Wizard of Oz, The Music Man, and Seussical. A specialist in music technology, Hank owns Opus One Recording where he works with state-of-the art equipment in producing CDs in many genres and recently directed an audio book released by Random House. As a composer, he has written many published octavos and fulfilled a number of commissions. A graduate of Furman University and Southern Methodist University, Hank has attended Music Week for many years and served as chairperson of the Design Team. He lives in Taylors, SC, with his wife, Janice, and son, Kevin.
	Jerald Jay • Choir Chimes for Children (information to come)
top of page	Jim Kilgus • Instrumental Director Jim Kilgus received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Furman University in 1989 and his Master of Music in Music Education and Conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in 1991. Since that time, he has served as a Director of Bands for the Greenville County (SC) School District for the last 16 years. In addition to his school duties, Mr. Kilgus has been Conductor of the Carolina Youth Symphony Repertory Orchestra for 16 years and is currently in his 5th year as Minister of Music at Eastland Baptist Church in Greenville, SC. Jim and his wife, Tammie, have a 25 year old son, Taylor, who is the Principal Clarinet in the Augusta Symphony and a ten year old daughter, Rebekah, who is studying the violin.
	Cathy Mathia • Children K - 2nd Grade Cathy Mathia is an early childhood music specialist with a MM in conducting from Southern Methodist University. She has been a church musician since age 11, serving as Minister of Music and Organist at a variety of churches. Cathy completed extensive study in early childhood music and movement and has been involved in music education for many years. She is an author of God’s Children Sing, published by Musikgarten. A former president of the international Early Childhood Music Association, she is Level 3 certified, the highest level currently bestowed. Cathy founded and directs East Dallas Children’s Music, a successful early childhood Cathy Mathia is an early childhood music specialist with a MM in Choral music studio. As an international teacher trainer for Musikgarten, she teaches at colleges, universities, conferences, and churches. Cathy lives in Dallas, TX, with her husband Joe, also a musician/educator, and their two daughters, Hallie and Cloe. She loves coming to Lake Junaluska and teaching during Music Week!
top of page	Stella Matsuda • Advanced Dance As Founder and Artistic Director of Alleluia Dance Theater, a Sacred Dance Company, founded in 1977, it has been my joy and privilege to bring dance as a form of worship to others whether in a workshop or retreat setting, in church, as part of a festival celebration, or to community organizations. As Director, I have choreographed, taught and performed throughout the United States and Canada. As a very young child, during WWII, in the Interment Camps, my desire to dance blossomed. Upon our return to Los Angeles, I studied at West Coast School of Dance and Music, and then at U.C. L.A., where I majored in dance and graduated with honors. I joined the Gloria Newman Dance Theater and became a principal dancer in her Company. I taught and developed the dance major at Moorpark College, a two-year community college in CA. I was responsible for the entire program and productions as well as teaching a full load of various dance styles: modern dance and choreography, ballet, jazz dance and tap dance. Although retired, I am still involved, stepping back in for two years when there was no dance director hired. I still sit on the tenure and scholarship committees. In 1995, as the keynote speaker and one of the main presenters for UMC Music and Worship in Tacoma, WA, I met people who invited me to teach and participate in worship in their various churches. I was part of the Music and Worship, under Judy Loehr at Lake Junaluska, in 1997. At Harris UMC, I helped bring dance to that congregation. The next time, we interpreted through dance the Book of Ruth for worship. I also was invited to speak and perform for the American Guild of Organists in Memphis, TN in 2002 and also to participate in worship in VA in 2004 and 2005. As chair for the Sacred Dance Guild, International Festival in 2003, the So CA committee created an exciting and successful Festival. I have just finished my term as president of the SDG. It has been wonderful to be involved in all the many aspects of sacred dance.
	David Pegg • Chamber Choir David Pegg serves as Director of Music at Centenary United Methodist Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. At Centenary, he conducts the Chancel and Sanctuary Choirs and coordinates a complete Faith and Arts Ministry which includes drama and choirs for children, youth, older adults and handbells. He received his B. M. and M. M. degrees from the Univer?sity of North Carolina at Greensboro, and has done ad?vanced stud?ies at the Uni?versity of Oklahoma, University of Iowa, and Uni?versity of Hartford, and Westminster Choir College. Mr. Pegg is Conductor Emeritus of the Bel Canto Company, a professional choral ensemble (Greensboro, North Carolina) which he led for 19 years. Mr. Pegg has served as a choral clinician and adjudicator for workshops and festivals in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Connecticut, and has conducted and accompanied the North Car?olina All-State Chorus and Honors Chorus. In October 2004, he served as guest conductor of the first North Carolina Church Choir Festival, sponsored by the North Carolina state chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (NCACDA). In November 2004, he received the Lara Hoggard Award for Distinguished Service in Choral Music in North Carolina from NCACDA. Mr. Pegg’s choruses have performed on programs for the North Carolina Mu?sic Educators Association state conven?tion, the Ohio Music Education Association’s state conven?tion, three Southern Divi?sion Conventions of ACDA, and two national Music Educa?tors National Conference (MENC) conven?tions. Mr. Pegg has taught in the public schools of North Carolina and Florida, and has been a member of the faculties of High Point College, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the Greensboro Music Academy, and Kent State University. Prior to his position at Centenary Church, he was an Associate Professor and Director of the School of Music at Salem College.
top of page	Jeffrey Redding • Adult Choir Jeffery Redding is in his eleventh year as Director of Choral Activities at West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Florida. He challenges his students to strive to do their best in life, to “touch and change lives” through their music, and to seek “unity” between people of all races. Under his direction, the West Orange High School Choirs have been privileged to perform at State, Southern Division, and National Conventions of the American Choral Directors’ Association. They have toured nationally and internationally, receiving top honors at the Heritage Festival of Gold in New York City and San Francisco, the Moses Hogan Festival of Spirituals in Washington, D.C., and the International Choral Music Festival in Verona, Italy. They have also been featured with the Florida Youth Chorale in Carnegie Hall. Mr. Redding’s choirs consistently receive superior ratings at District and State Chorus Music Performance Assessments and perform at numerous university, high school, church, and community events. Mr. Redding is a sought after clinician and conductor at local, regional, and national levels. Most recently he has conducted the Joyful Noise Honor Choir in Jekyll Island Ga. and The Broward County Honor Choir in FL. He has conducted the OAKE National Conference Honor Choir in Chicago, IL., the High School Women’s Honor Choir for the Florida Music Educators All State Conference in Tampa, Florida, the Baptist Church Music Conference in Winter Park, FL as well as the Baptist Workshop in Chattanooga, TN. In addition he has conducted All-State choirs in Kansas, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana and West Virginia. Mr. Redding also devotes time weekly to directing the local Community Choir. In 2007and 2008, he is scheduled to conduct All-State choirs in Oklahoma and Alabama, The Tennessee Baptist Convention, and the Mars Hill College Choral Festival in North Carolina. He also has plans to conduct honor choirs in Lafayette, LA, Spivey Hall in Atlanta, Ga and at Carnegie Hall in New York. Mr. Redding has guest conducted for the ACDA Central Division Convention in Chicago, the Summer ACDA Conference in New Jersey and the National ACDA Convention in Los Angeles. He was privileged to be the guest conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for their Spring 2005 broadcast. Respected greatly by his students, Mr. Redding has been named the 2006 “Teacher Of The Year” for the Ocoee, FL Wal-Mart, the 2004 K92FM “Teacher of the Month”, 2003-2004 West Orange High School National Honor Society “Teacher of the Year”, 2002-2003 West Orange High School “Teacher of the Year”, 2000 Who’s Who Among American Teachers, and 1990 Outstanding Young Man of America. He has also been nominated for Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers for 2006. Mr. Redding received the M.M.E. in Choral Conducting from Florida State University, where he served as Assistant Conductor of the Tallahassee Community Chorus, under the direction of Dr. Andre Thomas. He holds the B.S. in Music Education from Florida A & M University, where he was student director of the FAMU Singers, studying voice and conducting under the late Dr. August Pearson, Jr. He was honored to be able to sing professionally with the distinguished Moses Hogan singers. Actively involved in his professional organizations, Mr. Redding is a member of ACDA, FVA, FMEA, and MENC and has held offices of Chairperson of FVA District 8 and Co-Chair of the Florida ACDA Mixed Honor Choir. Currently, Mr. Redding is the Fine Arts Department Chair for West Orange High School and the R & S Chair of the Florida American Choral Director’s Association’s Ethnic and Multicultural Affairs.
	Jody Seymour • Preacher (information to come)
	Arnold Sherman Arnold Sherman, currently living in Tyler, Texas, is a freelance composer and co-founder of Red River Music. His undergraduate work in music education was done at Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland, and Baylor University, Waco, Texas. Arnold is the founder and Director of the East Texas Handbell Ensemble. A clinician and guest conductor, he has led choral and handbell workshops, festivals, and reading sessions throughout the United States, Canada, England, Japan and the Bahamas. Arnold teaches the Composing for Handbells class each summer at Concordia University, Mequon, Wisconsin. He has been a recipient of an ASCAP Standard Award every year since 1992. Arnold has numerous choral and handbell pieces in print and is an active member of the AGEHR where he has served as Area IX Chairman.
	Gary Alan Smith • Conducting Gary Alan Smith is the Music Resources Senior Development Editor at Abingdon Press where he helps develop practical resources for local church music ministries. He is currently also Director of Music at Donelson Heights United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Gary has published over 50 anthems with various publishers. He was the sponsoring editor of The Faith We Sing and the Editorial Manager of The United Methodist Hymnal. Prior to coming to The United Methodist Publishing House in 1985, he had served UM churches in Wisconsin, Texas, and Tennessee.
top of page	Valerie Stephenson • Intermediate Handbells Ms. Stephenson is an accomplished instrumental and vocal teacher of all ages, Pre-K through adults. Valerie is an active handbell composer, arranger, author, conductor and clinician with extensive ringing and conducting experience. She currently directs and rings with the Southside Handbell Ensemble and is a member of the First Coast Ringers, a community handbell choir. She has been an active participant in AGEHR for many years and is serving as FL State Chair since October of 2007. Valerie resides in Jacksonville, FL and holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Florida State University and a Master of Music in theory and composition from the University of Wisconsin.
	Joseph Stobaugh • Children 3rd - 5th Grade Rev. Joe Stobaugh is currently serving as the associate pastor/minister of music, worship, and the arts at Argyle United Methodist Church in Argyle, Texas. Prior to his appointment at Argyle, Joe served as the minister of music and associate pastor at historic Travis Park UMC in downtown San Antonio, Texas and at First United Methodist Church in Longview, Texas. In addition to being responsible for the creation of music, worship, and arts ministries at Argyle UMC, Rev. Stobaugh facilitates the creation of the worship services in Argyle (whose styles range from ‘traditional’, to Taizé, to ‘contemporary’ and ‘emergent’) and helps to facilitate a wide variety of ministry opportunities within the church, the surrounding community, and the country. His choirs have toured from Arizona to New York. Joe holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Texas (where he studied music education and saxophone) and a Master of Sacred Music degree (Magna cum Laude) from the Perkins School of Theology and the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University (with a concentration in choral conducting). Rev. Stobaugh holds memberships in The Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts (which awarded him the 2003 Fellowship Seminarian Award), Choristers Guild, The Hymn Society, and the American Choral Directors Association. Rev. Stobaugh is also a Brother in The Order of Saint Luke. Joe's ministry related passions include the development of congregational song and congregational participation in worship, the intersection of culture and worship, use of new music and art forms for worship, writing, and the church music of the past. Joe loves to spend time with his wife Sarah, their daughter Eleanor Grace, and their two Jack Russell Terriers. Joe and Sarah’s hobbies include traveling, reading, films, and playing golf.
	Debi Tyree • Global Praise Debi Tyree is a Music Editor at Abingdon Press, where she works within a team environment to enable a program devoted to strengthening local church music programs through the publication of practical resources. She is an ordained Deacon in Full Connection in the UMC serving under appointment to the UM Publishing House where her work includes serving as editor of the magazine Church Music Workshop. Prior to this appointment, Debi served as Associate Minister of Music and Worship Arts at Shady Grove UMC for over twenty years. She also serves as Minister of Music and Worship at Bellevue United Methodist Church, Nashville, TN. She has written a variety of articles and other publications, including the session plans to the Abingdon Press musicals No Doubt About It! and What Child Was This? Debi is an accomplished vocalist and has authored the book The Reluctant Soloist, and recently compiled and edited the With Hearts, Hands and Voices songbook also published by Abingdon Press.
	Kathleen Wissinger • Intermediate Handbells Kathleen "Kath" Wissinger knows bells: composer, clinician, director, teacher and ringer, she embraces bells from all angles. She is known as a direct and encouraging conductor. At Massanutten Presbyterian Church, she directs the teen ensemble "Spectrum" which tours each semester and plays monthly in church and elsewhere. Kath teaches K-8th grade music at Redeemer Classical School: K-3rd grade general music and 4th-8th grade handbell classes. These classes all perform in 4 yearly concerts and outreach programs as well. With about 50 pieces in print, Kath is often commissioned for special occasions, writes pedagogical pieces for her classes and has also written original hymns and anthems (tunes and texts.) She has taught and directed at the local, area and national levels - for children, youth, teens and adults - beginning through advanced levels. Kath is active with the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers (AGEHR.org) and currently serves on the Board of Area III. Kath also teaches students in her piano studio. A former National Park Service ranger, Kath and husband Skip (also a former ranger) live in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. They have one son, Noah, 23.