Message from the Artistic Director | Board of Directors
Staff | Conductors | History

Sarah Reyes, Director, Young Musicians' Class

Sarah Reyes is a 2004 graduate of Capital University. During her Junior year, she was selected to participate in the Capital in Hungary Honors program and studied at The Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary. She is currently the music teacher at Taylor Road Elementary School in Reynoldsburg.

Cathy Armstrong, Director, Isabella Choir

Cathy Armstrong teaches music at Brown Elementary School in Hilliard. She also directs the adult and children's choirs and serves as an organist at St. John Lutheran Church in Dublin. Cathy has completed three levels of Kodály training at the Kodály Institute at Capital University.

She received her Bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University.

Jayne Wenner, Director, Nina Choir and International Ensemble

Jayne Wenner teaches general music and strings at Norwich Elementary School in Hilliard. She completed BME and MA degrees at The Ohio State University. She holds a Kodály certificate from the Kodály Musical Training Institute and studied at the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary. She earned her Dalcroze Eurhythmics certificate at Carnegie Mellon University. Jayne has been a presenter for local, state, and national music conferences. She has sung in the Columbus Symphony Chorus and performed with ZIVILI. She feels very honored to have received the 1998 Elementary Music Educator Award from the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

Molly McCorkle Rule, Director, Pickerington Satellite Choir

Molly McCorkle Rule teaches general music at Fairfield Elementary School in Pickerington, where she was chosen as "Teacher of the Year" for 2004-2005. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from Capital University in vocal performance and music education. She recently completed her Master of Music in Music Education with Kodály emphasis at Capital. She completed a portion of her graduate studies at the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary. In addition, she also taught early childhood music with We Joy Sing.

Joanna M. Porreca, Director, Pinta Choir
Joanna, (Jody) Porreca is entering her seventeenth year as an elementary music specialist for Columbus Public Schools. She holds a BME and MA in music education from The Ohio State University, a Kodály certificate from Capital University, and is National Board Certified. She has studied at the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary. She is past president of Tri-City Kodály Educators. Her husband, Paul Porreca, is on staff with the Columbus Children's Choir as an accompanist. Jody and Paul also work together as director of choirs and organist, respectively at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Grove City, Ohio. They live in Grove City and have five grown children.

Robert J. Ward, Director, Concert Boys' Choir, and Senior Boys' Choir

Dr. Robert J. Ward currently serves as Associate Director of Choral Studies at The Ohio State University, where he conducts the Men's Glee Club, the Symphonic Choir, and teaches courses in conducting and choral literature. In addition to his teaching and conducting assignments at OSU, Dr. Ward directs the boychoir program for the Columbus Children's Choir. Prior to coming to Ohio State, Dr. Ward was, for sixteen years, a member of the music faculty at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Ward has been honored with invitations to present concerts and lecture demonstrations for Central Division ACDA, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Choral Directors Association, as well as Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi, and Louisiana Choral Directors Associations. He is currently the editor of a children's choral music series published through Santa Barbara Music Publishers. In 2001 Dr. Ward was awarded the Director of Distinction Award by the Oklahoma Choral Directors Association and in 1997 was presented the Amoco Outstanding Faculty Award at Oklahoma State University for outstanding undergraduate teaching. He holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Michigan State University.
 

Jeanne Wohlgamuth, Director, Santa Maria Choir

Jeanne Wohlgamuth graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell with a Bachelor's of Music. She has studied the Kodály Philosophy at Capital University and has attended the Lifespan Voice Education Network and Choral Music Experience Workshop. She has conducted choirs, bands, and orchestras at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Currently, she is the vocal music teacher at Jerome High School in Dublin where her choirs have received superior ratings and have been invited to perform at the OMEA conference in 2006. She is the past recipient of the Teacher of the Year at Wright Elementary and the Golden Shamrock Award for Excellence in Education from the Dublin schools. Jeanne serves as the National Children's Choir Coordinator for the Organization of American Kodály Educators.

Dr. Sandra Mathias
Artistic Director and Director, New World Singers

Sandra Mathias, Ph.D. is currently Professor of Music at Capital University. In addition to her teaching, she directs the Women's Chorus, the Capital in Hungary Program and serves as the Director of the Kodály Institute at Capital. She received her B.S. in Music Education from the State University of New York at Fredonia; Master of Arts (with Orff concentration) from Ball State University; Kodály Certificate from the Kodály Center of America; and Ph.D. in Music Education from The Ohio State University.

Dr. Mathias is the former conductor of the Columbus Youth Choir at Capital University and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Children's Chorus. Currently, she is the Artistic Director of the Columbus Children's Choir and Conductor of the New World Singers, the premiere performing and touring choir of this organization.

Dr. Mathias has been the guest conductor for children's choral festivals in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and West Virginia; and a guest teacher of the Kodály philosophy in Oregon, Idaho, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Michigan, and Virginia, and Texas. She has presented sessions at conferences held by the Ohio Music Educators Association, Midwest Kodály Music Educators Association, the Organization of American Kodály Educators, and the International Kodály Society.

Dr. Mathias is the recipient of the Kodály Institute Intézetért Award, the 2001 Community Music Educator of the Year by the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, and the Arts Freedom Award presented by the Southside Settlement House in Columbus, Ohio. She has presented papers at conferences in the U.S., Hungary, Australia, England, and in November, 2005 will speak in China. From 2002-2004, she served as the President of the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) and currently serves as the Past President.

Chad Baker, Accompanist

Chad Baker is a 2004 graduate of Capital University where he earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in Keyboard Pedagogy with an emphasis in Church Music. Currently he is a member of the faculty of Capital University's Community Music School where he teaches piano and organ. In addition to his teaching duties, Chad is an accompanist to a number of Capital's students as well as the Women's Chorus and the Community Music School's Columbus Youth Chorale. He serves as the organist at Christ Lutheran Church in Bexley. Chad is also the Head Accompanist for the All-Ohio Youth Choir and its traveling contingent, the Cardinal Chorale.

Paul Porreca, Accompanist

Paul Porreca has been on the accompaniment scene in the Columbus area for over 30 years. Paul did his music studies at The Ohio State University, where he majored in composition and piano. He studied piano under George Haddad, Oliver Manning, and Jean Arfield from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Paul currently serves as accompanist for the boychoir program and the Pinta Choir with the Columbus Children's Choir and as organist for Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Grove City, Ohio. He has accompanied many of Grove City's high school and middle school students at the OMEA solo and ensemble contest, and has served as recital accompanist for a number of Capital University and Ohio State University students.

Sarah Chang, Accompanist

Sarah Chang teaches general music and choir at Hilliard Memorial Middle School. She also has her own private piano studio in Hilliard. Sarah is an alumnus of the Columbus Children's Choir and received a degree in Music Education at The Ohio State University. She recently received her Master's of Music in Music Education with Kodály emphasis from Capital University.

Kathy Van Sant

Kathy VanSant, Accompanist, teaches orchestra in Reynoldsburg, Ohio and maintains a private studio at home. She is the choir director at Church of the Redeemer UM and performs regularly with the Newark-Granville Symphony Orchestra. Kathy is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota (International Music Fraternity), MENC, Youth Philharmonic of Central Ohio Board of Directors, and is the OMEA South Central Region Chair. She has a B.S. degree in Music Education from Ball State University and a Master of Music Education from University of North Texas.