The Community Chorus will begin rehearsals on Oct. 6 with a new director on the podium. Anna Marie Kuether will direct the chorus for its annual Christmas concert, set for 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, at Polk County High School.

Anna Marie is currently enjoying her 28th year of teaching choral music in North Carolina public schools. Her career has given her the opportunity to work in several locations including Wilkes, Durham, Polk, and currently Henderson counties.

Anna Marie received her bachelor of music degree from Appalachian State University and her master’s degree in music education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In addition, she has actively participated in conducting workshops and classes through the years led by such master conductors as Axel Theimer, Eric Nelson and James Jordan.

She is an active member of the North Carolina Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, and American Choral Directors Association. This year she will have the distinct honor of hosting the NCMEA Solo/Small Ensemble Music Adjudication for N.C. West District #3.

Anna Marie serves as church pianist at Mountain Hill Community Church in Landrum. She also enjoys directing plays and musicals for local schools and community theaters as well as working as vocal coach and pit pianist.

She is the proud mother of a daughter, Samantha, who resides in Augusta, Ga. Anna Marie lives in Tryon with her husband, Dave, and her two “fur-babies” Penny and Chloe.

Accompanist Pam McNeil will again be tickling the keys at the grand piano for the Christmas concert.

Pam’s keyboard career started when she was five years old with a color-coded toy piano. When she banged out “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” her mother decided it was time for lessons.

Pam is a graduate of St. Andrews University and Western Carolina University, where she served as accompanist and had her first experience with the original Moog synthesizer.

She has played for the Community Chorus, Tryon Little Theater, churches, musicals, parties, friends and (once) a foster sheep. She is currently the organist at Tryon United Methodist Church and works at Saluda Elementary School.

The Community Chorus is made up of about 75 volunteer vocalists. Anyone who enjoys choral singing is invited to participate. Rehearsals this fall will be on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. (Oct. 6 rehearsal begins at 6:30 p.m.), at Tryon Presbyterian Church.

Community Chorus concerts take place each year in April and December and benefit the Tryon Rotary Club Scholarship Fund.

For more information, check out the Community Chorus website  carolinacommunitychorus.org/ or search on Facebook for Carolina Community Chorus.

 

– Submitted by Sandra Sibley