Linda Lee Reynolds, left, president of the Community Chorus, presents Anna Marie Kuether with a $250 check from the Community Chorus to help defray the costs of Anna Marie’s attendance at a prestigious conducting institute at Oxford University this summer. Anna Marie directed the Community Chorus in 2015.

Oxford University has announced the acceptance of the 2015 Community Chorus director, Anna Marie Kuether, into this summer’s Choral Director Institute as a “full conductor,” a designation that will allow Anna Marie to attend and direct the institute’s chorus. The institute is a 10-day residential, immersive program that has become a leading international program for teaching choral conducting artistry.

Headed by Grammy Award nominees James Jordan (conducting) and James Whitbourn (composer of music for the national commemoration of 9/11 at Westminster Abby), the institute concludes with singing with the Grammy Award nominated Westminster Williamson Voices.

This past fall, Anna Marie directed the Community Chorus in its successful 2015 Christmas Concert.  Anna Marie taught in the Polk County School system as choral director for 15 years before moving to East Hendersonville High School in 2014.

Her talents also extend to Polk County’s theater scene, having directed the Tryon Little Theatre summer youth productions of “Joseph,” “Oliver,” and “Peter Pan,” and acting in multiple play casts.

Anna Marie also sings with the Carolina Concert Choir and is pianist for Mountain Hill Community Church at Glassy Mountain. She’s married to Dave Kuether, full-time fire fighter with the Lake Cunningham Fire Department and member of the Tryon Volunteer Fire Department.

A fund to help with costs has been set up with gofundme.com (www.gofundme.com/amkuether).

-Submitted by Sandra Sibley