TYC Staff




Artistic Staff
JUDITH HERRINGTON is the Founder and Artistic Director of the highly acclaimed Tacoma Youth Chorus, a select auditioned choir serving more than 200 children in the south Puget Sound area. In addition, she brings more than thirty years of teaching and conducting experience to her work at Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, Washington, where she has received the Inspirational Faculty Award and the Murray Foundation Chair for Teaching Excellence. A graduate of the University of Oregon, Ms. Herrington earned her Master of Education degree from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. She has furthered her conducting studies through master classes with Rodney Eichenberger and Henry Leck. Ms. Herrington is highly regarded as a guest conductor, workshop and choral clinician and is a Past-President of the Washington-American Choral Directors Association. She was selected to direct the Youth Honor Choir for the American Choral Masterpieces series (June, 2007) and to direct the Junior High Honor Choir of the Western Division of ACDA in March, 2008. Through Pavane Publishing and Colla Voce Publishing, she has published choral compositions, arrangements and co-authored choral teaching texts. She also edits a choral series for Pavane Publishing.

KEITH LOFTIS, Director of the Concert Choir (formerly called the Junior Choir) since its inception in 1997, has been active with music in the Tacoma area for over twenty years. A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, Mr. Loftis also received his Master of Education from Lesley College, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mr. Loftis has taught, directed and composed music for a variety of performing organizations ranging from elementary schools to church choirs. The University Place School District awarded him the “Teacher of the Year” award in 2002. He is currently Assistant to the Minister of Worship and Music Ministry at the University Place Presbyterian Church.

CONNIE SCHMIDT graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education. She performed with a professional Bach Choir in New York City and has performed solo pieces as well. Her teaching career includes elementary music education in San Antonio and in rural Alaskan schools. She has taught both piano and voice lessons and led church choirs for both children and adults. Currently she is the Music Instructor at Concordia Lutheran School of Tacoma where she was awarded the President's Award (Teacher of the Year) in June, 2004. She has continued her professional education through studies with the International Voice Care Network and she is a member of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. She joined Tacoma Youth Chorus as co-director of Music Makers in 2002 and has served since then as Director of Music Makers.

KYLE HAUGEN, Director of the Young Men's Choir, is a graduate of University of Puget Sound. He holds a B.A. in Music and Communication and Master of Sacred Music from St. Olaf/ Luther College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Mr. Haugen is a talented musician; in addition to his conducting and teaching, he is skilled as a soloist, pianist and organist. In addition to his duties with TYC, Mr. Haugen is currently serves as an Assistant Director of Admissions and the Music Admissions Director for the University of Puget Sound. Former director of the Young Men's Choir (2004-2008), George Guenther, retired from TYC in June, 2008. to devote more time to his teaching responsibilities at Puyallup High School.

KERRY FRANZKE, pianist, organist, and harpsichordist, performs as a freelance accompanist and recitalist in the Seattle/Tacoma area. Ms Franzke performs frequently with her husband Steve, a flutist. Her interests include arranging and transcribing music from the Renaissance period and studying Baroque organ music. She taught class piano at Tacoma Community College for twelve years and is currently the organist at Grace Baptist Church in Tacoma . Ms. Franzke has been accompanist for the Tacoma Youth Chorus since 1996.

VICKI DAY MELTON, a versatile musician, contributes to the Tacoma music community as a private voice teacher, pianist, choral director and performer. A coloratura soprano, she performs extensively throughout the Northwest as recitalist and soloist, including principal roles with Tacoma Opera and performances with the Tacoma Symphony, and is in great demand as an adjudicator and clinician. A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, she has received degrees in vocal performance and education and she maintains a large class of private students who are consistently recognized as being among the finest in the state of Washington. An accomplished pianist, Mrs. Melton has accompanied numerous choral groups and soloists and currently serves as the Minister of Music at the First Presbyterian Church of Tacoma. She serves TYC as the accompanist for the Young Men's Choir and Chorale.


*Board of Directors:* Zari Semerdjian, President Gary Phillips, Vice-President Paula Westgaard, Secretary John Goldwood, Treasurer Ron Auer Trudy Bussinger Clark Deem Edward DuPree Randy Greene Margaret (Meg) Henderson-Wiley Mary Kay High Diane Hunt Sarah Idstrom Deborah Lanning-Wade Joseph Lovejoy Christina Martin Jim Murphy Charles Williams	Administrative Staff : Nancy Brakke, Managing Director Jamie Deering, Publications Martha Leonhardt, Operations Manager Janie Loflin, Performance Manager/Office Manager Karla Stoermer, Rehearsal Assistant Jill Westwood, Volunteer Coordinator
Board Members Only	Staff Members Only

Artistic Staff

JUDITH HERRINGTON is the Founder and Artistic Director of the highly acclaimed Tacoma Youth Chorus, a select auditioned choir serving more than 200 children in the south Puget Sound area. In addition, she brings more than thirty years of teaching and conducting experience to her work at Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, Washington, where she has received the Inspirational Faculty Award and the Murray Foundation Chair for Teaching Excellence. A graduate of the University of Oregon, Ms. Herrington earned her Master of Education degree from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. She has furthered her conducting studies through master classes with Rodney Eichenberger and Henry Leck.

Ms. Herrington is highly regarded as a guest conductor, workshop and choral clinician and is a Past-President of the Washington-American Choral Directors Association. She was selected to direct the Youth Honor Choir for the American Choral Masterpieces series (June, 2007) and to direct the Junior High Honor Choir of the Western Division of ACDA in March, 2008. Through Pavane Publishing and Colla Voce Publishing, she has published choral compositions, arrangements and co-authored choral teaching texts. She also edits a choral series for Pavane Publishing.

KEITH LOFTIS, Director of the Concert Choir (formerly called the Junior Choir) since its inception in 1997, has been active with music in the Tacoma area for over twenty years. A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, Mr. Loftis also received his Master of Education from Lesley College, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mr. Loftis has taught, directed and composed music for a variety of performing organizations ranging from elementary schools to church choirs. The University Place School District awarded him the “Teacher of the Year” award in 2002. He is currently Assistant to the Minister of Worship and Music Ministry at the University Place Presbyterian Church.

CONNIE SCHMIDT graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education. She performed with a professional Bach Choir in New York City and has performed solo pieces as well. Her teaching career includes elementary music education in San Antonio and in rural Alaskan schools. She has taught both piano and voice lessons and led church choirs for both children and adults. Currently she is the Music Instructor at Concordia Lutheran School of Tacoma where she was awarded the President's Award (Teacher of the Year) in June, 2004. She has continued her professional education through studies with the International Voice Care Network and she is a member of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. She joined Tacoma Youth Chorus as co-director of Music Makers in 2002 and has served since then as Director of Music Makers.

KYLE HAUGEN, Director of the Young Men's Choir, is a graduate of University of Puget Sound. He holds a B.A. in Music and Communication and Master of Sacred Music from St. Olaf/ Luther College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Mr. Haugen is a talented musician; in
addition to his conducting and teaching, he is skilled as a soloist, pianist and organist. In addition to his duties with TYC, Mr. Haugen is currently serves as an Assistant Director of Admissions and the Music Admissions Director for the University of Puget Sound.

Former director of the Young Men's Choir (2004-2008), George Guenther, retired from TYC in June, 2008. to devote more time to his teaching responsibilities at Puyallup High School.

KERRY FRANZKE, pianist, organist, and harpsichordist, performs as a freelance accompanist and recitalist in the Seattle/Tacoma area. Ms Franzke performs frequently with her husband Steve, a flutist. Her interests include arranging and transcribing music from the Renaissance period and studying Baroque organ music. She taught class piano at Tacoma Community College for twelve years and is currently the organist at Grace Baptist Church in Tacoma . Ms. Franzke has been accompanist for the Tacoma Youth Chorus since 1996.

VICKI DAY MELTON, a versatile musician, contributes to the Tacoma music community as a private voice teacher, pianist, choral director and performer. A coloratura soprano, she performs extensively throughout the Northwest as recitalist and soloist, including principal roles with Tacoma Opera and performances with the Tacoma Symphony, and is in great demand as an adjudicator and clinician. A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, she has received degrees in vocal performance and education and she maintains a large class of private students who are consistently recognized as being among the finest in the state of Washington. An accomplished pianist, Mrs. Melton has accompanied numerous choral groups and soloists and currently serves as the Minister of Music at the First Presbyterian Church of Tacoma. She serves TYC as the accompanist for the Young Men's Choir and Chorale.

Board of Directors:
Zari Semerdjian, President
Gary Phillips, Vice-President
Paula Westgaard, Secretary
John Goldwood, Treasurer
Ron Auer
Trudy Bussinger
Clark Deem
Edward DuPree
Randy Greene
Margaret (Meg) Henderson-Wiley
Mary Kay High
Diane Hunt
Sarah Idstrom
Deborah Lanning-Wade
Joseph Lovejoy
Christina Martin
Jim Murphy
Charles Williams

Administrative Staff :
Nancy Brakke, Managing Director
Jamie Deering, Publications
Martha Leonhardt, Operations Manager
Janie Loflin, Performance Manager/Office Manager
Karla Stoermer, Rehearsal Assistant
Jill Westwood, Volunteer Coordinator

Board Members Only

Staff Members Only