Faculty and Coaches

The following individuals are currently part of the regional faculty
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Harriette Walters
Master Director, Greater Nassau Chorus, International Faculty & Coach

Biography:
Master Director, Greater Nassau Chorus; International Board of Directors; Moderator, Director Education Coordinators; Certified International Faculty Member, past DMA (Director of Music Activities); past Education Coordinator; current Regional Leadership Coordinator

Areas of Expertise:
Harriette offers a wide range of expertise. They include:

Vocal Skills
Directing Skills
Rehearsal Planning
Section Leader/ Assistant Director Training
PVI’s
Motivation
Creativity
Performance
Coach choruses and Quartets
Leadership

Carolyn Schmidt
Master Director, Hickory Tree Chorus, Faculty & Coach

Biography:
Master Director of Hickory Tree Chorus; Certified Music Arranger; past DMA (Director of Music Activities)

Areas of expertise:

All areas of barbershop arranging
Repertoire development
Directing Skills
Rehearsal Planning
Section Leader/ Assistant Director Training
PVI’s
Quartet Coaching

Carole Argulewicz
Director, Evergreen Chorus, Faculty & Coach

Biography:
B.S. in Music Therapy; M.S. in Special Education; Certified Director of Evergreen Chapter; past Quartet Coordinator, current Directors' Coordinator

Areas of Expertise:

Music Theory
Directing Skills
Rehearsal Planning
Section Leader/ Assistant Director Training
PVI’s
Quartet Coaching

Connie Kash
Certified Director, Twin County Chorus, Faculty

Biography:
Psychotherapist: Member of the Arrangers Association (pre IMAP); Past Region 15 Quartet Champion; Past DMA Faculty, 1977 – 1987; past Directors’ Coordinator; past Quartet Promotion Chair; current Region 15 Arrangers Coordinator; Certified Director.

Areas of Expertise:

Arranging

Dana Dunlevy
Hickory Tree Chorus, Faculty

Biography:
Substitute Teacher; Taught writing and literacy programs; Founding Member/President of a group called Women Who Write

Areas of Expertise:

Writing of Press Releases
Design and Production of Flyers
Power Point and web Graphics
Knowledge of available media outlets
Planning and marketing of membership programs

Faith MacDonnell
Chapter at Large, Faculty & Coach

Biography:
Dance/Acting Instructor; Member of the Director Certification Program; Church Choir Director; Trained as a Classical Singer; Experienced Coach

Areas of Expertise:

All aspects of visual planning and performance
Solid comprehension of relationship between enhanced sound and visual performance

Jeannie Froehlich
Assistant Director, Harmony Celebration Chorus, Faculty & Coach

Biography:
Two-Time Queen of Harmony; past Chair of Showcase at International Convention; Coronet Club Board of Directors, Coronet Club Show Chair; former European Faculty; Queens College Faculty; Experienced emcee

Areas of Expertise:

Sound
Expression
Showmanship
Staging and Emcee Work
Teaching all aspects of barbershop technique and craft
Choreography
Lyrical Interpretation

Judith Douglas
Director, Metro Rhythm Chorus, Faculty & Coach

Biography:
Director, Golden Apple Chorus for 9 years; Past Asst. Director and now current Director of Metro Rhythm Chorus; Coach of Urysu Chorus, Tokyo, Japan; Former Dance Instructor.

Area of Expertise:

Vocal Production
Expression Category
Music Theory

Kathleen Wright
Liberty Oak Chorus, Faculty

Biography:
Bachelor’s degree in Music

Areas of Expertise:

Chapter leadership and organization
Human relations

Katie Blackwood
Master Director, Liberty Oak Chorus, Faculty & Coach

Biography:
B.A. in Music and Theater, Professional Performer, Voice Teacher, Coach for chorus and quartet, Master Director of the Liberty Oak Chorus

Areas of Expertise:

Vocal Production
Vocal Pedagogy
PVI
Expression
Showmanship
How to organize a quartet
Rehearsal Planning
Musical Leadership training
Music/Repertoire Selection
Directing Skills

Lisbet P. Duponte, Faculty & Coach

Biography:
Retired Physical Therapist; Certified Director, Coach and Voice teacher; past Chair of Regional Quartet seminars in Region 11; past MDR (Membership Development Representative); past Chapter- and Membership Coordinator; past Directors' Coordinator; Co-Chair Regional Leadership Seminars, Tulsa for 3 years; past Emcee for Worldwide Celebration, International Convention in New Orleans (1995); past Young Singers Foundation Board member (1996-2003); Immediate Past Education Coordinator; Regional Merger/Transistion Chair

Area of Expertise:

Communication Skills/People Skills
Sound
Expression
Showmanship
Section leaders/Assistant Director training
Directing Skills
Rehearsal planning
Individual/group voice training

Marilyn Block
Liberty Oak Chorus, Coach

Biography:
Former front-Line Director; former DMA staff member, former Vice-Regent, Treasurer and Board member

Areas of Expertise:

Vocal Skills
Unit Sound
Individual voice training
Directing Skills
Section Unity
Rehearsal Planning

Peggy DiSunno
Director, Long Island Sound Chorus, Faculty & Coach

Biography:
Retired Teacher; Professional Leadership Training; President of Teachers Union; Professional Music Teacher Mentor; Immediate Past Regional Team Coordinator; Certified Director

Areas of Expertise:

Rehearsal planning
Strategic Planning and goal setting
Crisis management and mediation
DCP training

Sharon Vitkovsky
Harmony Celebration Chorus, Faculty & Coach

Biography:
Certified NJ Music Teacher; Queen of Harmony; Queen's College Faculty; Coronet Club Board of Directors; wrote scripts and taught Barbershop classes in Hungary; Front-line Director; Assistant Director; Approved Arranger (previous/original program);Approved Candidate Judge - Music (during 1990's); RMT member - Education Coordinator (started TRAX) and Director Coordinator

Areas of Expertise:

Quartet and Chorus Coaching
Vocal Production, Interpretation, Sound as well as other aspects of the barbershop craft
Judging Categories and levels
Arranging
Classes for quartet members, musical leaders, section leaders, directors and director candidates

Susan Schuman
Hickory Tree Chorus, Faculty & Coach

Biography:
Masters degree in Counseling and Student Affairs; Professional leadership training as President of Temple Emanu-El Sisterhood and member of the Temple Board of Directors; directed many college productions; Assistant Director; Lead Section leader; various other chapter chair positions, DCP program

Areas of Expertise:

Vocal Production
PVIs
Section leader training
Script writing

Alexis DePersia-Norelli
Harmony Celebration Chorus, Faculty, Coach & Young Women in Harmony Coordinator

Biography:
BA in Dance & Theater. Drama Teacher, Musical Choreographer; HCC "Achieving the Dream" Team Member, Visual Team/Choreographer. Trained in character development, acting, voice & speech, dance, and performance. Extensive experience with youth groups and college student groups in music, dance, team building, communication and leadership.

Areas of Expertise:

Physicalization as it supports the musical product
Visual performance
Choregraphy planning
Ensemble/Team building
Leadership

Linnea Acton
Assistant Director and Choreographer, Evergreen Chorus, Coach

Biography:
Several positions on Evergreen Chorus management team, music team, costume commitee and visual team; currently Assistant Director and Choreographer

Areas of Expertise: