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Our Choir Directors
and Teaching Staff
 STEVE
STEVENS: Founder-Artistic
Director
Columbia Choirs founder-artistic director, Steve Stevens,
started the choirs in February, 1985. He conducts the Boys Choir,
the Concert Choir (boys and girls), Vocal Ensemble (Youth Choir)
and Con Brio Women's Choir. He is one of the most experienced conductors
of community based children's choirs in the United States. A native
of Texas (Fort Worth), he began his musical studies at age 6 with
the study of piano (studied 14 years). The turning point in his
life came with his successful membership in the famed Texas Boys
Choir of Fort Worth (the group Igor Stravinsky called "the best boys choir in the world.")
It was in those boyhood years he discovered his gift for singing
and decided to pursue music as a career.
Mr. Stevens is a professional singer and conductor. He earned
a BA (voice and all-level music education) from Houston Baptist University.
Following the study and performance of opera in Europe, he completed
his post-graduate studies at Southern Methodist University, achieving
a M.Mus. in Choral Conducting. He has conducted the Texas Boys Choir
(1971-77), the Northwest Boychoir (1977-84), founded and conducted
the Northwest Youthchoir (1982-84). He founded the Columbia Boys
Choir (February, 1985 to present), Columbia Girls Choir (1988 to
present) and Columbia Vocal Ensemble (formerly Columbia Singers 1989
to present), "Con Brio" Women's Choir (formerly Young Women's Ensemble
1989-) and Columbia Men's Ensemble (2004). He is also the choral
director at Woodinville High School (since 1992; Northshore School
District). Choirs under his direction have consistently won international
acclaim for their high standard of singing artistry and musicianship.
His choirs have performed in United States, Australia, British Isles,
Canada, Europe, Japan, Mexico, Russia and Scandinavia. They have
also appeared on national network television in the U.S.A., Europe,
Japan and Russia and have sung for a President of the U.S., the Pope,
and for members of the British Royal Family.
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 JENNIFER
FAUL: Redmond Intermediate Choir Director
Jennifer Faul has been making music with Columbia Choirs since 1998. She currently directs the Intermediate Choir, and formerly accompanied the Vocal Ensemble and Con Brio Women’s Ensemble for many years. Mrs. Faul earned her bachelors degree in music education in 1998 from the University of Washington, and her masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction shortly thereafter. She also enjoyed earning her Level 1 Kodaly certification at Seattle Pacific University. Her teaching experience includes elementary general music in the Bellevue School District for five years, Children’s Choir Director of Magnolia Presbyterian Church for nine years, and ongoing private piano and voice instruction.
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 KELLY MECHLING: Redmond Preparatory Choir Director
Kelly Mechling is in her 10th year of teaching general music and choir in the Bellevue School District. Ms. Mechling received a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance and a BA in Music Education from the University of Washington. She taught music overseas at the American School of Madrid in Spain from 2005-2007 and presented a vocal workshop at the regional MAIS (Mediterranean Association of International Schools) in Cairo, Egypt in 2006. In 2007, Ms. Mechling returned to Washington and pursued her National Board Certification in music, which she earned in 2009. She is currently completing her Masters in Music Education at the University of Hartford in Connecticut, focusing on vocal technique, pedagogy, and the Kodaly approach to teaching.
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 ANN
ERICKSON: Redmond Training Choir Director
Ann Erickson is a well known teacher, singer and conductor in the
Pacific Northwest. She has performed as soprano soloist with George
Shangrow and the Seattle Chamber Singers and with the Northwest Chamber
Orchestra, has taught voice at Western Washington University and
Seattle Central Community College, was assistant conductor with the
San Francisco Boy Chorus and the Northwest Boys Chorus, is on the
board of the Northwest Kodály Educators, and is a long time music
teacher in the Shoreline School District.
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