Meet The Directors

Please meet our :

• Founding Director

• Directors

• Interns

Founding Director

Karen L. Markey

The Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus was founded in 1990 and is a community organization for boys and girls ages six through eighteen. The Children's Chorus provides qualified singers an opportunity to perform high-caliber, age-appropriate repertoire that is culturally and musically diverse while nurturing vocal and musical development within a group setting. Singers are auditioned and placed by age, experience, and skill in one of three groups: Ensemble, Chorus, or Youth Chorale. Numbering more than eighty singers, the Children’s Chorus was the outcome of the vision of Founding Director, Karen L. Markey. Choristers represent public, private, parochial and home schools in the Susquehanna and Brandywine Valleys and the Northern Delaware Region. The Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus is an educational outreach of the Kennett Symphony Orchestra of Chester County.

Directors

Dr. Kristen A. Albert, Artistic Director and Director of the Chorus

Kristen Albert is an Associate Professor in the Department of Music Education at West Chester University of Pennsylvania where her specializations include choral methodology, Kodály methodology, electronic portfolio development, and reflective practice for pre-service music educators. Dr. Albert has extensive experience in many facets of music education having served as an educator in the Pennsylvania public schools for seventeen years prior to her employment at West Chester University in 2001.

Dr. Albert has served as guest conductor for the Dauphin County Chorus Festival, the PMEA District 7 Elementary Song Fest, and the PMEA District 12 Middle School Song Fest. In 2007 Dr. Albert served as guest conductor for the Methacton Elementary Honors Choir Festival, the PMEA District 11 Elementary Song Fest, and the Children’s Choir Festival for the Lancaster Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. In 2008, Dr, Albert conducted the Elementary Honors Choir for the Mechanicsburg School District and the PMEA District 12 Elementary Song Fest. In 2009, served as guest conductor for the middle school Honors choir for the Adams County Choral Festival, and will serve as guest conductor for the 2010 Danville All-City Choral Festival, Danville, VA.

Dr. Albert is an active member of the Organization of American Kodaly Educators for which she serves as an advisor to the Board of Directors as Higher Education Representative. She is also a member of the Music Educators’ National Conference, the Pennsylvania Music Educators’ Association.

Dr. Albert holds degrees in Music Education, Secondary Counseling, and Educational Leadership from Millersville University, Shippensburg University, and the University of Delaware, respectively.

Nancy Lineburger, Director of the Ensemble

Nancy Lineburger is a music educator, currently teaching K – 5 general music in the Downingtown Area School District. In addition to classroom instruction, she conducts the elementary chorus and musical, and for the past six years, has successfully prepared students for participation in OAKE (Organization of Kodaly Educators) National Choruses. Nancy holds a B.S. from Gettysburg College and a M.Ed. from West Chester University. She is certified in Kodaly Levels I and II and in Orff-Schulwerk Levels I and II. This coming October, Mrs. Lineburger and Dr. Albert will present a workshop for the Kodaly Educators of Eastern Pennsylvania that will include the participation of the Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus!

In addition to her current position, she has taught at the Middle School level and has been director of church music. Since 1997, her professional singing experience has included Chorale Delaware and the choir at Christ Church Christiana One Hundred, Greenville, Delaware. She has sung under the direction of William Owen, Stephen Cleobury, Sir Philip Ledger, Sir David Willcocks, and John Rutter.

Drue Bullington, Director of the Youth Corale

Drue Bullington has spent most of his life in South-eastern Pennsylvania as a student, singer, player, teacher and director in one form or other. Having received his B.S. and M.M. in Music Education from West Chester University, it feels like coming home for him to be working with the KSCC in residence here. This concert marks the end of Mr. Bullington’s first season with the Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus.

Mr. Bullington teaches in the Conestoga Valley School district where he specializes in elementary vocal and instrumental music in grades 1-6 and also serves as director of a boys’ and a girls’ chorus. His Orff Ensemble has often been heard performing in the Lancaster community as well. As a public school teacher he has taught music at every age-level K-12 and at times has taught voice, piano and percussion privately as well. Mr. Bullington has served as the artistic and vocal music director for high school musicals and prepared children’s choirs for performances in several shows. In the summer he enjoys teaching a musical drama program each year for elementary and middle school students. He holds certifications in Orff-Schulwerk levels I, II and III, and Kodaly Level I.

Eileen Hazzard-Gibson, Director of the Tyros

Eileen Hazzard-Gibson, a graduate of West Chester University’s School of Music, has been teaching elementary music and elementary choir for six years at the Renaissance Academy Charter School in Phoenixville. Eileen is also the Fine Arts Lead Teacher for the Fine Arts Department at Renaissance Academy. In 2008, Eileen earned her Master’s in Music Education from West Chester University’s School of Music and holds a Level III Kodaly Teaching Certificate. Her Elementary Choir has performed at many venues including the 6ABC Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Camden River Sharks Baseball game, and numerous community centers. She is looking forward to joining the KSCC as Tyros director in this coming season.

Interns

As part of the In-Residence program at West Chester University, WCU Music Education students have the opportunity to take the course Practicum in Teaching the Children’s Chorus. From this, an Internship program allows qualified junior and senior music education majors to work in tandem with the directors and singers of the Children’s Chorus.

Congratulations and thanks to the WCU Interns.

2008-2009 Season

Kristen Waghorn and Samantha Hahn.

2009-2010 Season

Amy Buckner, Allison Bell, David McMahon.