Artistic Director
Kristina Ploeger has been a part of the Spokane Arts Community for ten years. She is also the Director of Music Education and Choral Director at Eastern Washington University. Previously in Spokane she has taught as an adjunct professor at Eastern Washington University and Gonzaga University, as well as teaching 6th Grade Music at St. George’s School and high school choir at West Valley High School. Before moving to the Spokane area, she taught at Everett High School, Ephrata High School, and AC Davis High School. Kristina earned her MA in Choral Conducting from Eastern Washington University in the Spring of 2001. Before that, she studied at Central Washington University, earning a BM in Music Education. She has enjoyed the opportunities to present clinics at Washington State Music Educator’s Conferences (in association with MENC) and American Choral Director’s Association sponsored events and was the past Washington State Secretary of the International Association of Jazz Educators. As a professional musician, Kristina works often. She is a sought after clinician for many events such as the EWMEA Choral Festival (Spokane, WA), the Amherst College Guest Artist Series (Amherst, MA), the Columbia Basin College Festival (Tri-cities, WA) and various Honor Choirs. As the Artistic Director, Kristina is responsible for overseeing all music staff, choosing music and performance venues. She conducts the Concert Ensemble and Ensemble Choirs, and serves as the Theory Instructor at Saturday Academy.
Associate Director
Darnelle Preston, Associate Director
and Vocal Coach, joined the Spokane Area Children’s Chorus in
1994. She was appointed director for the Senior Concert Choir in 1996
and now serves as director for Intermediate and Elementary Choirs. Ms. Preston
graduated from San Francisco State University, magna cum laude, with
her B.M. in music education. She received her M.M. in vocal performance
from Boston University in 1982. Ms. Preston has appeared with the Utah,
Carmel, Washington D.C. Masterworks, Handel and Haydn Society, Muncie
and Nashville Symphonies. She has performed throughout Southern France
and recorded with the Robert Shaw Choeur d’ Atlanta. She appears
locally with the Spokane Symphony Orchestra, Allegro, Zephyr, the Northwest
Bach Festival, Connoisseur Concerts, and Coeur d’Alene Summer
Theater, and teaches private voice lessons.
As Associate Director, Darnelle assists in planning the Chorus season
and selecting music, conducts her choirs, and serves as Vocal Coach
at Saturday Academy.
Director
Russell Seaton has been the Director of Choirs at University High School
since the fall of 2001, where he also music directs the musical stage
productions. In 2004, Russell received KHQ's "Teacher of the Month" Award.
He attended the University of Puget Sound and completed his BA of Music at
Western Washington University, where he founded the Western Men's Chorus and
was an active part of the Opera Productions. He performs on a regular basis
in the Spokane area with various choral ensembles, including the Northwest
Bach Chorale. Russell has directed for entities such as Spokane
Children's Theatre and University High School, and has performed in numerous
productions around the Northwest.
Director
Janice Newell joined the Spokane Area Children’s Chorus in 1999. She graduated
from Eastern Washington University with a degree in Education, specializing
in Mathematics and Music, with graduate studies in Leadership at Whitworth
College. In 1976 she was awarded Young Artist in the organ division
of the Greater Spokane Music and Allied Arts Festival. Since that time,
she has formed children’s choirs at St. Aloysuis School, Cataldo
Catholic School, and Trinity Catholic School. From 1982-1995 she was
Director of Pastoral Music for St. Augustine Church, where the chorister
programs were a major focus of her work. She is currently teaching music
and math at Whitman Elementary, serving as organist for Central Lutheran
Church, and directing Chorus for the Whitman and Arlington HUBs. She
serves the Chorus as the Preparatory Choir director and as accompanist for the Ensemble Choir.
Accompanists
Susan Asplin is currently the Developmental Music Teacher at Hamblen Elementary
School, where she teaches music to 1st – 6th grade students. She
is also an organist in the Spokane Area. Susan received her B.M. degree
in organ from Pacific Lutheran University, and her M.M. in Harpsichord
performance and M.M. in organ from the University of Michigan.
Susan Windham is a gifted vocalist, pianist and teacher.
As an opera singer, Susan has performed in Spokane Symphony productions,
Spokane Opera and the University of Northern Iowa Lyric Theatre. Her
vocal credits include solo work in Mozart’s “Requiem”,
Haydn’s “Creation”, Beethoven’s “Ninth
Symphony” and Verdi’s “Requiem”. Susan received
her B.A. in piano performance from Eastern Washington University and
has studied for her M.A. in vocal performance. Susan is a faculty member
at Holy Names Music Center and is an adjunct voice professor at Eastern
Washington University.
Yi-Chun Chen, accompanist for Ensemble and Concert Ensemble Choirs, joined Spokane Area Children's Chorus in 2008. Yi-chun was a staff accompanist in ballet and music teacher at the National Tainan Chia-Chi Girls senior high school before she came to the States. Yi-chun holds two masters degrees: a M.A. in piano performance and a M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction from Eastern Washington University. She made her debut in Spokane with Allegro, Baroque and Beyond in 2004. She has also performed with Theater Ballet of Spokane, played in musicals at Lewis and Clark High School, and was pianist for a concert tour in Taiwan with baritone Randel Wagner and oboist David Dutton. Yi-chun currently is the staff accompanist for Ballet Arts Academy and has a private piano studio.
