Joy Anderson
Assistant Director, Explorers I & II Director, Preparatory Choir Director

Joy received a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Richmond, VA, a Master of Music in Music Education and Level I Orff Certification from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA, and Kodály certification (levels I-III) from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. Her Level III instruction through Capital University was at the Zoltán Kodály Pedagogical Institute in Kecskemet, Hungary.

A frequent guest conductor and clinician for local and regional school systems and music educator organizations, Mrs. Anderson has also presented at the national conference of the Organization of American Kodály Educators, and her writing has appeared in state and national music educator’s journals and websites. She is a member of Music Educators National Conference and the Organization of American Kodály Educators and is Past President of the Virginia Organization of Kodály Educators. Mrs. Anderson works on the staff and planning committee of the James Madison University Children’s Choral Camps, as well as co- coordinating JMU’s Kodály teacher-training courses.

An 22-year veteran music teacher and conductor, Mrs. Anderson has worked with children from infancy through high school at public and private schools throughout Virginia, including Norfolk, the Richmond area, and the Shenandoah Valley.

Maurita Eberly
Principal Accompanist

Maurita began her musical studies at the Conservatorio di Musica Vincenzo Bellini in Palermo, Italy, at the age of ten. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in Sacred Music/piano at Moody Bible Institute in 1995 and Masters in piano performance and accompanying at James Madison University in 1998. She has worked extensively as a free-lance accompanist, playing for student recitals and opera/musical productions at JMU, EMU, Bridgewater College, and the Valley Playhouse. She has accompanied at Harrisonburg High School, VOKE-sponsored summer children’s choral camps at JMU, and has recorded with the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir on numerous CDs. In 1999 Maurita returned to Italy to help develop a School of Music among the Mennonite Churches. There she taught piano, music theory, and solfege, started and directed children’s and adult choirs, and coached vocal students from the Conservatory. Since then she has returned for several months to hold music/choral workshops with children. She worked as a vocal coach at Palermo’s Opera Laboratorio and performed at the Municipio di Palermo and at the Conservatory. She has been soloist with the Georgetown University Orchestra and vocal accompanist for the Friday Morning Music Club, Washington, D.C. Maurita is currently teaching private piano lessons and doing freelance piano accompanying.

Julia J. White
Artistic Director and Founder, Treble Choir Director, Concert Choir Director

Julia is the founder of the acclaimed Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir (SVCC) at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she oversees the program of over 200 students in three classes and three choirs and teaches courses on the child voice. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from DePauw University and a Master of Music degree from Westminster Choir College, Princeton, where she studied choral conducting, organ performance and children’s choirs. Ms. White has done post-graduate specialization in children’s choirs at Westminster Choir College, the American Boychoir School, Royal School of Church Music, and Choral Music Experience Institute at Northern Illinois University, where she received Levels I- III certification and Artist Teacher Diploma. She has studied long term in Vienna, Austria, and England and holds the Level I Kodaly training.

Ms. White served two terms as the ACDA Children’s Choir Chair for Virginia and created the ACDA Virginia/Maryland Honors Choir in 1998 & 1999. She has been a frequent guest director and lecturer at festivals and universities in Virginia, Connecticut, Washington, DC, Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas and has directed All-State Choirs in West Virginia (‘02), Mississippi (‘03), Florida (‘04) and Wisconsin (’06).

In 2008 she directed the Children’s Honor Choir for the American Choral Directors Association Western Division in Anaheim, CA, and the National Children’s Choir for the Organization of American Kodaly Educators in Denver, Colorado. She received Governor’s School awards in Richmond in 1998 and 2000, and received the Distinguished Artist-in-Residence title at Eastern Mennonite University in 2003.

Under Ms. White’s direction the SVCC has performed at the American Choral Directors Association Southern Division Conference (’00, ’02, ‘06), the Virginia Music Educators Conferences (‘96, ‘98,’04, ‘08) and as headline choir at the American Kodaly Educators National Conference (’01, ‘09) and the Children In Harmony Festival (’04). Collaborations include five performances with the American Boychoir, with The Washington Symphonic Brass, and with Placido Domingo. The SVCC has sung with the Carnegie Hall Children’s Choir Festival (’98, ‘07), the Tuscany International Children’s Choir Festival (‘01) in Italy and the Pacific Rim Children’s Chorus Festival (’05, ’09) ) in Hawaii.

Yvette Peake
Manager

Yvette joined SVCC in Spring 2007. She brings over 15 years of professional experience, from working as an office manager for a high-technology firm in Boston, Massachusetts to her work in the non-profit sector. Her non-profit experience in human services includes managing the contracting and program monitoring of federal grants for Community Development Block Grants and Summer Youth Employment and Training Programs. She has also worked for Boston’s largest non-profit group overseeing the administration of the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program. Yvette is married and has two children.

p(#kris-shank-zher). *Kris Shank Zher* _Office Assistant_

Kris Shank Zher
p(#kris-shank-zher). Kris Shank Zher
Office Assistant

Kris Shank Zher