Jane DeLoach Morison, MECCA Artistic Director

Jane DeLoach Morison, MECCA Artistic Director and Conductor of Highlands Youth Ensemble, East Tennessee Children's Choir, and Da Capo received the Bachelor of Music Education (summa cum laude) from East Tennessee State University, and received the Master of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro .  She has also studied at L'Académie de Musique de Sion in Switzerland .

Jane studied choral conducting with Thomas Jenrette, piano with Donald Conflenti, and voice with Robert LaPella at ETSU.   The recipient of a four-year performance scholarship, she was twice named Most Outstanding Music Student.  A member of the Delta Omicron music fraternity, she was also named to the academic honor society of Phi Kappa Phi.  She studied with Joseph DiPiazza at UNC-Greensboro where she was inducted into the musical honor society of Pi Kappa Lambda.  Jane has also studied with Barbara Lister-Sink and Clifton Matthews.

Jane is on the faculty of the ETSU Summer Piano Camp at East Tennessee State University and the Virginia Suzuki Institute at Emory and Henry College.

Jane is a member of the Organization of American Kodály Educators, the American Choral Directors Association, and Music Teachers National Association with whom she holds permanent national certification.

For nine years Jane was on the faculty of the Southern Park Music School in Charlotte, North Carolina .  While living in Charlotte Jane also taught at Central Piedmont Community College, was a guest lecturer at Winthrop University, and twice served on the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Summer Music Camp.  As a member of the North Carolina Music Teachers Association Jane was awarded the Certificate of Professional Advancement.  She served as President of the Charlotte Piano Teachers Forum and also held the office of state Secretary for NCMTA.

Jane was the Director of the School of Music at Sullins Academy in Bristol from 2001-2007 and taught piano and Kindermusik there beginning in 2000.  Before her tenure at Sullins Academy Jane taught at the St. Anne Catholic School in Bristol , where she directed and wrote semi-annual concerts in addition to teaching general music, piano and Kindermusik.

This year Jane was delighted to have ETCC collaborate with Barter Theatre, the "State Theatre of Virginia" on their mainstage production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat!

In addition to directing MECCA choirs Jane maintains a private piano and voice studio.

She and her family are members of Central Presbyterian Church in Bristol , Virginia, where she serves as an elder.

Valerie Pickard, Bristol Chorister Director

With both parents being professional musicians, Valerie E. Pickard is no stranger to music or performing.  She appeared in her first opera, “Amahl and the Night Visitors” at the age of five.  By the time she finished high school, she had already performed in many plays, musicals, and operas.

Valerie received a Bachelor of Arts in music education from Western Kentucky University where she earned her teaching certification.  While at Western, she continued to perform in musicals and operas, including lead roles in “Carmen,” “Fiddler on the Roof,“ and “Faust.”  During her college years Valerie served as Vice President of the Student Music Educator's National Conference and was privileged to sing with the WKU European Chamber Singers, which toured Europe performing Mozart's Requiem conducted by Neville Mariner and accompanied by the Hungarian Philharmonic Orchestra.

For the past 20 years Valerie has taught private music lessons and directed numerous church youth and children's choirs.  In 2002 Valerie lived in Taejon, South Korea, where she directed a high school string orchestra at Taejon Christian International School.  In 2006 she directed the Vance Viking Voices and taught general music at Vance Middle School in Bristol, TN.  She currently teaches elementary music in the Bristol, TN school system.  Valerie serves as an adjudicator and Gold Cup chairman for the Bristol Virginia Music Festival.  She lives in Bristol with her husband Simeon and their children Joshua, Jeremiah, and Jonna.

Patricia Denmark, Kingsport Chorister Director

Patricia Denmark has been an avid participant in choral music and music education for 20 years. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Texas A&M University. She did additional coursework, and received certification in All-Level Music Education through East Texas Baptist University. Before moving to Tennessee with her family, she taught music in grades 3-12 at the Trinity School of Texas in Longview, Texas, including the direction of Middle School and High School choirs.

Patty feels honored to have been selected to participate as a chorus member in the Carnegie Hall Professional Choral Workshop on several occasions. She has attended the week-long workshop twice as a chorister under the leadership of the late Robert Shaw, once with Andre’ Previn, and most recently as a choral alternate with Helmut Rilling. Each event was a significant educational experience in choral conducting and culminated in a memorable concert in Carnegie Hall.

Patty currently serves as Director of Music at St Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Kingsport. She sings soprano in The Civic Chorale, and also enjoys occasional opportunities to sing in smaller chamber ensembles. Patty is a member of the Dobyns-Bennett Orchestra Guild, the Choristers Guild, and also serves as Sub-Dean for the Northeast Tennessee/Southwest Virginia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Patty is employed by Kingsport City Schools as an Instructional Assistant at Andrew Johnson Elementary School.

Patty is excited about the opportunity to share her love of choral music with the children of Kingsport and is looking forward to meeting these young singers.