The Bel Canto Children's Chorus

Artistic Staff

Joy Ondra Hirokawa is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Bel Canto Children’s Chorus. She earned a Bachelors degree with honors in Music Education from Temple University, Philadelphia, PA and a Masters degree in Choral Conducting, also from Temple University. She has completed postgraduate work in children’s choral conducting and is currently a DMA student in Music Education at Boston University. She was honored to be selected as a Conducting Fellow at the first Chorus America Orchestral Conducting Workshop for Children’s Choir Directors in 2004, and was a Conducting Associate at the 2006 Chorus America Choral-Orchestral Conducting Masterclass. Mrs. Hirokawa is a frequent guest conductor and clinician, presenting regularly at MENC and PMEA conferences and conducting numerous honors choirs, including the ACDA-PA All State Middle School Honors Choir in 2007 and the ACDA-PA All State Women’s Honor Choir in 2008.  Under her direction, The Bel Canto Children’s Chorus has performed locally, nationally and internationally.

Mrs. Hirokawa is also a published arranger, specializing in authentic jazz arrangements for treble voices. Mrs. Hirokawa is currently Visiting Professor of Music Education at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA.

Kirsten Olson, director of Preparatory and Intermediate Choirs, has undergraduate degrees from University of Wisconsin-Madison and Valparaiso University.  She received Masters degrees from Westminster Choir College in Princeton; one in Choral Conducting with Joseph Flummerfelt, and one in Sacred Music with Donald McDonald and Helen Kemp.  At Temple University, Ms. Olson did post-graduate studies in Early Childhood Music with Edwin Gordon.  Recently, Ms. Olson became the Minister of Music for Children and Youth at St. John’s U.C.C. in Lansdale, PA.  She continues to teach piano, organ, flute and voice in her studio at home, and she gives a variety of musical lectures and workshops on the East Coast.  Kirsten also serves as the Music Director at Montgomery Theater in Souderton.  She is also on the Children’s Theater Advisory Committee, which was just nominated for a Barrymore Award in 2008.  Kirsten and Roy’s two daughters, now college students, were active in the Bel Canto Concert Choir for six years.

 

Sue Ellen Echard, director of Intermediate Choir, is full time director of Music and Arts at Church of the Holy Spirit, Episcopal Church in Harleysville, PA where she directs 5 ensembles. She has two undergraduate degrees in theology and music and a Masters of Sacred Music Degree from Westminster Choir College. At Westminster, she was an organ student of Eugene Roan and studied choral conducting with Allen Crowell. Sue Ellen’s specialty has been building graded choir programs and has grown a music program at her current church from 8 to over 50 members in the past several years. She also assists in developing the church’s growing programs for the Arts and Spirituality. She is sought after as a clinician, conductor, recitalist and writer and was published this year in the National Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians. She has been an active church musician, organist and piano teacher for nearly 20 years.