ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

   

    Jan Pedersen Schiff, Executive Director

    Linda Seitas, Administrative Assistant

    Carol Feren, Bookkeeper

    Betsy Clark, Newsletter Editor

    Jeff Young, Photographer

    Jo Lowe, Wings of Song Manager

    Daisy Wong & Tom Schiff, Webmasters

   

 ARTISTIC STAFF 

Jan Pedesen Schiff, Artistic Director

Jan Pedersen Schiff, founder and Artistic Director of SingersMarin, received a BA degree in Music Education from Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN, and a MM degree in Choral Conducting, with an emphasis in vocal pedagogy from the University of Colorado. Ms. Pedersen Schiff has been professionally involved with a broad range of choral groups, from K-12, community, church and professional choruses. She has served on college music faculties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Southern California before moving to Marin County. In the North Bay, she has taught voice classes at Napa Valley College and the College of Marin, and is frequently called upon to lead choral and vocal workshops, serving as choral clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor,including a choral festival at the Lincoln Center last spring. As a distinguished choral alumnus, Ms. Pedersen Schiff was invited to return to her alma mater, Augsburg College, and guest conduct the Millennium Choir. Through Chorus America, she was given the privilege of guest conducting the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Formerly, as Founder of the Hollywood Chorale, she received the Susan B. Anthony Award for Cultural Achievement. In Marin, she has received the Marin Women's Commission Certificate of Commendation for her outstanding achievements with the teen and adult women's choruses and recently received the Milley Award for her achievements and contributions to the creative life of Mill Valley.

 

Andrei Gorchov, Assistant Conductor

A native to Marin County, Andrei began his musical career as a flutist.  After learning music from the public school system, he appeared as a concert soloist with the Marin Symphony at age 17, and later with the Marin Symphony Youth Orchestra and the San Francisco State University Orchestra.  He has performed as an orchestral musician under conductors such as Michael Morgan, Gunther Schuller, Alasdair Neale, and Gary Sheldon.  After receiving his B.M. in flute performance from San Francisco State University, he began the study of conducting.  Andrei has been the Assistant Conductor of the Oakland Youth Orchestra, is currently the Associate Conductor of the Marin Symphony Youth Orchestra, and teaches flute to many students in Marin County.

 

Irene Jacobson, Primary Accompanist

Irene Jacobson has served as the primary accompanist for SingersMarin since 1992. Ms. Jacobson is in demand throughout the Bay Area as pianist/accompanist, arranger, and music director for choirs, orchestras, cantors, vocalists, and instrumentalists. She is currently a member of the Shinozaki-Jacobson duo (with violinist Rick Shinozaki) which is a regular feature at the West Marin Music Festival. Notable past performances have included premieres of sonatas by Durwynne Hsieh and Mark Fish. Her endeavors have also extended to choral conducting and silent film composition, and she enjoys performing works of all styles from classical to Broadway to jazz. Irene received double degrees in Music and Social welfare from UC Berkeley, and when she is not playing, she works as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor.

 

Jeff Paul, Accompanist

Jeffrey Paul is a concert pianist, accompanist, musical director, and piano teacher throughout the San Francisco Bay Area . Jeff attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in piano performance. Jeff is the musical director for the First Congregational Church in San Rafael and is the staff accompanist for the College of Marin. Jeff has toured and performed in Europe and the South Pacific. Jeff also wears another hat as a realtor for Bradley Real Estate in Marin.

 

Maryliz Smith, Accompanist

Maryliz Smith is an international performance artist, composer and music educator. She holds a BA and a MM in Organ Performance from Colorado State University with further graduate studies at the College Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati. In the Bay Area, Ms. Smith is involved with coaching musicians, premiering new works, and facilitating sessions pertaining to the creative process with groups and individuals searching to be inventive, daring, self-expressing people.

 

    Amanda Moronda,Youth Conductor

Amanda Morando is a soprano who recently completed a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from UC Santa Barbara.  She has been singing since she was 5, and participating in choirs since she was 11, including 3 years in Singers Marin choir les étoiles.  At UC Santa Barbara, she performed with the UCSB Chamber Choir under celebrated conductor Michel Marc Gervais for 4 years.  She is very excited to be joining the organization that helped her realize her musical passion, and looks forward to doing the same for the children she works with.

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Lindsey McLennan, Youth Conductor

Lindsey McLennan is a graduate of the University of Southern California with Bachelor’s degrees in Vocal Arts and Neuroscience.  Taking private voice and piano lessons since the age of seven, she is now pursuing a career in music.  At USC, she was particularly involved in choral singing, performing regularly with the USC Chamber Choir and Recital Choir under the direction of distinguished conductors Paul Salamunovich and William Dehning.  Lindsey has participated in many esteemed summer vocal programs, such as AIMS in Graz, Songfest, and the Chanticleer in Sonoma Workshop.  She was named a USC Renaissance Scholar for her achievements in two diverse fields and hopes to share the intellectual benefits of a music education with today’s youth. 

 

Kat Weiss, Youth Instructor

Kat Weis recently moved back to the Bay Area after obtaining her Bachelor's degree in Women's Studies fro the University of California, Santa Barbara.  Kat has participated in various avenues of the performing arts for the majority of her life, including choir, dance and drama.  She is hoping to pursue a career in teaching and believes that providing creative outlets for children is an important and essential part of their development.  She is both honored and overjoyed to be part of teh SingersMarin community and looks forward to enriching the lives of the children through arts and music.