|
Kathleen
Vande Berg
photo courtesy of
Ernst Schwarz
Kathleen Vande Berg received her B.A. degree in organ performance,summa cum
laude, from Central College of Iowa and a M.Mus. magna cum laude from Georgia
State University. She has served as an organist/choir director in Presbyterian
and Episcopal Churches in New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia and New York. Her career
as a music educator has been in elementary, middle and high school settings.
Most recently, she was a member of the Music Department of White Plains, NY High
School, serving as the choir director and vocal director/orchestra director of
the musical. The White Plains High School Choir, known for its diverse
membership and wide ranging musical offerings (from Renaissance and Baroque
music to world music), has been featured at the United Nations as well as
county-wide commemorations of 9/11.
As a music educator, Ms. Vande Berg was involved in professional organizations
in a leadership capacity serving as the MENC Choral Chair for the State of
Georgia, the Jazz/Show Choir Chair for the Georgia ACDA, Northeastern Regional
ACDA Jazz/Show Choir Chair and Organizing Chair for five years for the Georgia
All State Chorus. Her Atlanta Jazz/Show Choir, "PEACH", was often
featured at the Georgia Music Educators Conventions, the state ACDA conventions,
the southeastern regional ACDA Convention and represented the state of Georgia
in California at the Young Americans Festival. PEACH was featured in national
choral magazines and won superior ratings in jazz and show music at festivals
throughout the southeast. Kathleen’s writings include a monthly column in the GMEA
News, a quarterly column in the northeastern regional ACDA Magazine, and
contributions to two volumes of music education textbooks published by the
national MENC. In 1983, she was honored as the "Teacher of the Year"
by Fulton County Schools, Atlanta, GA.
She has been a frequent clinician in local and regional settings and was chosen
as the conductor for the massed choir for the Middle School Convention held in
Atlanta in 1984 and for the Westchester, NY All-County Middle School Choir in
1990.
For fifteen years, Kathy was the vocal coach/director of the
annual spring musical at White Plains High School where they presented
productions ranging from "The Wiz" to "Guys and Dolls".
Their production of "Into the Woods" was nominated for best show by
the Helen Hayes Theater Educational Foundation in 2001.
Since moving to St. Augustine, Kathy has been involved as a member and
accompanist of the Community Chorus, an accompanist for First Coast Opera, a
member of the Memorial Presbyterian Church Choir and a teacher at Pedro Menendez
High School. In April, she joined the staff of Menendez HS and directed the
Women’s Choir and the Mixed Choir in their spring concert. She is also the
director of the newly-formed St. Augustine Singers.
Kathy's husband, Jim, is a
Presbyterian USA clergyman who recently retired as the Executive Presbyter
(bishop) of Hudson River Presbytery. He is an adjunct professor at McCormick
Theological Seminary in Chicago and is also a consultant to presbyteries and
sessions. They have two daughters – Jocelyn, who co-owns a small computer
company in Manhattan and Kirsten, a massage instructor and therapist in Memphis.
Kathy joined us at the start of the 2004-2005 season. |
last update
10/12/2011 |
