Scott Hill

Founder and Director

Scott Hill retired on June 1, 2004, after 30 years of teaching choral music in the Durham Public Schools. Most recently she was Choral Director at the Durham School of the Arts, a position she held since the inception of the school in 1995. Prior to 1995 she taught at Jordan High School, Githens Junior High and Middle Schools, and several Durham County Elementary schools. Her choirs have toured and performed in major cities in the United States, as well as in Europe. These include Sister Cities exchanges in Durham, England and Kostroma, Russia and performances at the World’s Fair in Seville, Spain. Mrs. Hill has served as guest conductor and adjudicator at choral music festivals in Virginia and North Carolina and helped establish the first NC All-State Junior High Choral Festival. She has been an Adjunct Instructor in Music Education at Meredith College and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is active in the Choral Society of Durham, having served as accompanist for that group for 7 years. She was a member of the Board of Directors of the Brightleaf Music Workshop; she also served as guest conductor and clinician at the workshop.

Dena Byers

Associate Director / Business Manager

Dena has been teaching in Durham since 1997. She currently teaches grades K-5 at Hillandale Elementary in Durham and conducts the Hillandale Children's Chorus. She holds both a Bachelors of Science in Education and a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Connecticut as well as a Masters of Music Degree from the University of Minnesota. She has earned Master's Level Certification in Orff Schulwerk and is currently the president of the Central Carolina Chapter of the American Orff Schulwerk Association. She has recieved Level III certification in the Creating Artistry program with the Indianapolis Children's Choir.

Vangie Poe

Accompanist

Vangie is originally from Charlotte, NC. She received a B.A. degree in piano performance from Duke University.  Currently, she serves as organist at Temple Baptist Church and teaches private piano lessons, both of which she has done since 1969. She is also a preschool teacher at Trinity Avenue Presbyterian Church where she teaches 3-year-olds and leads the preschool in their music time 2 days a week. For over 25 years, she has sung with the Choral Society of Durham.