Patty Thel
Artistic Director (2009-)
Patricia Thel has been conducting the Westminster Conservatory Children's Choir program for almost 20 years. A native of North Carolina, she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and received her M.M from East Carolina University where she taught undergraduate courses. Prior to teaching at Westminster, she worked as a choral conductor and teacher in the suburban school districts of Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, Ga., was assistant conductor and children's choir director at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta and was a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus under the direction of Robert Shaw. Since coming to Princeton, she has worked as artist faculty at the Conservatory and as an adjunct in music education at Westminster Choir College at Rider University. In a year sabbatical, she worked as an adjunct at Ithaca College School of Music. Under her direction, the select middle school Conservatory choir Cantus has performed three times at the White House, recorded for Silver Burdett and ETS, and premiered works subsequently published by Boosey and Hawkes. This choir performs regularly with the Westminster Conservatory Orchestra and has performed twice with the Princeton University Orchestra.
In addition to her work at Westminster, she was for three years the middle school choral conductor and teacher at Princeton Day School. She has conducted workshops in the state and each year conducts the Middle School Vocal Camp for Westminster Choir College, which many Trenton Children's Choir members have attended. She and her husband Steve have three children and live in Princeton Junction. E-mail Patty at tccartistic@gmail.com.
Maureen Llort
Program Manager
Maureen Llort served as Co-Administrative Director of the Trenton Children's Chorus from 1997-2006 with her sister-in-law, Ruth Wyatt. Following a courageous battle with brain cancer, Ruth died in April 2007. Maureen continued serving behind the scenes as a board member and TCC's grant writer, returning in June 2010 as Program Manager. She is a founding member of the TCC Advisory Board and, with Ruth, a 2003 recipient of the Governor's Volunteer Award in the Arts. Maureen administers the TCC Educational Scholarship Fund and the Ruth Wyatt Memorial Fund.
Maureen is a professional double bassist. She has performed with the Dallas Symphony, Dallas Opera, New Jersey Symphony, Opera Festival of New Jersey, Philadelphia Opera Company, Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia and the Richardson Chamber Players of Princeton University. For more than thirty years she maintained a private studio and was for ten years adjunct faculty at Princeton University. A product of excellent public school music education and scholarship assistance for private lessons, she knows the transformative power of the arts and firmly believes that music education is the birthright of every child. E-mail Maureen at tccprogrammanager@gmail.com.
Desiree Melegrito
Director of the Preparatory Choir, (Kindergarten - 2nd grade)
Desiree Melegrito holds a BM in Music Education and Piano Performance from Ithaca College and an MM in Music Education and Piano Performance from Westminster Choir College. A native of the Washington, DC area, she taught elementary general music in Montgomery County Public Schools and directed the children’s choir at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church for three years prior to moving to New Jersey. Since settling in the area in 1998, she served on the faculty of Westminster Conservatory where she instructed piano lessons as well as voice and choral classes. Currently she teaches choral and general music at Chapin School in Princeton, where she has been on the faculty since 1998.
Desiree joined the staff of TCC in 1999 and has directed both the Training and Intermediate Choirs and provided instruction in Theory and Music Enrichment. She is a certified Orff-Schulwerk instructor and has received training in Kodaly methodology. Desiree currently lives in Trenton with her husband Jonathan, daughter Maya, and dog Tanner.
Constance W. Hurtt
Director of the Training Choir, (3rd - 5th grade)
Constance Hurtt joined the staff of the Trenton Children's Chorus in 2006. Mrs. Hurtt holds a B.A. in Music Education from Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C. and a Masters in Special Education from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. She began her teaching career in Smithfield, North Carolina as a vocal music teacher in the Johnston County Public School District.
From 1973 until her retirement in 2009 she was a general music teacher at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Trenton where she was named Teacher of the Year in 1995. Mrs. Hurtt also served as a rotating music teacher throughout the Trenton District and taught piano in the Adult Evening School at Trenton Central High. She has served as a counselor and music teacher for the Mercer Street Friends Center and until 2005 was the director of the youth choir of Shiloh Baptist Church where she was named Woman of the Year in 2001.
A member of the Trenton Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, she works tirelessly in her sorority and in the community to raise an awareness of the importance of education. In addition to her work with the Trenton Children's Chorus, Mrs. Hurtt maintains a private lesson studio.
Gloria Bethea
Choir Manager
Gloria Bethea, a founding member of the TCC Advisory Board, serves as Choir Manager. Believing that TCC provides opportunities for children and youth to develop self-discipline, collaborative skills and appreciation of cultural diversity, she is also the mother of TCC alumni and current choristers. A Nurse Clinician, with undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, she retired from nursing to rear her children with her husband, Alex. Mrs. Bethea also serves as parent advisor to the board of MentorPower.
Jo-Ann Rubay Sciarrotta
Accompanist, Intermediate Choir
Jo-Ann Rubay Sciarrotta is an accomplished pianist, vocal accompanist, music director and award winning teacher. She holds an undergraduate degree and Supervisory Certification in Music Education from The College of New Jersey and a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from Boston University. Her post-graduate studies continued in Europe and at Westminster Choir College. Jo-Ann currently serves as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Art, Media and Music of The College of New Jersey.
In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Ms. Sciarrotta performs with the Boheme Opera Company, Greater Trenton Choral Society, St. Bartholomew Evangelical Lutheran Church in Trenton, Wedded Bliss, The Academy Theatre in Bordentown, St. Vincent DePaul Church in Yardville, and Trenton Civic Opera Company, and is also a freelance accompanist. She has performed with the Amato Opera Theater in New York City and at Boston University, Harvard University, Bijou Theatre of Rider College, Mercer County College, the Foundation Theater at Burlington County College, the New Jersey Theatre Jubilee, the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville for 20 years, Princeton Opera Company, and with the TCNJ Opera Theater , TCNJ College Chorus and TCNJ Choir for 28 years.
In recognition of her outstanding service as an educator, Ms. Sciarrotta was awarded the Hamilton Township Teacher of the Year Award and the Governor's Recognition Award in 1989.
Vanyah M. Harrigan
Accompanist, Training Choir, The Chorale
Vanyah M. Harrigan holds a B.M. Piano, magna cum laude,from Westminster Choir College of Rider University.
While at Westminster, Ms. Harrrigan studied under Phyllis Lehrer, and has played in master classes with Kathleen Kautsky and Dr.Benjamin Whitten.
In addition to pursuing studies in piano literature and pedagogy, Ms. Harrigan has taught private piano lessons for the past nine years and presently serves on the staff at Westminster Conservatory & Trenton Children's Chorus.
Susan Gaylord
Vocalist and Theory and Music Enrichment Instructor
Susan Gaylord has more than fifteen years of experience in teaching beginning vocalists. She began her training with vocal instructor Jane Rolandi at the School of Music of Converse College where she graduated with highest honors in vocal performance. She continued her education with two years in the graduate program for Opera Studies at the Manhattan School of Music in New York.
She has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Princeton Symphony, Lakeland Symphony, Sun Coast Symphony, Brevard Music Festival Orchestra, Summit Orchestra, Lake George Festival Orchestra, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, the Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, Blue Mountain Festival, and is a former adjunct voice faculty member of Florida Southern College.
Ms. Gaylord is currently teaches voice at both the Lawrenceville School and The Pennington School and maintains a private studio.
Sue Ellen Page
Founding Director (1989-2004)
Since 1982, Sue Ellen Page has directed the Music Ministry for Children and Youth at Nassau Presbyterian Church, Princeton. She holds two degrees from Westminster Choir College at Rider University. Composer, arranger and author, in 1989 she received the Alumni Merit Award for "distinguished achievement in the field of children's music." She is a 2005 recipient of the Governor's Award for Volunteerism in the Arts, honoring her works with the Trenton Children's Chorus.