Music Directors
Virginia Morgan Arey
Mrs. Virginia Morgan Arey directs Les Petites Voix. She is a singer and music educator throughout central Maryland. Mrs. Arey started singing with the Frederick Children’s Chorus when she was in 4th grade and continued on with the Chamber Singers. In high school she became interested in teaching and conducting as well as performing. She had the wonderful opportunity to be one of the first student interns for the Frederick Children’s Chorus where she conducted the Training Chorus. She went on to receive her undergraduate degree from Oberlin Conservatory in music education and her master’s degree from the American Kodaly Institute at Loyola University in Baltimore. She taught vocal music and chorus in Baltimore County Public Schools for 15 years. Currently, she teaches with the Frederick Children’s Chorus as a Little Music Makers teacher. Mrs. Arey has enjoyed singing with many wonderful arts organizations in Maryland as a soloist and chorister such as Annapolis Opera, HUB Opera Ensemble, Baltimore Choral Arts Society, Young Victorian Opera Company, Joyous Voices Carolers and Opus Concert Theatre. Currently she is the Alto section leader and soloist at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Baltimore and is a professional chorister and soloist with the Handel Choir of Baltimore. She is also a sought after church musician and cantor in the area. She lives in Eldersburg with her husband Jim and two children, TJ and Luke.
Jenna Lebherz Daly, Artistic Director
Jenna Lebherz Daly directs Cantare Bel Canto I. She first sang with the Frederick Children’s Chorus from 5th-12th grade and fell in love with the unique silvery sound of a children’s choir. After high school, she went on to Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ to earn Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Vocal Performance. She then earned a Master’s in Opera Performance with the University of Maryland’s Opera Studio. Mrs. Daly has performed in many states and venues singing for opera companies and orchestras. Currently, she is the Chair of the Performing Arts Department, and teaches the Lower and Middle School Music Programs (Pre-K through 8th grade) at Gerstell Academy in Finksburg, MD. She thoroughly loves working with children and keeping music alive through their voices.
Rachel Morgan Im
Rachel Morgan Im directs Il Coro Della Bella Voce and Cantare Bel Canto II. Since joining CCCC in 2010, she has led the combined Cantare Bel Canto choirs to win awards at choral festivals and adjudications and has co-directed touring ensembles that have performed in prestigious venues both in the United States and Europe. Ms. Morgan Im’s primary role is as the full-time Artistic Director of the Children’s Chorus of Maryland and School of Music. She is also Conductor of the York County Junior Honors Choir in PA. Other organizations with which she has held conducting and teaching contracts include Lamplight Artists, the National Christian Choir, the Maryland Academy of Dance, and Carroll Community College. A school music teacher from 2005-2020, Ms. Morgan Im won the Outstanding Teacher Award and earned elite recognition as CCPS Teacher of the Year 2015 Finalist. She holds a Master of Music in music education from the Peabody Conservatory and a Bachelor of Music Education from the Wheaton College Conservatory. She completed 40 additional graduate credits in world and folk arts at McDaniel College, studied West African hand drumming, and is currently pursuing specialized certification in Kodály methodology at the American Kodály Institute. Ms. Morgan Im’s website is rachelmorganim.com.
Accompanists
Joann Long Benson
Joann Long Benson, Accompanist and Instructor of Skills since 2013, is a graduate of Mansfield University of PA with a degree in piano performance, and has completed a Master’s of Music Education at Towson University. Prior to retirement she was a music teacher in Carroll County Public Schools for 25 years, most recently at Sandymount Elementary School. Mrs. Benson worked for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra several summers designing the teacher’s resources for their Education concerts. She was employed previously as an adjunct at Carroll Community College and is currently supervising student teachers for McDaniel College as well as being the vocal music teacher at North Carroll Community School. Mrs. Benson enjoys accompanying a wide variety of musical groups in the region, including Eisteddfod honors choruses and soloists.
Diane Jones, Artistic Director Emeritus
Diane Jones, Co-Founder and Accompanist, earned a Masters of Liberal Arts from Western Maryland College and a Bachelors of Music Education from Houghton College in New York. She taught elementary, middle and high school in New York and Maryland public schools for over twenty five years. She was also adjunct faculty at McDaniel College. As Artistic Director of Children’s Chorus of Carroll County, she established the Chorus’ structure, including an emphasis on musically enriching travel opportunities for its members. She currently has an active private piano studio, is Director of Music for St. Paul United Methodist Church and enjoys a variety of collaborative musical experiences.
Under her leadership, Voce Viaggio performed in Estonia, Finland, and Sweden (2004), participated in the “12th International Children’s Choir Festival” in Oxford, Canterbury, and London (2008), and “The Children’s Choir Festival at Canterbury Cathedral & London” (2011). She and three Chorus members also participated in the “Estonian Song Festival” in July of 2009. As co-directors of Voce Viaggio, she and Ms. Im led students who participated in the “Austrian Choral Festival with Henry Leck” in 2014. In June 2015, their BC groups performed in the Manhattan Concert Production’s National Children’s Festival Chorus, which culminated in a gala event at Carnegie Hall.