Directors and Staff

Jena Dickey, Founder and Artistic Director

Jena Dickey directs both Signature and Concert Choir. As a youngster, Jena's strongest aptitudes were in other areas, but her love of expression through vocal music fueled her desire to pursue choral music education and to establish her instrument - the children's choir. A Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Texas (Austin) and a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Colorado (Boulder) formally prepared her for this mission. Postgraduate study through Choral Music Experience, the Kodály Institute (in both the U.S. and Hungary), and other specialized courses propelled her to the forefront of children's choral organization leadership. In addition to inspiring her choirs to achieve excellence, Jena has led over 100 individual children through successful auditions for national and regional honor choirs and has coached two boys to win international solo competitions in the U.S. and Wales. She has prepared children's choruses and soloists for many of the leading choral and instrumental conductors in the state. Jena has served the American Choral Directors Association as the Children's Choir Chair for Colorado.

Margie Camp, Director of Music Education and TrebleMakers Director

As Director of Music Education, Margie Camp plans the music literacy curriculum and works with the other directors to ensure that our singers are receiving continuous instruction in music theory, ear-training and sight-reading. In addition to her work with Young Voices, she teaches music education classes at Metropolitan State College. Margie is a former music teacher in the Cherry Creek School District, where she taught choir at Campus Middle School. Her school choirs have been featured at many Colorado Music Educators Clinic/Conferences as well as American Choral Directors Association Conventions. Margie takes an active leadership role in many state and national music organizations and currently is Past-President of Colorado ACDA, CMEA Publications Manager and SWACDA 2008 Program Chair.

Lori May, Choristers Director

Lori May has been energetically inspiring and training young people to discover and develop their musical talents for over twenty years. Her commitment to excellence in the performance of quality treble music is evidenced by the achievements of the Choristers. Under her direction the Choristers have won several choir festival awards and were featured at the 2004 Colorado Music Educators Association Clinic/Conference. Lori has worked as a vocal music specialist in Loveland, Denver Public Schools, Saint Mary's Academy and Cherry Creek Schools. She is currently vocal music director at Falcon Creek Middle School in the Cherry Creek School District. She is also an accomplished jazz pianist and often serves as music director for Main Street Players' musical productions.

Rhys Harris, Boychoir Director

Rhys Harris moved to America in 1996 after spending four years as a Cathedral Chorister at Llandaf Cathedral in Wales. He has a great deal of experience as a boychoir and choir member and has won many singing awards. He is able to use these experiences as he teaches the next generation of boychoir members. Rhys studies Music Education and Vocal Performance at Metropolitan State College of Denver, singing in the Metropolitan Chorale and Men's Choir under the direction of Dr. Michael Kornelsen and studying voice with Mr. Gene Roberts. Rhys is tenor soloist at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Littleton.

Marcia Koster, Signature and Concert Choir Accompanist

Marcia Koster received her Bachelors Degree in Piano Pedagogy and Organ Performance at the University of Montana and Masters Degrees in Organ Performance and Piano Collaboration from Eastern Michigan University after raising her ten children. In addition to accompanying Signature and Concert Choir, Marcia is the organist at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Littleton and the accompanist for Campus Middle School and the Colorado Women’s Chorale.

Gretchen Timmer, Choristers and Tuesday TrebleMakers Accompanist

Gretchen Timmer started accompanying the rhythm band when in kindergarten and has continued to love making music with others by accompanying. Earning a B.A. at Hastings College in music education and keyboard and an M.M. at University of Nebraska- Lincoln in music education, she taught music in Omaha and Lincoln schools and retired from the Cherry Creek Schools in 2006 after teaching 23 years at High Plains Elementary. Besides accompanying the Choristers and Tuesday TrebleMakers, she teaches music at St. Elizabeth's Elementary School in northeast Denver, is one of two organist/choir directors at Kirk of Bonnie Brae, is a co-founder of the Joyful Orange Music Scholarship for which she teaches piano, and performs twice a month at a nursing facility in Castle Rock. Her passions are peace, spiritual studies, and helping young children to learn and experience music. She loves to attend music performances from diverse cultures.

Lisa Taron, Boychoir Accompanist

Lisa Taron was born and raised in Southern California and began studying the piano and organ when she was five years old. She accompanied her grammar school, middle school, and high school choirs, and earned a piano performance scholarship to Pepperdine University at Malibu. While at Pepperdine, she performed and toured with the University choirs. In 2005 she earned a bachelors degree in computers at the Women's College of the University of Denver. She teaches private piano lessons in addition to her position of ten years at Lord of the Hills Lutheran Church in Centennial as church pianist. She performs as an accompanist for several soloists in the Denver area. She enjoys spending time with her three adult sons, working with the Boychoir of the Young Voices of Colorado, and taking long walks with her standard poodle, Sophie.

Karen Eychaner, Monday TrebleMakers Accompanist

Though Karen Eychaner has an education and background in school counseling, she has been playing piano in various venues for many years. After ten years as a stay-at-home mom, she has recently started a part-time job as a choir accompanist for Bear Creek High School. She loves creating music and helping others sound their best! Her husband is a choral director and music education supervisor at Colorado Christian University. They have been in the Denver area for one and a half years, and they love it. Her children, TrebleMakers Melanie and John, are responsible for bringing her into the Young Voices family.

Nancy Fontana, Vocal Coach

Nancy Fontana, vocal coach, has had a strong sense of performing since her early childhood, directing neighborhood friends in "productions" of her favorite musical scores. After studying voice at the University of Southern California, she embarked on a professional singing career in stage and film studios across the U.S., Japan, and Europe. With the Roger Wagner Chorale, Nancy acquired her professional training in choral music, solo singing, and conducting, leading to solo engagements with orchestras such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony, California Chamber Orchestra, and the L.A. Chamber Orchestra. She also sang with Los Angeles and Long Beach Opera companies. Nancy recorded the Opera sequences in the movie Pretty Woman and also was the voice of Christine in the 21st Century film Phantom of the Opera. She moved to Colorado in the fall of 1992 to be closer to family and to take a break from the high-density city life in L.A. She currently teaches piano and voice privately.

Chrys Harris, Program Director

Chrys Harris came to the U.S. from Wales in 1996. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, a Bachelor of Arts in Music, a Certificate of Choral Management from Chorus America and a Master of Nonprofit Management degree from Regis University. Chrys has been with the choir for over ten years and has made many innovations in our organization, most recently, our highly successful Sing A Mile High Children’s Choral Festival. A master trip planner, Chrys has organized all our tours, including two tours of the United Kingdom and our recent Pacific Rim Festival.

Kelly Peña, Office Manager

Kelly Peña works full time at Young Voices as the Office Manager. Kelly earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Art from Westmont College. She spent several years working in Santa Barbara, CA with various nonprofits, including United Way, Girls Inc., and the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. Kelly handles communications with Young Voices parents, and produces the monthly KeyNotes, the semi-annual Front Row Seat and yearbook. She also handles the ordering of choir uniforms, works on our marketing and publicity and provides office support for our many projects.