Our Choirs | Our Staff | History/Mission | Handbook
Melissa Downes, Founder and Artistic Director
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Melissa Downes is a General Music Teacher in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. Presently teaching at Barnette Magnet School , she has taught music at various Fairbanks schools, including Immaculate Conception Elementary, Weller Elementary, Hunter Elementary and Ticasuk Brown Elementary. She earned her Bachelors Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in voice from the University of Alaska , Fairbanks . She has taught voice through her private studio and has adjudicated locally for the high school Regional Solo and Ensemble Competition and for the High School All State Honors Choir. She has taught music theory and directed choirs at the Fairbanks Summer Fine Arts Camp at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and has presented a lecture / demonstration with Northland YouthChoir for the statewide Alaska Music Educators Association at the University of Alaska . Mrs. Downes has studied with internationally recognized choral director and founder of the Indianapolis Children's Choir, Henry Leck. She completed Level One of the Creating Artistry conductor's workshop held at Butler University in Indianapolis , Indiana and Level Two in Honolulu , Hawaii while attending the Pacific Rim Children's Choral Festival in the summer of 2002. During her time at Butler University she also studied with choral conductor and composer, Ruth Dwyer. In 2004 and 2005 Mrs. Downes acted as liaison and Host Choir Director for the summer Northern Lights Choral Festival held in Fairbanks . This is a joint effort between the Festival's Artistic Director, Ruth Dwyer and the Northland Youth Choir to bring children's choirs to Fairbanks from the United States and abroad for cultural exchange and choral performance. A soprano, Mrs. Downes has performed recitals at the University of Alaska , Fairbanks , Trinity College in Burlington , Vermont and Green Mountain College in Poultney , Vermont . She sang with the Alaska Chamber Chorale, under the direction of Marvilla Davis. She has studied voice with Marvilla Davis, Dr. John Hopkins, Byron McGilvray and Louise McLelland. She is a member of the American Choral Director's Association (ACDA), the Music Educator's National Conference (MENC)and the Alaska Music Educator's Association (AMEA).
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Janice Trumbull, Accompanist A product of the Fairbanks school system, Janice Trumbull is a graduate of West Valley High School . While in high school she was selected for the Alaska All-State Honor Choir three times, was selected to represent Alaska in the All-Northwest Honor Choir, and was invited to participate with America 's Youth in Concert for their summer European Tour. She graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks earning a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education. She earned her Masters Degree in Education from Cambridge College in Massachusetts . Currently teaching a multi-age classroom at Joy Elementary School , she has taught 3 rd , 4 th and 5 th grades as well as general music. She has been a judge for High School All State Honors Choir auditions and leads sectional rehearsals for Northland Youth Choir. Miss Trumbull studied piano with Delores Heine and James Johnson and is currently studying voice with Marvilla Davis. She has been in a number of FLOT shows, including leading roles in The Sound of Music and The Secret Garden. She has sung and been a soloist with the University Chorus, is a frequent soloist in the annual Sing-It-Yourself Messiah and sang with the Alaska Chamber Chorale. She also sings and plays piano at University Park Bible Church. In 2004, Janice traveled to China with the Yakima Symphony Chorus where she sang in several concerts.
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Northland Youth Choir Parent Association The parent's association consists of volunteers who organize and participate in various choir committees. They are an integral part of the growth and development of the Northland Children's Choir. 2008-2009 Officers President-Dawn Cogan
Board Of Directors The Northland Youth Choir is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Its board of directors include: Melissa Downes Janice Trumbull Marvilla Davis Silver Chord Foster Wallace David Wilcoxson Mary Ann Fathauer Virginia Farmier
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