Meet Us

Who We Are

We are children and youth who love to sing. We are the parents of children and youth who love to sing. We are artistic professionals, music educators, administrators, board members, donors, grantors and sponsors who are passionate about providing professional-level musical training and diverse performance opportunities for the children of Central Massachusetts in a transformative, growth-oriented, warm, inviting, fun and musically-challenging program of excellence. We are a safe and inclusive community of people enhancing the lives of our community’s children and youth through choral singing.

OUR STORY

The Worcester Children’s Chorus (WCC) was founded in 2008 as a program of The Master Singers of Worcester by co-directors Jennifer Kane and Malcolm Halliday. A partnership was also formed at that time between the WCC and Assumption University making WCC a choir “in residence” at the University campus where WCC enjoys rehearsal and performance spaces as well as other resources.

THE DEBUT PERFORMANCE

The Chorus began as one ensemble with 33 singers, making its debut performance on Sunday, October 19, 2009 during a “Mostly Mozart” program with The Master Singers of Worcester.

A DECADE OF GROWTH

Within two years, the Chorus split into two ensembles with the addition of the Da Capo training choir under the direction of Philip Montgomery and became an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. In September 2014, Dr. Pamela Mindell succeeded Jennifer Kane as the Artistic Director after two years directing the Tour Chorus. A Decade of Song Gala Concert was held at Mechanic’s Hall in May 2018 celebrating a successful 10 years and looking toward a bright future for the choir.

A PASSION FOR MUSIC PERFORMANCE

The Worcester Children’s Chorus has performed with many area ensembles, including: The Master Singers of Worcester, The Assabet Valley Mastersingers, The Salisbury Singers, the Thayer Symphony Orchestra, the Worcester Youth Orchestra, and the Worcester Chorus. Members of the chorus have also performed on three occasions at Carnegie Hall in NYC, participated in the International Children’s Chorus Festival at Canterbury Cathedral and London, England, as well as the Crescent City Choral Festival in New Orleans. In 2016, the WCC was featured at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, where they performed the Star Spangled Banner before tens of thousands.

EDUCATORS & STAFF

“The teachers are experts in their fields and know how to work with children. We are always impressed with the faculty’s ability to elicit enthusiasm and creativity from each group. Hands down, one of the best learning opportunities for our girls.”

Pamela MINDELL, DMA

Artistic Director

Philip Montgomery

Associate Artistic Director

Olga Berkovich, PhD

Collaborative Pianist

Chris Wychorski

Executive Director

Isabella Gentleman

Outreach & Education Coordinator
intern Ellie Hanson

Ellie Hanson

Marketing Intern

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Our Board is a devoted group of professionals and parents passionate about growing this choir and community to the best it can be for the children and youth of Central Massachusetts.

Abigail childs, md

President

Susie Cabral

Vice President

Al Hargrave

Treasurer

Sarah Johnson

Secretary

Jennifer Tallagnon

Member at Large

Robert G. Carson

Member at Large

DeMisty Bellinger-Delfeld, PhD

Member at Large

Mary Callahan Gros

Member at Large

Christopher Kardos

Member at Large

Hernando Borda

Member at Large

Pamela MINDELL, dma

Member Ex-Officio

Philip Montgomery

Member Ex-Officio

OUR PARTNERS

ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY

For Worcester Children’s Chorus, the relationship with Assumption University has provided a stable, centrally located home with the support of campus facilities and staff. Choir members enjoy rehearsals on a safe and beautiful campus and performances in a world-class performance hall. Since WCC’s inception, an Assumption faculty or staff member has sat on our Board lending support, cross-communication and valuable skills and experience. Collaboration has begun between the Assumption University chorus and WCC – bringing youth together with college-age singers offering a rich learning experience and expanded performance opportunities.

PAKACHOAG MUSIC SCHOOL OF GREATER WORCESTER

WCC and Pakachoag Music School “met” at a leadership workshop and quickly decided to form a partnership to lend strength to each organization, share resources and ideas, and expand the musical opportunities offered to the children and youth of Greater Worcester. As “Partners-in-Music” we continue to look for ways to bring diverse opportunities across the two organizations like a 10% reciprocal discount.

ONE WORCESTER

The Organization for Nonprofit Excellence (ONE Worcester) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with an eight-year history of providing consulting and coaching to Worcester-area nonprofits free of charge. Formerly Jericho Road Worcester, this organization provides nonprofits with expert consulting in the areas of marketing, fundraising, strategic planning, governance, human resources, and board development. Thanks to ONE Worcester for contributing to the creation of our new website in 2021!

LADYBUGZ INTERACTIVE AGENCY

Ladybugz Interactive Agency is a funky co-op of Boston-based web designers and digital marketers. Our journey began in 2020 with the rebrand of the Worcester Children’s Chorus with Morgatize, Inc. Our new color palette, logos, and fresh, modern look are the result of a joyful work relationship with Morgan Kropa. She invited us to work with Ladybugz Interactive Agency for our next big project – to create a new, vibrant, customer-friendly website that reflected our new brand. Thank you to Morgan, Frank Pereira, our web designer, and the whole team at Ladybugz Interactive for giving so much time, heart and soul to this project.

COMMITTEES

Committees are the workhorses of a Board of Directors. It’s where the brainstorming happens, the dreaming happens, the work happens. Currently groups of skilled volunteers comprise the Marketing, WCC Strong, Nominations, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committees. WCC Strong was born out of the adversity of the pandemic to help coordinate a socially distanced end-of-year gathering and has grown into a strong support for the staff to deliver community building events and activities.
Volunteers5K

GET INVOLVED

Getting involved with the choir on a personal volunteer level has deepened the enjoyment of the choir community experience for many parents of choristers over the years. Meeting other parents, working together to bring great opportunities to the children and youth, and delivering excellent performance experiences is extremely satisfying for many families. We often hear that the most intensive volunteer experience, chaperoning on a tour, is as positively life-changing for the chaperones as for the singers.

Donate today to support our program

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Dr. Pamela Mindell

Artistic Director

Pamela Mindell has worked with a number of children’s choirs, including the Litchfield County Children’s Choir in CT and the Paradise City Children’s Choir, in Northampton, MA, which she founded in 2001.

In addition to her work with WCC, Pamela is also Music Director of the Cambridge Community Chorus. She has served on the faculties of Smith College, Clark University, and College of the Holy Cross. Under her direction, the Holy Cross choirs traveled to Italy and Spain, as well as throughout the Northeastern United States, singing in such venues as Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. Other performance highlights include a concert of Sacred Latin American music with renowned soprano Dawn Upshaw, and Osvaldo Golijov’s Pasion segun San Marco, as part of the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center. Pamela served as Artistic Director of the Hotchkiss Summer Portals Vocal Chamber Program (CT) for high school singers for ten years.

Prior to her college teaching, Pamela spent a year in Sydney, Australia, conducting and singing professionally. As a soprano, Pamela has performed in several recitals with mezzo-soprano Justina Golden. She has sung with The Boston Secession and Emmanuel Music in Boston. Pamela received her doctorate in Choral Conducting from Yale University, where she studied with Marguerite Brooks and David Connell. She holds a master’s degree in Music Education with Kodàly Certification from The Hartt School as well as a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Princeton University.

Philip Montgomery

Philip Montgomery is the Music Coordinator at the Fay School in Southborough, MA, an independent school for students in Kindergarten through Grade Nine. He holds a Masters Degree in Organ Performance from The Boston Conservatory where he was awarded membership in Pi Kappa Lambda. He holds an additional Masters Degree in Music Education, with Kodály emphasis, from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Mr. Montgomery is a certified instructor in both the Orff-Schulwerk and Kodály methodologies of music education. He also attended the 25th and 26th International Kodály Seminars at the Zoltán Kodály Pedagogical Institute of Music in Kecskemét, Hungary. He completed levels 1, 2 and 3 of the “Creating Artistry Choral Conductors Workshop” with Henry Leck, founder and director of the Indianapolis Children’s Chorus.

Mr. Montgomery has served as Assistant Organist at All Saints Church, Worcester, MA and as Organist and Choirmaster of Saint Mark’s Church, Episcopal, in Southborough, MA. He is currently Associate Artistic Director of the Worcester Children’s Chorus where he conducts the “Da Capo” and “Young Artists” choirs. Additionally, Mr. Montgomery is a faculty member of the Kodály Music Institute, and has been a choir director and solfege teacher for the Institute’s summer programs. Philip also serves as President-Elect of the BAKE Board of Directors (Boston Area Kodály Educators).

Olga Berkovich

Olga Berkovich is a Russian-American pianist, piano teacher, composer, organist, and musicologist. She is a graduate of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, holding degrees in piano and composition. Berkovich obtained a Ph.D. in pedagogy with her thesis on teaching composition to future music educators. While still a student, Dr. Berkovich received the gold medal at the 1996 All-Russian Composer Competition. Her instrumental and vocal compositions have been performed on stages worldwide. She collaborated with the Astra Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC Orchestra in South Korea as a composer and arranger.

Dr. Berkovich is an avid writer and has authored several publications in music theory and education. Her book Methods of Teaching Composition and Improvisation has been published in Russia and Germany and serves as a reputable source for music composition teachers. In addition, collections of musical compositions were published in New York.

Chris Wychorski

Executive Director

Chris Wychorski assumed the role of Executive Director in January 2024, leveraging two years of extensive experience as both President of the Board and Managing Director. Before her leadership roles, Chris’s journey with the organization began in 2014 when she started as a dedicated volunteer and was subsequently elected to the Board.

Her commitment to the cause led to her election as Vice President in August 2017, where she spearheaded initiatives in volunteer recruitment, data collection, and systems analysis. In 2021, Chris was elected President, taking the baton and the helm of the organization from the long-time and unwavering President, Philip Montgomery, during a crucial period marked by rebranding, post-pandemic rebuilding, significantly increased fundraising, and ambitious growth and expansion efforts.

Beyond her leadership roles, Chris has a personal connection to the organization as her daughter, Vivienne, enjoyed seven years of extraordinary experiences with the choir before graduating high school. This connection adds a unique dimension to Chris’s dedication and understanding of the organization’s impact.

Educated at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Chris holds a Bachelor of Science degree and over two decades of accumulative experience within the non-profit sector. Her multifaceted journey from volunteer to Executive Director reflects a deep-rooted passion for the organization’s mission and a proven track record of transformative leadership.

Isabella Gentleman

Isabella Gentleman directs music programming and teaches Music, Diversity and Social Justice, and English at Eagle Hill School, a private boarding school for diverse learners in grades 8-12. She holds her bachelor’s degree in Choral Conducting and Church Music from St. Olaf College and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Educational Research from the University of Glasgow, specializing in inclusive educational policy and curriculum development.

During her time at St. Olaf, Isabella sang with the St. Olaf Choir, under the direction of Dr. Anton Armstrong, for which she served as soprano section leader and toured around the United States and Norway. Isabella was also Assistant Conductor of Manitou Singers, under Dr. Therees Hibbard. From 2019-2021, Isabella served as Music Administrator at All Saints Church, where she grew up singing and found her love of music. Isabella is the music director for Eagle Hill Theater productions and supervises Eagle Hill’s series of student-run Open Mics for student performances of the fine arts, now in its second year.

Isabella’s time in the rehearsal space and classroom, both as a student and now a teacher, has led to her passion for creating relevant, inclusive, and accessible music curricula that will provide opportunities for people of all abilities to make music together.

Abigail childs

Abigail works as a neuroradiologist in Milford and has been practicing medicine for over 20 years. She earned her medical degree from Dartmouth, Geisel School of Medicine, and holds an MBA from Clark University and a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University. Abigail is a passionate supporter of the arts with a commitment to the mission of WCC. It is her goal to make WCC accessible to all students in the greater Worcester area so they may experience the joy and wonder of music.

Susie Cabral

Susie Cabral serves as a board member and Chair of the Marketing Committee for WCC. Her daughter Katia has been singing with the chorus for over five years.

Susie works in technology marketing and owns her own consulting practice. Seen as a savvy Silicon Valley marketing leader with 15-year proven track record of delivering inventive marketing, creating high performing teams and consistently achieving results. Susie is involved in many local events and charities organizations. Passionate about advocacy for child causes as well as with dachshund rescues. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, International Business and Marketing from the University of San Francisco.

Al Hargrave

Treasurer

Al Hargrave is a CPA and Financial Adviser with McCarthy, Hargrave and Co. located in Northborough, MA and Stafford Springs, CT. He holds a BS in Economics from Brown University and has been working with non-profit organizations for over 20 years. Al has been the Treasurer of WCC for the past 4 years

Sarah Johnson

Sarah Johnson is pleased to have joined the WCC board in 2020. Her daughter, Sammy, has been a member since 2014 and together they have traveled to New Orleans, New York City, and Canada with the WCC. Sarah was very involved in instrumental music all the way up through college herself and is happy to support her children’s love of music now. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and Sociology from Boston College as well as a Master’s of Elementary Education from Simmons College. She has been teaching second grade in Westborough, MA since 1997.

Jennifer Tallagnon

Jennifer joined the WCC board in 2020. She has been actively involved as a volunteer parent since her daughter joined the chorus in 2015.

Robert G. Carson

Robert G. Carson, MSHRM is the Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer at Assumption University in Worcester, MA where he provides strategic leadership and operational management on all human resources and workplace initiatives in concert with the institution’s strategic plan, mission, and culture. His duties included talent acquisition, professional development for staff, succession planning, performance management, benefits, compensation, labor relations, policy development, and human resources information systems management. Robert also serves as Director of Music and Organist at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church here in Worcester, MA, where he leads the music ministry of the parish.

 

Robert, who speaks English and Spanish, earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration-Management from the University of Phoenix and a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from the University of Scranton. He is an AIRS-Certified Diversity Recruiter and Professional Certified Recruiter currently pursuing certification as a Senior Professional Human Resources designation from the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). Professional memberships held by Robert include The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), College and University Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR), and a Board Member of the Human Resources Management Association of Central Massachusetts (HRMA).

DeMisty Bellinger-Delfeld

DeMisty D. Bellinger-Delfeld has an MFA in creative writing from Southampton College and a PhD in English from the University of Nebraska. She teaches creative writing at Fitchburg State University and serves as first violinist in the Fitchburg State University Community Orchestra. She serves as poetry editor at Porcupine Literary and Malarkey Books. DeMisty is also a writer whose work has appeared in many journals and anthologies, including The Best Small Fictions: 2019. Her chapbook of poems Rubbing Elbows is now available and her full-length poetry collection, Peculiar Heritage, is forthcoming with Mason Jar Press.

Mary Callahan Gros

Mary is passionate about the arts and education. A graduate of Framingham State and Boston College, Mary spent two decades as an educator in Watertown, Mass. Public School System as well as Lesley University. As a parent of three children in the Westborough school system, Mary is involved in school and cultural programs.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-callahan-a398a722/

Christopher Kardos

Chris is a Partner at Strategic Benefit Advisors, an employee benefits consulting firm based on Southborough, MA. He resides in Northborough with his wife Cindy and four children, who all enjoy making music in its many forms.

Chris grew up in a musical family and received instruction in classical piano and organ throughout his childhood years and in college. His father was an accomplished violinist and choir singer, his mother an organist.

Hernando Borda

Hernando is a tech leader with 25+ years of experience in the software industry, skilled in product management, design, and software development. He earned his MS in Computer Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Bachelor of Science from Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.

Hernando’s daughter has been with WCC for 5 years. He shares with her a deep love for music and especially for singing. His goal with WCC is to promote and help the organization serve its purpose of educating and promoting music to the children of our community.