Staff

Judith L. DuBose

Artistic Director & Founder

Judith L. DuBose is the Artistic Director and Founder of the Frederick Children’s Chorus, which she established in 1985. She is a clinician and advocate for music activities in school and community settings. While a music teacher in Montgomery County, she taught general music and vocal music in elementary and middle schools. Prior to teaching in Montgomery County, she taught middle school and high school in Frederick County, MD. Choruses under her direction have participated in adjudicated festivals, consistently receiving Superior ratings. Mrs. DuBose holds a B.S. in Music Education from West Chester State University (PA) and a M.S. in Music Education-Kodály Methods from Loyola University of Baltimore (MD). She has completed three levels of certification from Choral Music Education (CME) Institute where she studied with Doreen Rao.  

The Frederick Children’s Chorus (FCC), under her direction, has performed throughout the U. S. and has established a reputation for excellence in artistry and musicianship. In 1995, the chorus expanded to include the Frederick Chamber Singers, a chorus for select high school-aged singers, also under her direction. The FCC now includes the Little Music Makers programs for preschool and primary school-aged children. Mrs. DuBose is an active member of The American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA), and Chorus America. She is a popular elementary and middle school clinician and adjudicator. 

Lee DuBose Fuhr

Executive Director

Mrs. Fuhr has been a member of the chorus staff since 2004. She directs the Training Chorus, Chamber Singers, and works directly with the Conducting Interns.  As an original member of the Frederick Children’s Chorus in 1985, she sang with the chorus for fourteen years. She studied voice with Carol DeSantis, and performed with the Governor Thomas Johnson High School Chorus, as well as numerous honor choruses. While attending Towson University, she sang with the T.U. Chorale and Chamber Ensembles under the direction of Dr. Paul Rardin. She has also performed with the Baltimore Choral Arts Society with Tom Hall.  Mrs. Fuhr is an active member of The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA).  She performs by invitation within the community as well as the occasional musical theater production.  Mrs. Fuhr holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems from Towson University and is actively engaged in the day to day operations and growth of the chorus within the Frederick community. 

Sara Goldsmith

Principal Accompanist

Sarah Goldsmith has served The Frederick Children’s Chorus as the principal accompanist since 2009. She is a graduate of Towson University, and teaches choir, musical theatre, piano, and AP Theory at James Hubert Blake High School in Silver Spring for Montgomery County Public Schools. Sarah first studied piano with Carol Hindle, and then went on to study with Ena Shin, Ann DiClemente, and Noel Lester while in high school. She attended the Advanced Musical Studies program at TJHS in Frederick, which led her to study music education at Towson. She studied piano at Towson University with Eva Mengelkoch. Ms. Goldsmith holds a M.S. in Choral Music Education from Florida State University. 

Edgar Bower

Accompanist

Mr. Bower has been a Maryland music educator for 30 years, and has taught in Frederick County Public Schools for 27 years.  He is currently teaching at Brunswick Elementary School where he is co-director of the school chorus.  Mr. Bower studied piano at the Peabody Institute at the Johns Hopkins University and received Bachelor and Master degrees from Towson University.  He was awarded a Doctoral Fellowship from Shenandoah Conservatory in 2006 and earned National Board Certification in Elementary Music in 2008.  He is currently church organist and choir accompanist at Trinity United Methodist Church in Frederick.  Mr. Bower accompanied the FCPS Elementary Honors Chorus performances for almost 20 years and is now accompanying our Chamber Singers.  His two grown sons, Christopher and Samuel were members of The Frederick Children’s Chorus throughout their childhood.  Mr. Bower is available for private piano lessons.

Jessica Cummings

Associate Choral Director

Mrs. Cummings is an Adjunct Professor at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, where she prepares pre-service music educators to teach elementary general music and choir in secondary schools. Mrs. Cummings earned her Masters of Music Education from The Florida State University (FL), where she studied voice with Roy Delp and conducting with Dr. Andre Thomas, Dr. Kevin Fenton and Dr. Judy Bowers. She earned her Bachelors of Music in Music Education from DePaul University (IL), where she studied voice with Ashley Putman and Susanne Mentzer and conducting with Dr. Clayton Parr and Dr. Michael V. Smith.  

Prior to coming to Peabody, Mrs. Cummings taught high choir and general music in both Howard and Frederick Counties, and elementary and middle general music and choir in the Chicago-land area. Her choirs have been invited to perform at Maryland Music Educator Association Conferences, the PBS special Celebrate America, NBC’s Sounds of the Season, Carnegie Hall, and many state and national festivals where they received superior ratings. Her students have been selected to sing in All County Choirs, All State Choirs, the NAfME All Eastern Honor Choir and the NAfME All National Choir.

Mrs. Cummings is a sought-after guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician who has presented professional development sessions for choral teachers across the state of Maryland. She was nominated for Who’s Who Among American Teachers, and was featured in the 5th annual Choral Directors of Note article in the Choral Director Magazine.

An avid soprano soloist, she has performed with the Baltimore Choral Arts Society under Tom Hall, the Concert Artists of Baltimore under Edward Polochick, the Chicago Chamber Choir under Timothy Adams, Da Corneto Opera Company (IL), and is in frequent demand as a soprano soloist and section-leader in numerous churches in the Maryland and DC areas. She is a Past President of the Maryland Choral Educators Association.

 

Matthew Dohm

Assistant Director

Mr. Dohm holds a B.S. in Music Education from University of Maryland and is currently pursuing a M.S. in Music Education from Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University.  He is a frequent Music Director and Assistant Music Director for theater productions in the region and is highly sought after for his piano prowess.  Mr. Dohm’s musical contributions have been witnessed by thousands of theater goers at Olney Theatre Center, Kensington Arts Theater, Rockville Musical Theater, Tantallon Community Players, and The Fredericktowne Players.  Mr. Dohm brings a high level of music theory expertise to the students at The Frederick Children’s Chorus and also serves as a vocal coach for soloists. 

In addition, Mr. Dohm serves as church accompanist/organist and Music Ministry leader at several churches in the DMV, has taught in several private charter schools and currently teaches music and theater in several Arts Education organizations, including the Levine School of Music, New Spire Arts, and the Frederick Camerata Youth Theater Camp.  Mr. Dohm is available for private lessons in voice, piano, violin and guitar. 

Patrick O'Grady

Assistant Director

Mr. O’Grady is a graduate of The Frederick Children’s Chorus and holds a B.S. in Music Education from Shepherd University. Patrick is in his second year of teaching in Montgomery County and is the general music teacher at Jones Lane Elementary School. This is also his second year working with the chorus, having taught the Little Music Maker’s Wren class the year before. He currently teaches in the Musicianship Program of the chorus, instructing Concert and Training Chorus singers on musical theory and sight reading.

While at Shepherd University, Mr. O’Grady could be seen performing a variety of works both classical and theatrical. He also had the distinct honor of singing in the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris while on tour with Shepherd University. He’d like to thank the Frederick Children’s Chorus and Judy Dubose for the opportunity to come back and work with such a talented and enthusiastic group of young musicians.

Jillian Wiley

Assistant Director

Ms. Wiley holds a B.A. in Vocal Performance from Shepherd University and a M.M. in Voice and Vocal Pedagogy from Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University.  She also studied with tenor Neil Rosenshein at the Manhattan School of Music.  She was integral in the expansion of the Little Music Makers program to include preschool ages.  Ms. Wiley currently teaches musicianship and provides vocal coaching for soloists at The Frederick Children’s Chorus.   

While at Shepherd University, she performed the role of Sandman in Hansel and Gretel and Nurse Lola in Gallantry.  She performed several roles at Peabody, including Barbara in the world premiere of Meeting at the Fence, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, and Girl 2 in the US premiere of ANON.  In addition to vocal music, she has traveled the globe, spending time in Peru serving underprivileged children, Kenya and east Africa volunteering with Gihon Women Empowerment Center where she assisted in the creation of the first community outreach program and helped educate women on HIV/AIDS, life goals and mental health.  She performs locally and nationally as a vocalist in classical, theater and opera roles.  Ms. Wiley is available for private voice lessons in Washington, DC and Northern Virginia. 

Emily Fulton

Assistant Director

Ms. Fulton is a music teacher with Washington County Public Schools who uses music to help students reach their potential. Ms. Fulton is an advocate of the arts, working with students in the Frederick communities and surrounding areas. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Messiah College and an Associates Degree from Frederick Community College. She participated in numerous music classes and extracurricular activities in the public schools, including choir, orchestra, marching band, and musicals. Ms. Fulton attended Middletown High School and is a graduate of the Frederick County Arts and Communications Academy Program. She was a member of The Frederick Children’s Chorus for 8 years, serving as a conducting intern during her senior year, and a member of the Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra.

Britany Atwater

Assistant Director

Ms. Atwater is a graduate of Frostburg State University with a degree in vocal performance and is currently studying for a masters in music education at Towson University.  She is an avid performer and has been seen in such roles as the mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, First lady in the Magic Flute, as well as
several musical theatre roles. She is currently an active company member of Frederick Towne Players, and actively working at Washington County Playhouse. She had been a featured soprano soloist in such master works as Handel’s Messiah and the Petite Messe Solonnell by Rossini.

She currently serves at the director or vocal music at the FATE center for the arts in Jefferson MD. She is excited to be back and working with the Frederick Children’s Chorus, which she was a member of for 9 years.

Bonnie Abbott

Assistant Director

Bonnie is thrilled to be joining forces with Frederick Children’s Chorus this year!  Bonnie is a vocalist (soprano) who graduated from Shepherd University in 2014.  Shortly after graduation, she began her career as an elementary music teacher (PreK-5) for Washington County.  Born into an extremely musical family, Bonnie grew up on the stage, belting her heart out as early as four years old.  Bonnie has taken voice and piano lessons most of her life.

Among the standard “music nerd” requirements of All County Chorus, Chamber Choir, Jazz Ensemble, and Show Choir; Bonnie performed in musicals including: Annie, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Beauty & the Beast, Candide, Curtains, Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Bonnie’s additional studies in English led to title roles in the Shakespearean dramas:  Antigone, Hamlet, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, and Twelfth Night.

As an educator, Bonnie strives to instill an infectious love of music in every student. Bonnie firmly believes that independence is key to a lifelong study of music. Once passion is established, she works diligently to provide her students with the musicianship tools and confidence to allow them to explore the musical world on their own.

Lela McWilliams

Assistant Director

Stephanie Lichtenberger

Curriculum Specialist

Mrs. Lichtenberger is a seven-year veteran of the Frederick County Public Schools. She is the general music teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in Frederick MD. At Lincoln, she teaches K-5 general music and directs two extracurricular choral ensembles. Mrs. Lichtenberger joined Frederick County Public Schools in 2012, teaching at North Frederick and Yellow Springs Elementary, before beginning at Lincoln Elementary in 2013. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Elizabethtown College, and a Master’s degree in Kodály Music Education from Loyola University in Maryland. Mrs. Lichtenberger has presented workshops on elementary music and young choir methods for both the Maryland United Specialists in Kodály (MUSIK) and the Kodály Educators of Eastern Pennsylvania (KEEP).

Alyse Wilmore

Marketing Intern

Ms. Wilmore is excited to become part of The Frederick Children’s Chorus. Growing up with a passion for singing but an even greater passion for providing that opportunity to others, she immediately felt at home with the chorus. Alyse attended The Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland where she performed in the Chamber Singer Chorus. She also attended The Theatre Lab, School of the Dramatic Arts, where she found her real love of the arts.

Alyse studied at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh 2015-2016 and transferred to Hood College to complete her degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. Interested in both the management and communications aspect of business, IMC was the perfect fit for her to explore her interests.

At The Frederick Children’s Chorus, Alyse has the ability to practice marketing and communications as the Marketing Coordinator, all while supporting an organization she believes in.

Carrie Silver

Little Music Makers Coordinator

Mrs. Silver hails from Philadelphia , PA but is proud to call Frederick, MD home. A performer from the start, she began singing and dancing at the age of 3. Mrs. Silver has performed with liturgical, choral and theater groups, both amateur and professional, across the country and has enjoyed the opportunity to play many leading roles. She received a vocal scholarship to her Philadelphia high school and continued her musical journey into college at the Catholic University of America. In the middle of her sophomore year, she witnessed severe weather in the area which led her to pursue her other passion, weather. She transferred to Penn State and graduated with a degree in Meteorology and Communications.

Music has never been lost on her, however. She regularly performs with the Six Degree Singers, a Silver Spring-based choral group and holds several liturgical music positions in the area. A lover of baseball, she has performed the National Anthem at the Nationals, Phillies, Orioles and Frederick Keys ballparks.

Mrs. Silver has served on the Damascus Theatre Company’s Board of Directors and now enjoys watching her two young girls experience music and arts within the Frederick Children’s Chorus. Mrs. Silver looks forward to helping the Chorus grow and expand.  

Deanna Nixon

Staff Photographer

Ms. Nixon is a former member of the Frederick Chamber Singers, singing with the group until 2006.  Now she is involved in the visual arts, as a freelance photographer in the Greater DC area.  Her work can be found on the Frederick Children’s Chorus website, Chorus promotional materials, and at deannanixonphotography.zenfolio.com.