Staff

Artistic Director: Elizabeth Shepley
Elizabeth Shepley, who conducts Anima, Concert Choir and teaches Poco:  A Music Experience, has a Master’s degree in music education from the University of St. Thomas with an emphasis in Kodaly, a Bachelor’s degree in music education from Concordia College in Moorhead, and holds certifications in Orff-Schulwerk and Kodaly methodologies. Ms. Shepley was instrumental in developing the House of Hope Presbyterian Church Choir School in St. Paul and served as its director for over a decade. In addition, she taught music education in both public and private schools, has chaired inner city music programs in Minneapolis and St. Paul, has served as President of the Twin City Choristers Guild, and has led conferences and festival choirs nationwide. In addition to her position with the Northfield Youth Choirs, Ms. Shepley serves as the Director of Children’s Choirs at Bethel Lutheran Church in Northfield and is on the adjunct faculty at Luther Seminary as the instructor of children’s choral techniques.

Anton Armstrong, principal conductor of the Troubadours
Anton Armstrong, principal conductor of the Troubadours, is the Harry R. and Thora H. Tosdal Professor of Music at St. Olaf College, conductor of the St. Olaf Choir and conductor of the Youth Choral Academy of the Oregon Bach Festival. He edits a multicultural choral series for Earthsongs Publications and is active as choral clinician and festival conductor throughout North America, the Caribbean, Scandinavia, Europe, and the Pacific Rim. Dr. Armstrong, a graduate of St. Olaf College, earned advanced degrees at the University of Illinois and Michigan State University. He is the winner of the 2005 Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching.

Sigrid Johnson, Anima Guest Conductor
Sigrid Johnson, Anima guest conductor, is a member of the voice and choral faculty at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. She is the conductor of the Manitou Singers, a 95 voice first-year women’s chorus at St. Olaf.  Johnson received a B.M. in vocal performance from St. Cloud State University and an M.M. in voice performance from the University of Michigan.  Before her appointment at St. Olaf, she was on the music faculties of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter and at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Ms. Johnson is also the Associate Conductor of the Ensemble Singers and Chorus for Philip Brunelle’s VocalEssence, formerly known as the Plymouth Music Series of Minnesota.

Ms. Johnson maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor and clinician at choral festivals and all-state music festivals across the country and has conducted choral workshops in Australia.  She is a member of the American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA), Music Educator’s National Conference (MENC), the International Federation for Choral Music and Chorus America.

In January through March 1999, Ms. Johnson conducted the National Lutheran Choir of Minneapolis.  Ms. Johnson has served as Conductor of the Dale Warland Symphonic Chorus and the Associate Conductor of the Dale Warland Singers.  She has prepared symphonic choruses for Neemi Jarvi, Sir Neville Mariner, David Zinman, Stanislaw Skrowaczewsky, Gerard Swartz, Edo de Waart, and Leonard Slatkin among others.

In August 2002, she was one of the featured lecturers for the Sixth World Symposium on Choral Music.  In October 2004, Mrs. Johnson was a featured lecturer and clinician at the Australian National Choral Directors National Conference in Adelaide.  In 2006 she was a member of the esteemed jury for the Bela Bartok International Choral Competition in Debrecen, Hungary and in 2008 she was a lecturer on choral sound for the Eighth World Symposium on Choral Music in Copenhagen.

Rachel Lucius, conductor of the Treble Choir
Rachel Lucius, conductor of the Treble Choir, teaches K-6 vocal and general music at Rahn Elementary School, and 7th grade choir and general music at Metcalf Junior High School in district #191 (Burnsville, Eagan and Savage). She is also the director of the Junior Choir at Camp Albemarle, the summer music program of The American Boychoir School in Princeton, NJ. Ms. Lucius holds a B.A. in Vocal Music Eduation from St. Olaf College and M.A. in Music Education with a combined concentration in Kodály and Orff Schulwerk from the University of St. Thomas. She is currently serving on the board of the Kodály Chapter of Minnesota.

Jessica Perry, conductor of Junior Singers
Jessica Perry, conductor of Junior Singers, teaches vocal and general music at Harriet Bishop Elementary in school district #191 (Burnsville, Eagan and Savage). She holds a degree in vocal music education from Luther College, where she sang in the Nordic Choir under the direction of Weston Noble. As a student in Decorah, she directed the Junior Choir at Good Shepard Lutheran Church for three years. Jessica is currently a graduate student at the University of St. Thomas working on her Master of Arts in Music Education with a concentration in Kodaly method.

Operations Manager: Wendy Sivanich
Wendy Sivanich joined the NYC staff in the fall of 2005. Originally hired as a bookkeeper, Wendy’s role in managing the organization has steadily grown to her current position as operations manager. With a degree in accounting from the University of St. Thomas, Wendy manages all operational and financial aspects of the organization and has brought the NYC to a new level administratively.