Music Directors

Virginia Morgan Arey

Virginia Morgan Arey directs Les Petites Voix. She is a singer and music educator throughout central Maryland. Mrs. Arey started singing with the Frederick Children’s Chorus when she was in 4th grade and continued on with the Chamber Singers. In high school she became interested in teaching and conducting as well as performing. She had the wonderful opportunity to be one of the first student interns for the Frederick Children’s Chorus where she conducted the Training Chorus. She went on to receive her undergraduate degree from Oberlin Conservatory in music education and her master’s degree from the American Kodaly Institute at Loyola University in Baltimore. She taught vocal music and chorus in Baltimore County Public Schools for 15 years. Currently, she teaches with the Frederick Children’s Chorus as a Little Music Makers teacher. Mrs. Arey has enjoyed singing with many wonderful arts organizations in Maryland as a soloist and chorister such as Annapolis Opera, HUB Opera Ensemble, Baltimore Choral Arts Society, Young Victorian Opera Company, Joyous Voices Carolers and Opus Concert Theatre. Currently she is the Alto section leader and soloist at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Baltimore and is a professional chorister and soloist with the Handel Choir of Baltimore. She is also a sought after church musician and cantor in the area. She lives in Eldersburg with her husband Jim and two children, TJ and Luke.

Jenna Lebherz Daly, Artistic Director

Jenna Lebherz Daly, Director of Cantare Bel Canto I, joined Children’s Chorus of Carroll County in 2012 and became the Artistic Director in 2016. She first sang with the Frederick Children’s Chorus from 5th-12th grade and fell in love with the unique silvery sound of a children’s choir. After high school, she went on to Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ to earn Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Vocal Performance. She then earned a Master’s in Opera Performance with University of Maryland’s Opera Studio. Mrs. Daly has performed in many states and venues, and she enjoyed being active in the opera world as a mezzo-soprano, singing for opera companies and orchestras. Currently, she is the Chair of the Performing Arts Department and teaches the Lower and Middle School Music Program (Pre-K through 8th grade) at Gerstell Academy in Finksburg, MD. Mrs. Daly has taken the Chorus to Festivals in New Orleans, Williamsburg, VA, and Charleston, WV. She thoroughly loves working with children and keeping music alive through their voices.

Rachel Morgan

Rachel Morgan directs Il Coro Della Bella Voce and Cantare Bel Canto II. Since joining CCCC in 2010, she has led the combined Cantare Bel Canto choirs to win awards at choral festivals and adjudications and has co-directed touring ensembles that have performed in prestigious venues both in the United States and Europe. Ms. Morgan works full-time as the Artistic Director of the Children’s Chorus of Maryland & School of Music. She also conducts the York County Junior Honors Choir in PA. A school music teacher from 2005-2020, Ms. Morgan earned elite recognition as CCPS Teacher of the Year 2015 Finalist and won the prestigious Outstanding Teacher Award. Other organizations with which she has freelanced as a conductor and teacher include Lamplight Artists, the National Christian Choir, the Maryland Academy of Dance, and Carroll Community College. She has also taught private voice lessons and has served as a church musician. Ms. Morgan holds a Master of Music from the Peabody Conservatory, a Kodály Certificate from the American Kodály Institute, and a Bachelor of Music Education from the Wheaton College Conservatory. She also completed 40 additional graduate credits centered on world folk arts at McDaniel College.

Accompanists

Joann Long Benson

Joann Long Benson, Accompanist and Instructor of Skills since 2013, is a graduate of Mansfield University of PA with a degree in piano performance, and has completed a Master’s of Music Education at Towson University. Prior to retirement she was a music teacher in Carroll County Public Schools for 25 years, most recently at Sandymount Elementary School. Mrs. Benson worked for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra several summers designing the teacher’s resources for their Education concerts. She was employed previously as an adjunct at Carroll Community College and is currently supervising student teachers for McDaniel College as well as being the vocal music teacher at North Carroll Community School. Mrs. Benson enjoys accompanying a wide variety of musical groups in the region, including Eisteddfod honors choruses and soloists.

Diane Jones, Artistic Director Emeritus

Diane Jones, Co-Founder and Accompanist, earned a Masters of Liberal Arts from Western Maryland College and a Bachelors of Music Education from Houghton College in New York. She taught elementary, middle and high school in New York and Maryland public schools for over twenty five years. She was also adjunct faculty at McDaniel College. As Artistic Director of Children’s Chorus of Carroll County, she established the Chorus’ structure, including an emphasis on musically enriching travel opportunities for its members. She currently has an active private piano studio, is Director of Music for St. Paul United Methodist Church and enjoys a variety of collaborative musical experiences.

Under her leadership, Voce Viaggio performed in Estonia, Finland, and Sweden (2004), participated in the “12th International Children’s Choir Festival” in Oxford, Canterbury, and London (2008), and “The Children’s Choir Festival at Canterbury Cathedral & London” (2011). She and three Chorus members also participated in the “Estonian Song Festival” in July of 2009. As co-directors of Voce Viaggio, she and Ms. Im led students who participated in the “Austrian Choral Festival with Henry Leck” in 2014. In June 2015, their BC groups performed in the Manhattan Concert Production’s National Children’s Festival Chorus, which culminated in a gala event at Carnegie Hall.