Our Team

In Colorado, Keith conducted numerous community ensembles, including the Sage Singers GALA Chorus (LGBTQ+ Elder Choir); the One World Singers, a chorus dedicated to promoting understanding through performance of music from many cultures; and in 2011 he founded the Voices of Light Chamber Choir, a chorus dedicated to bringing to life contemporary choral music. He has conducted choirs on tour in Canada, China, Bulgaria, Britain, Ireland, and Germany.

Keith earned a doctorate in the history and performance of choral music from the University of Colorado, a masters from the University of Illinois, and a bachelor’s degree from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. He led Unitarian Universalist music ministry programs in Nashville, Tennessee; Boulder, CO; and Golden, CO. Under his direction, the Jefferson Unitarian Church Choir was invited to represent Colorado in the Washington National Cathedral in 2005, and members of the JUC Choir sang at Carnegie Hall in 2010. At the denominational level, Keith conducted the General Assembly Choir (2001 and 2011) and Singers of the Living Tradition (2007), co-chaired a UU Musicians Network Conference (2005), and served as President of the Association for Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries (2008-2010).

He has a passion for leading groups in singing, born of family experiences singing with parents and grandparents. Keith and husband David Burrows traveled to India three times, working with the UUA Holdeen India Project to support a residential school for girls in Usgaon, Maharashtra.

Shannon Arnold is a passionate choral conductor and educator who uses her skills to reach singers of all ages. She currently serves as the Director of Music at Rock Spring Congregational UCC in Arlington, Virginia and as Assistant Conductor of the Choral Arts Society of Washington. From 2019 to 2023, she served as Artistic Director of the Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers in Fort Myers, Florida. During her tenure, she prepared and conducted multiple choral-orchestral masterworks such as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, and Vivaldi’s Gloria. As a part of the Mastersingers organization, Shannon was also the Music Director for the Intermezzo Choir, an ensemble for singers experiencing Alzheimer’s and dementia and their care partners.

Shannon started her professional teaching career at Fort Pierce Central High School in Fort Pierce, Florida. Her choirs received straight superior ratings at State Music Performance Assessments during her time at the school. She also served as Director of Choral Arts at John F. Kennedy High School in Montgomery County, Maryland for the 2023-24 school year.

Shannon received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Penn State University and her Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting at Temple University. In 2022, Shannon was selected as one of Temple University’s 30 Under 30, an honor recognizing young alumni for their professional achievements.

In her freetime, Shannon enjoys spending time with her husband, Trevor, and their daughter, Maeve. She also enjoys running, cycling, cooking, baking, and spending time with her two dogs.

Angela Burns has performed as a soloist and conductor worldwide before Presidents Bush, Carter, Clinton, and Obama and in the presence of one billion listeners on TV, broadcasts, and live recordings. She has worked with well-known conductors such as Craig Hella Johnson, John Rutter, Craig Jessop, Mack Wilberg, Anton Armstrong and Eric Whitacre to name a few. Until recent, she was the leader, conductor, a Mezzo-Soprano soloist, and choral member of the official chorus of the United States Air Force, The Singing Sergeants. Throughout her career she has soloed and conducted choirs before Presidents, Vice-Presidents, numerous Heads of State and in the company of thousands at the National and Regional American Choral Director Association conventions.

Ms. Burns’ diverse musical background has afforded her the opportunity to solo and work with vocal masters such as Renee and Rachelle Fleming on classical and Broadway techniques for professional singers and up and coming students. Having recently moved from Washington DC, she now resides in Wilmington NC, of which she is a native. Angela continues to perform with the Grammy award winning professional choir, Conspirare, in Austin, Texas as a choral member and Mezzo Soprano soloist. She is currently the choir director at St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church in Wilmington NC. In addition, Angela is the founder and Artistic Director of Wilmington Voices, New Hanover County’s premier professional vocal ensemble. The talented group performs various styles of music while bringing musical excellence to the local community and beyond.

In her downtime she enjoys hiking, traveling, gardening, and going to the beach with her husband Cory and their dog Linden.

Joey Clark is a musical theater and cabaret performer, choral conductor, stage director and teaching artist. His work has been seen on the stages of McCarter Theatre (NJ), Syracuse Stage (NY), and many stages throughout Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Joey’s cabaret work began at NYC’s Duplex Cabaret Bar, and he has since gone on to direct, musical direct and perform in over 100 cabarets. He is a leader in the field of art-making specifically with older adult populations and is a conductor for the Giving Voice Chorus for those who live with Alzheimer’s and their care partners. With 25 years of teaching experience, Joey has taught and directed students age 3-106, serving as Musical Theatre Department Chair for Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists (SPCPA) and as an instructor at MacPhail Center for Music (MN), Children’s Theatre Company (MN), History Theatre (MN), the 92nd Street Y (NYC), and Mayo Performing Arts Center (NJ). He is thrilled to be back on the east coast and making a home in Washington, D.C. teaching at Levine Music and conducting at Encore Creativity for Older Adults!

Jeff Dokken, Encore ROCKS conductor, has been with Encore since 2013. During that time he has conducted numerous chorales in the Washington DC region, and currently conducts Alexandria Chorale and ROCKS, Annapolis ROCKS, Glen Echo ROCKS, and DC Rocks. In addition to his responsibilities at Encore, Maestro Dokken is the Music Director and Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia and Music Director and Conductor of the Rome Symphony Orchestra. He is a frequent guest conductor of orchestras and choirs across the United States, Europe, and South America. Recent highlights include conducting the world premiere of the Philip Glass Flute Concerto in Florence, Italy, guest conducting the National Symphony of Brazil, and return engagements with several orchestras in Ecuador.

Heather Fetrow studied conducting with the late Joseph Flummerfelt at Westminster Choir College and was selected from an international pool of candidates to study with Simon Carrington as conductor of a choral chamber ensemble in Sarteano, Italy.

She has conducted choirs and music directed shows at Christ Church United Methodist and The Browning School in New York City, The Hun School of Princeton, The Madeira School in McLean, Virginia, The Mustard Seed School in Hoboken, New Jersey and the Strathmore Children’s Choir’s Treble Chorus in Bethesda, Maryland. She served as conductor for El Sistema based choral groups in Queens, New York and had a leadership role in development on the board of Kinnara Ensemble, a professional choral ensemble now based in Atlanta, Georgia. She has sung with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Washington National Opera Chorus, Maryland Lyric Opera Chorus and made her Carnegie Hall singing debut in An Evening of Opera. Choirs under her leadership have performed with the National Philharmonic and in collaboration with Capitol Harmonia.

She maintains an active private voice studio and sings regionally with opera companies, artist collectives, churches, and choral ensembles. Her debut album is distributed by Naxos Worldwide.

In her singing career, most notably she was the Italian Opera Diva Carlotta in the Broadway National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera, for over 1,000 performances, throughout the US and Canada. Favorite roles include Donna Anna and Pamina (Don Giovanni, Viterbo, Italy), Violetta (La Traviata) and Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro, both at Rogue and Tacoma Opera), and Musetta (La Boheme, Downtown Los Angeles).

As a concert soprano, she has performed live on KUSC Classical radio, with the South Coast Symphony, Marina Del Rey Orchestra, Orchestra del’ Lazio in Italy, at the Redlands Bowl, among others.

In the competition world, Jacquelynne was a Western Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a winner of the Loren Zachary Grand National Finals. She was a semi-finalist in the International Competizione del’Opera in Dresden, and winner of the Palm Spring Opera Guild Competition, Burbank Phil, Rio Hondo, and National Association of Teachers of Singing’s “Singer of the Year”.

An award-nominated stage actress, Jacquelynne’s favorite roles include Anna (The King & I, Opera North), Charlotte (A Little Night Music, Indiana Repertory Theater), and Elsa (The Sound of Music, North Shore Musical Theater). Most recently, she was as Sister Claire in Bad Habits in Santa Monica, CA with the late Orson Bean.

Jacquelynne has also been a private voice instructor for the past 20 years. Her students range from 14 to 75 years old, and from absolute beginners and matching pitch to seasoned professionals at the top of their game. Most notably, she was the voice teacher for the Phantom, Christine, and Raoul while on the road. In addition to private voice lessons, Jacquelynne has given dozens of masterclasses to high school and college aged students, throughout the United States.

Fun fact: In 2006, she was awarded Miss California and placed in the top ten at Miss America 2007, winning the talent competition for her performance of “Vissi d’arte.”

Jacquelynne received her BA magna cum laude from California Lutheran University and Masters in Music from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, completing two years of Doctoral study. While at USC she co-directed the USC Chamber Opera, and taught a children’s choir and music lessons to local elementary schools. She is delighted to continue her relationship with Encore Creativity and work with the wonderful singers in making beautiful music!

Ms Foster has served as President of the Association of Disciples Musicians as well as program chair for their annual conference. She has taught liturgical dance as a clinician throughout the US. Louise has directed choirs for 40 years, in schools, churches and communities. She was the community director for Leisure World’s musical theatre group for many years. She has worked with professional orchestras and choirs and her own group, the Louise Foster Singers performed at the Barns at Wolf Trap. She has also served as guest conductor for County choirs in New York State.

Her joy (and icing on the cake) was being the Department chair and choir director at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes DE. Her Cape Chorale performed throughout the Eastern States to achieve high regard and performed at one of the inaugural balls for President Obama.

She enjoys travelling, reading, gardening and cooking as well as having a private studio where she teaches about 25 students of all ages. She is also director of music at Coolspring Presbyterian church in Lewes.

Also a thespian, she was Music Director for eight New Jersey community musical theater productions. She has performed extensively as soloist and accompanist for a variety of musicians and ensembles throughout the NJ Tri-State and DC Metro areas, and guest conducted the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra. Since 2003, Danielle has owned and operated Grace Note Studies, teaching private piano lessons.

As a Collaborative Pianist, Danielle accompanies the BC Singers of Buckingham’s Choice since 2014, various area school choirs, and formerly served as pianist for the Frederick Chorale in Frederick, MD. She currently serves as a staff music provider at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, where she has been contributing her musical talents since 2004. Danielle also plays keyboards and sings in an original rock band.

Stephen Harouff is the conductor for several Encore Chorale ensembles in Maryland. He is also the Music Director and Organist at Towson Presbyterian Church. As a collaborative artist he has performed with the Annapolis Opera Company, Peabody Opera, the US Naval Academy Band and Annapolis Wind Symphony. He holds a Master of Music degree in Organ from Peabody Conservatory and has undergraduate degrees in music education and piano from West Virginia University.

Jeanne Kelly is the founder of Encore Creativity for Older Adults, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing an excellent, accessible, and sustainable artistic environment for older adults over 55 years of age, either beginning, intermediate or advanced levels, who seek arts education and performance opportunities under a professional artist.

Jeanne Kelly’s career of over forty years has produced a unique blend of experience as a vocal performer, teacher, conductor and music administrator. She earned an undergraduate degree in voice performance and piano from the University of Findlay and a master’s degree in voice performance from the Peabody Conservatory.

As a performer, Ms. Kelly made her professional operatic debut with the Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center as Elizabetta in L’elisir d’amore. She has also performed major roles with the Baltimore Opera, Opera Delaware, Central City Opera, Tulsa Opera, Annapolis Opera where she performed the first opera the company produced, The Medium, and the New York City Opera Education Department. She appeared in the world premiere of Rappaccini’s Daughter with the Pennsylvania Opera Theater. Ms. Kelly has sung on the concert stage with the National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Delaware Symphony, Allentown Symphony and Annapolis Symphony. Additionally, she has sung with the Berlin Brass Quintet, Bach Aria Group, St. Louis Bach Society, Bethlehem Bach Festival, Richmond Choral Arts Society, Annapolis Brass Quintet, Washington Bach Consort and the Monumental Brass Quintet.

Ms. Kelly’s expertise in vocal technique has been of benefit to students ranging from those preparing for professional vocal careers to those who simply enjoy music as a hobby. Ms. Kelly has served on the faculties of the Baltimore School for the Arts; Hood College in Frederick, MD; the United States Naval Academy and the Levine School of Music in Washington, DC. Ms. Kelly has also conducted workshops for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

Andrew Links is a Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist composer, improvisor, and educator hailing from Indianapolis, IN. As an instrumentalist and sideman Links has been involved with dozens of bands across the East coast and local NYC area, appearing with free jazz orchestras, indie pop outfits, organ trios, cover bands, studio session work—no genre is unfamiliar or unappreciated. Links is currently pouring the majority of his creative efforts into recording and releasing music with his 15-piece “futuredanceband” LINKS, a genre-warping progressive soul group that identifies more as a party than as a band. 

He then began accompanying the vocal jazz choirs at College of the Canyons and played various musicals with the Canyon Theater Guild in Santa Clarita.

He now works with both the musical theatre and choral departments of College of the Canyons and has accompanied other local choirs as well.
Alex also leads the music department at St. Euphrasia School in Granada Hills where he sings and plays with the choir for Mass each weekend. He began as the accompanist of the Santa Clarita Encore Chorale in the Spring of 2022 and is thrilled to lead the first West Coast Encore group!

Andy Riggs is a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community who was born and raised in Indiana. He is a veteran of the stage, having spent over 20 years performing with community and professional theatre companies, opera companies, choirs and as a soloist in Indiana, California, New York, Washington D.C., Ireland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Russia. Andy has had the privilege to sing on historic stages such as Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center. While in San Diego Andy was featured as part of a small ensemble for the San Diego Padres Virtual Holiday Card in 2019, singing a fun parody of “Jingle Bells” that highlighted famous Padres players. He also had the distinct privilege of conducting the choir at Pioneer Ocean View United Church of Christ, The Voices of Our City Choir (including their time on America’s Got Talent), and helped bring the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus back to the stage after Covid. Andy also plays the piano, conducts, music directs, and vocal directs for choirs and musicals.

Andy grew up in Franklin, Indiana with his parents and 9 siblings. He is now thrilled to be Uncle Andy to 17 wonderful nieces and nephews. Andy enjoys skydiving, zip lining, hiking, walking, swimming, going to the beach and the mountains, traveling, meeting new people, and experiencing new things.

Andy is thrilled to be the conductor for the IndyROCKS ensemble. Andy’s professional mission statement is “to create safe spaces for those who have been marginalized for whatever reasons to create music to the best of their abilities.” If you live anywhere near Indianapolis and are 55 years or older, Andy would love to have you as part of the IndyROCKS ensemble! Come join us!

He served as Director of Music for both Ascension Lutheran Church and Ascension Lutheran Day School in Landover Hills, MD from 1995 to 2012. From 2006 through 2019, he served as the Artistic Director and Conductor of the 100-voice Congressional Chorus in Washington, DC. He became the Founding Artistic Director of American Youth Chorus in 2008 and the founding director of the 24 member a cappella Congressional Chamber Ensemble in 2012, the same year he assumed the leadership of the NorthEast Senior Singers. From 2017 through the summer of 2021, David served as the Organist and Choir Director for Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, DC. From September of 2019 through August of 2021, David served as an Encore conductor in the DC region and then as the Associate Artistic Director of Encore Creativity. In September of 2021 accepted the appointment as the Director of Music for the historic Trinity Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Delaware. An accomplished pianist and church organist, David has been playing professionally since the age of 14. David conducted for many DC area companies including the Washington National Opera, The Capital City Symphony and the Washington Savoyards, at numerous venues, including The White House, US Capitol Building, State Department, Library of Congress, National Archives, The National Building Museum, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Round House Theater, the Harman Center for the Arts, the National Theatre, the Alden Theater, the Gildenhorn Theater, The Katzen Center for the Arts, Arena Stage, and the Atlas Performing Arts Center. In addition, he worked in the education and outreach programs of numerous choral organizations, including The Washington Chorus and the Choral Arts Society of Washington. David is excited to be returning to the Encore roster of conductors as he establishes Encore’s inaugural presence in “The First State.”

Becky Stewart is a life-long musician and educator who grew up on a farm in Illinois, immersed in a musical family! She moved to the Washington D.C. area to earn her bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering with a minor in music (with studies in piano, voice, composition, theory, and history) from the George Washington University, Washington D.C. (in 1987) and worked as a contractor for the Department of Defense from 1982 – 2024 (now retired). She performs on-stage (on piano, flute, guitar, and voice) and provides private music lessons in the Fredericksburg, VA area alongside her musician husband, Slam Stewart, a drummer/percussionist since 2004. The couple owns and operates a home studio music business, SlamOne LLC, in King George, VA in which their mission is to promote “healing through music”. She performs with Slam as a jazz duo and in larger jazz, pop/rock, and world music ensembles; she writes music, records, teaches, produces musical programs, and helps others to create and write music.

Since 2019, she has conducted historical African drumming workshops and performs “Music of the African Diaspora” with SlamOne’s African Diaspora Ensemble for public schools and educational groups such as Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and for historical sites throughout Virginia to include Stratford Hall, Home of the Lees of Virginia (Montross), Patrick Henry’s Red Hill (Brookneal), the Menokin Foundation (Warsaw), and George Washington’s Mount Vernon (Alexandria).

Becky has served as a youth contest vocal and piano judge for Rappahannock Music Society and the Lion’s Club Bland Musician’s Contests (2010-2011), worked as the Assistant Director of Music for Children (St. George’s Episcopal Church, Fredericksburg, VA (2011-2012), is a member of the King George County Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) representing the music and arts community (2021 – present), is the Director of Music at Reformation Lutheran Church, Culpeper, VA (2000 – present), plays piano for the Fredericksburg Big Band (2012 – present) and the Bethlehem Baptist Primitive Baptist Church (2023-present), and is the President of the 501(C)3 Fredericksburg Jazz Collective organization (2023 to present), where she works with young aspiring jazz musicians to promote live jazz music. This is her passion – to bring communities together using music to promote peace and joy!

Taking up the violin at an early age, Gian-Philip studied piano and composition at the Mannes College of Music in New York City. He then continued his studies in orchestral conducting at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna, Austria. In 2005 he became the conducting assistant of Kurt Masur at the London Philharmonic, and soon after, was appointed associate conductor of the National Orchestre de France in Paris. In May 2006 he made his highly acclaimed debut at Radio France, conducting a performance and live broadcast of the Grieg Piano Concerto with the Orchestre National de France and pianist Nelson Freire. During his tenure in Paris he collaborated with such distinguished artists as Anne-Sophie Mutter, Victoria Mullova, Yo-Yo Ma, Barbara Hannigan, Detlef Roth, Bryn Terfel, and composer Henri Dutilleux.

Gian-Philip has led performances at numerous music festivals throughout Europe, including the Lucerne, Rheingau, and Ravenna festivals as well as the BBC Proms. He has also conducted at such renowned venues as the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Berliner Philharmonie, and the Musikverein in performances with the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Jenaer Philharmonie, and the Sinfonietta Baden.

Gian-Philip is also a passionate choral conductor and singer, leading a variety of choirs and chamber ensembles in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. He feels equally at home working in a wide variety of styles, from the great works of the Renaissance masters on through to the latest arrangements of modern classics.

In addition to performing, Gian-Philip has served on the music faculty of the Mannes College of Music, and lectured at the Dauphine University in Paris and the Royal College of Music in London.