South Shore Conservatory Names Katrina Potts New Pure Treble Chorus Conductor

South Shore Conservatory is pleased to announce the appointment of Duxbury Public Schools music educator Katrina Potts as their new Pure Treble chorus conductor starting fall 2015.

Potts teaches music at the Chandler Elementary School in Duxbury as well as conducts the Alden School grade 4/5 chorus. She started her choral conducting career working with Amy Feldman Bernon, a well-known composer and conductor at the Taft School in CT, as well as coaching and teaching the Tiny Trebles chorus of the well-known Treblemakers children’s chorus. She collaborated with Dr. Mary Ellen Junda on the “Treblemakers; Jazz it up” CD recording, which inspired the development of SSC’s Pure Treble chorus.

With over 10 years experience with youth choruses, Potts hopes to continue the tradition of singing quality children’s choir literature together in an organized, creative, and safe learning environment.

“Choral music has always been a passion of mine so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with another group of singers,” says Potts. “The age group was also appealing, since I have enjoyed working with young singers since around 1999 when I began work in CT with two well-known children’s choir directors. I also grew up listening to my brother sing in the professional Trinity Boy’s Choir in New Haven, CT as well as singing in choirs my whole life.”

Potts takes the place of Pure Treble founding director/conductor Kathy McMinn announced she would not be returning this fall so that she might concentrate on other choral endeavors. Under McMinn’s direction, the chorus performed with the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra and African Children’s Choir.

Pure Treble is open to students in grades two through five, and serves several South Shore communities. It is one of two of SSC’s age-appropriate youth choruses designed to educate and inspire children through a high quality choral experience while nurturing musicianship, healthy vocal production, responsibility, team work, confidence and joy.

“I’m most excited about the opportunity to give more young singers a positive, fun musical experience,” says Potts. “Children’s choruses are so special; beginning at such a young age lays the foundation for a lifelong enjoyment and appreciation of music. It’s an important time too, in terms of beginning their vocal development in a safe and healthy way.”

“Vocal health and technique is very important to me,” she continues. “It creates a foundation for beautiful tone in a children’s choir which is part of its magic.”

Auditions for Pure Treble or Pure Harmony (chorus for grades six through eight, with conductor Brandon Coon), both of which rehearse at the SSC’s Ellison Center for the Arts, 64 St. George Street in Duxbury, take place Monday, August 31 from 5-8 pm. Students interested in securing an audition time should contact Nancy Meredith at n.meredith@sscmusic.org.

For more information, visit www.sscmusic.org or follow South Shore Conservatory on Facebook.

About South Shore Conservatory

South Shore Conservatory, recently recognized as a national model for arts education by the National Guild for Community Arts Education, is celebrating nearly 45 years of enriching the lives of South Shore residents through music and the arts. SSC was founded as a not-for-profit community music school in 1970 and now has two beautiful campuses in Hingham and Duxbury. Currently serving over 3500 students of all ages and abilities, SSC is the largest community school for the arts in Massachusetts. Students participate in more than 50 diverse programs in music, dance and drama. Through innovative partnerships with social service agencies, SSC’s Creative Arts Therapies department supports the mental, emotional, and physical health of some of our community’s more fragile members. SSC’s Hingham campus is located at One Conservatory Drive, Hingham, 781-749-7565. SSC’s Duxbury campus is located at the Ellison Center for the Arts, 64 St. George Street, Duxbury, 781-934-2731. South Shore Conservatory is a member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education. SSC programs are supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information call us, follow us on Facebook or visit www.sscmusic.org.

In keeping with SSC’s inclusive mission to provide access to quality education in the arts for all, the Conservatory offers programs for all segments of the population to enjoy, regardless of age, ability, geography, and financial means. Furthermore, South Shore Conservatory admits students and families of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.

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