Bel Canto is the auditioned 6th - 8th grade choir in the Allegro Choral Academy. Greg Douma is the Artistic Director and Director of Bel Canto North (Rosemount). He has directed choirs at the middle school, high school, college and adult levels for 15 years. He received his training at Luther College (Bachelor of Arts) and the University of Iowa (Master of Arts). Greg is active as an adjudicator, clinician and soloist throughout the state. Choirs under his direction have performed at Minnesota Music Educators Association clinics (2006 and 2009), the Luther College Dorian Choral Invitational (2006), the ACDA of MN Fall Conference (2010), the North-Central ACDA Conference (2010 and 2014) and have collaborated with Chanticleer, the Minnesota Chorale and Vocalessence. In 2005, he was recognized as Outstanding Young Choral Director of the Year by the Minnesota chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. For several years, Greg has sung in the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus and was on the teaching staff for the Festival's Youth Choral Academy under the direction of Dr. Anton Armstrong. Greg has served as Repertoire and Standards Chair for Male Choirs for the North-Central Division of ACDA. Greg directs vocal music at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, where he directs five choirs, teaches voice lessons and directs the annual musical extravaganza, Bravo!.
Jamye Casperson is the Director of Bel Canto South (Lakeville). She has over 22
years experience directing elementary, middle school and high school choirs. She is currently the director of vocal music at Lakeville North High School. She has directed musicals at the junior high level and high school level for 16 years. Jamye received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education at Luther College and earned her
Master’s Degree in Teaching and Learning from St. Mary’s University. She teaches private piano lessons and directs an upper elementary children’s choir at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lakeville. Jamye is an active accompanist for area high school choirs and voice studios. She is the Co-Coordinator of the State Honor Choirs for ACDA of Minnesota, is the co-chair for the 7th and 8th grade girls honor choir and has served as the ACDA-MN Repertoire and Standards chair for Middle School choirs in the past. She lives in Lakeville with her husband, Dave and two children, Caitlin and Jake.
For more information or to register for Allegro's 2nd semester (grades 2 - 8), visit www.allegroca.org or email office@allegroca.org.
