Faculty and Staff

Christine Noel, Founder, Artistic Director

Founding Artistic Director of the RI Children's Chorus and Director of Choral Activities at Clark University, Christine Noel recently received a Doctor of Musical  Arts in Conducting from Boston University, where she was a student of Ann Howard Jones and David Hoose.  A member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), she is active as festival clinician and adjudicator.  Dr. Noel serves as the Executive Secretary for ACDA in Rhode Island.  She conducted the RICC at the 2010 convention of ACDA in Philadelphia, at the 2009 convention of the Music Educators' National Conference (MENC), and will conduct at the 2012 ACDA Eastern Division Convention Opening Concert.  She served as Musical Director for productions of Our Town and A Christmas Carol at Trinity Repertory Company.  Dr. Noel studied at the Istituto Italiano in Florence, Italy and attained the highest level of Italian studies at the University of Florence. While living in Italy, she served as assistant conductor and vocal coach for two Italian choirs, Coro Polifonico di Caricentro and Animae Voces, and performed with them throughout Europe.  She is also a graduate of the Kodály Institute of Music in Kecskemét, Hungary.   Dr. Noel is currently the Artistic Director of the Carillon Women’s Chorus (RI) and Associate Conductor of the Providence Singers, which she has prepared for performances of Messiah, Carmina Burana and Mahler Symphony No. 3. (Photo: ptmahoney ©)       
                                                              

Joyce Wolfe, Co-founder and Executive Director

Joyce Wolfe serves as the Executive Director of the RI Children’s Chorus and is responsible for the many administrative needs of the organization.  She is a graduate of URI and has taught in Cranston and Woonsocket schools.  For many years she owned and managed the Village Realtors agency of Chepachet.  She is a member of the Providence Singers and the Carillon Women’s Chorus.  As a parent and former teacher, Ms. Wolfe brings her knowledge and expertise in working with children to helping RICC provide the best possible choral experience for the singers and their families.

John Henry Burns, Conductor - Lyric Chorus (Carter Center)

John Henry Burns received his Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Rhode Island College.  An accomplished pianist, he has studied extensively with Judith Lynn Stillman and attended numerous master classes with renowned pianists.  He has presented solo recitals at many Providence area venues and is in demand as an accompanist.  Mr. Burns is the music teacher and director of the chorus at Woonsocket Middle School, organist/choirmaster at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Pawtucket, RI and accompanies for the Junior Providence Singers.   For the past four summers, he has been the music director at Kidstock Creative Children’s Theater, where he composed an original musical every two weeks of the summer.  Mr. Burns has music directed professional/equity productions of You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, Little Shop of Horrors, and Nunsense at the NextDoor Theater in Winchester, MA.  He currently resides in Providence and enjoys being outdoors and cooking.

Elizabeth Grace, Conductor - Training Chorus (Carter Center)

Elizabeth Grace is a native of Swansea, Massachusetts. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Providence College, where she studied voice with David Harper. From Providence she proceeded to study at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, where she received a Master of Music degree with distinction in Voice Pedagogy and Performance while studying with contralto Amy Zorn. She has had extensive experience in sacred music for the past ten years, serving as cantor for parish and diocesan liturgies and working with the Youth Choir at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in Fall River, MA. Elizabeth is an experienced recitalist in the area of Providence and Southeastern Massachusetts. This fall she will be teaching voice lessons as an Adjunct Faculty member at Providence College, as well as teaching privately from her home studio in Swansea, MA. For more information please see her website www.elizabethgracesoprano.com

Ashley Prickel, Conductor - Training Chorus (East Greenwich)

Ashley Prickel graduated from Skidmore College, NY with degrees in Music and Psychology and currently teaches music in the Warwick school system. Ashley has guest conducted the Skidmore College Vocal Chamber Ensemble, the Skidmore College Chorus, and the Skidmore Orchestra, and has been the musical director and conductor at the United Methodist Church in Borodino, NY and the Unitarian Universalist Church in Saratoga Springs, NY. This spring, she organized and performed as a vocal soloist and conductor of a student choir in her senior capstone recital entitled A”muse”ing Music. She has worked at children’s summer theater camps and been a vocal coach for middle and high school students across New York State. After singing in choirs her whole life and particularly the distinguished St. Augustinerkirche Chor in Vienna, Austria she has experienced the great joy and healing powers of music and wishes to share her passion in the years to come.

Kathy Hart, Accompanist

Kathy Hart is the Director of Music at Greenwood Community Church, Presbyterian in Warwick, RI, where she is organist and directs the Chancel Choir, a teen/adult handbell group, and an elementary singing/ringing choir.  She writes/arranges sacred music and is a soprano in The Providence Singers.  Kathy also enjoys playing and singing with granddaughter Lillie, who is the reason she moved from Dallas to Providence in 2006.

Michael Galib, Accompanist, Principal and Chamber Choirs

Michael Galib is the music director at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of South County in Peace Dale, and choir director of the Chorale at Middlebury College's summer French School. Having graduated with honors from New England Conservatory with studies in composition, Mr. Galib was the 2004 winner of the International Trumpet Guild Composition Contest. Enthused by choral singing, he is currently a member of the Providence Singers, and has sung with the Trinity Choir of Trinity Church Boston, the NEC Chamber Singers, as well as for holiday concerts with the Boston Pops. He currently studies piano with Manabu Takasawa and teaches privately in Portsmouth.

Sarah Kane, Senior Staff Teaching Assistant

Sarah Kane is currently pursuing a degree in Music Education at Rhode Island College, where she serves as President of CMENC, President of the RIC Chamber Singers, and the head of the RIC ACDA student chapter. She is a member of many performing ensembles, including “Will Sing for Food” and “The Perfect Fourths,” two student-run a cappella groups. Recently, Sarah has been awarded the annual Rita Bicho Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in Voice. She is currently working as the alto section leader for the Community Church of Providence's choir, as an accompanist for several schools in the RI area, and as a private violin, piano and voice teacher. She has been a staff member of the RI Children's Chorus for five years.


Catherine Monfette, Senior Staff Teaching Assistant

Catherine Monfette is currently studying music at the Community College of Rhode Island, where she serves as vice president of the Chamber Singers. She has performed as soloist in Bernstein's Chichester Psalms with the Clark University Choruses, with which she will also perform in the coming year. Highlights from her many projects with RICC include collaborations with the RI Philharmonic, the Providence Singers, and invitational performances at MENC and ACDA conventions. Catherine has been a staff member of the RI Children's Chorus for six years, after joining the RICC family in its first year in 2003.

Erin Flood, Senior Staff Teaching Assistant

Erin Flood is currently pursuing a degree in Music Education at Rhode Island College, where she is a member of many ensembles, including the RIC Chamber Singers, RIC Chorus, "Will Sing for Food," the college's a cappella ensemble, and "The Perfect Fourths," a female quartet. Erin also studies piano in addition to voice. Gifted with working with young singers, Erin has been a staff member of the RI Children's Chorus for five years.

Elsie Law, Accompanist (on sabbatical)

Elsie Law, a talented pianist and music teacher, completed her undergraduate studies in music at RI College, where she was a student of Stephen Martorella and Lila Kane. Having recently completed her eighth year as accompanist for the RI Children's Chorus, Ms. Law is highly regarded by the staff, children, parents, and audiences of RICC. She has taught private piano students at the Grand Piano studio in Smithfield, RI.  Elsie is currently living and teaching in Japan.

2011-2012 Assistants                                                              

Senior Staff - Teaching Assistants
Erin Flood
Sarah Kane
Catherine Monfette

Junior Staff
Hanna MacDonald
Miranda MacDonald
Ella Myette
Alexia Williams