The Carolina Concert Choir, formerly the Carolina Chamber Singers, began in 1979 as a madrigal group of ten to twelve voices directed by Dr. Robert Barrow, retired head of the Music Department at Williams College in Williamstown, MA. Beverly Ward, who was dean of the Western North Carolina Chapter of the Guild of Organists, directed the growing ensemble from 1980 to 1996. The group performed classical and contemporary pieces, including some composed by Ward.  Several guest conductors directed the Choir during the 1996-2002 seasons -- Dr. Carl Gilmer, John Semingson, Dr. Joy Berg, Anne Rhymer and Ward Scott.

In the fall of 2002 Bradford Gee assumed the role of director. Under his leadership the Carolina Chamber Singers grew to 60 voices and changed its name to the Carolina Concert Choir. It celebrated its 25th anniversary season in May 2004 with a concert featuring the Rutter Requiem, accompanied by full orchestra, as well as works by Handel, Mendelssohn, Fauré and Vaughan Williams.

The Carolina Concert Choir is associated closely with Blue Ridge Community College and uses a portion of the proceeds from its annual Christmas concert to fund a music scholarship.  The College reciprocates by granting academic credit to music students who sing in the Choir.

As of March 2008 the Choir comprises 44 rich and diverse voices from Hendersonville, Asheville and upstate South Carolina.  In June 2005, May 2006 and June 2007 the Choir performed at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC; performances were at St. Philips Episcopal Church and the historic First Baptist Church, in downtown Charleston.

For the 2007-2008 season Mr. Gee directed the Choir in its inaugural Holiday Concert on December 16, 2007, in the presitigious, 700-seat Scott Concert Hall of The Porter Center in Brevard NC, with full Baroque orchestra and the renowned Pastyme, an a cappella octet from Asheville.

The Choir will perform its Spring Concert on Sunday, May 4, 2008, at 3:00 PM, again at The Porter Center in Brevard NC.



BRADFORD GEE
Conductor

Bradford Gee is Director of Music and the organist at St. James Episcopal Church, in Hendersonville. At St. James he conducts the Parish Choir, plays the Harrison & Harrison organ for services and oversees a multi-faceted music program. He coordinates a music series which includes services of Choral Evensong followed by organ recitals.

Prior to this position, he was organist and choirmaster at St. Richard's Episcopal Church in Winter Park, FL, for seven years. He has played organ and harpsichord in Winter Park Beach Festival performances and served as guest clinician for the Orlando Liturgical Conference and Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida workshops.

An Association of Anglican Musicians member since 1996, Mr. Gee currently serves as the Region IV Chair, a position he has twice held. He has served as housemaster at the Royal School of Church Music King's College Course in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and Charlotte, NC, and is past dean of the Central Florida Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. He is also an organ recitalist in area churches.

Mr. Gee pursued doctoral studies in choral conducting and organ performance at Indiana University, where he was a student of Robert Porco and Marilyn Keiser. His masters degree is from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, where he studied conducting with Joseph Flummerfelt. He is a member of Chorus America and the national music honor society Pi Kappa Lambda.


KATHERINE MENEFEE PRICE
Accompanist

Katherine Menefee Price, in addition to being the professional accompanist for the Carolina Concert Choir, is also a highly accomplished flutist. She began to study piano when she was five years old, and in high school was active as accompanist for choirs at her church. Educated at Stetson University, the Juilliard School and the Dalcroze School of Music, Ms. Price has had many accompanying experiences including: playing for flute juries during her years at Juilliard; music director and pianist for the Triangle Theatre Company, Durham, NC; accompanist for the 92nd St YMHA's Children's Theatre Company, New York, NY; choral accompanying at schools in Long Beach, NY; Blair Academy, and the Kent Place school in NJ; and extensive accompanying for instrumental and chamber music recitals. Ms. Price is Director of Music at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, in Hendersonville.