Meet the Leadership Behind Harford Choral Society
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Kathryn Locke
Kathryn Locke has served on the faculties of the Garrison Forest School, Essex Community College, and the Baltimore School for the Arts. She was also the Manager of Baltimore’s Shriver Hall Concert Series for five years. As a pianist, Mrs. Locke has played for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Handel Choir of Baltimore, Center Stage, the Harford Choral Society, and the Children’s Chorus of Maryland. She has given recital performances with members of the BSO on several chamber music series, including those at Second Presbyterian Church and Towson University. She holds a BMED with an emphasis on choral music and a Master of Music in Piano Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University. She is currently a faculty member of Harford Community College and Loyola University Maryland. She has been the accompanist for the Harford Choral Society since 2005.
Mrs. Locke’s strong background in music education provides an ideal music learning experience for members of the Society. In her role as Music Director of Harford Choral Society starting with the 2017-2018 season, Mrs. Locke brings an energetic and enthusiastic style of music making to rehearsals and performances. She is a strong believer in a collaborative approach to making music, and looks forward to working with Harford Choral in this new role. She resides in Glen Arm with her husband and son.
ACCOMPANIST
Christopher Schroeder
Christopher Schroeder is the Minister of Music and Organist at Grace United Methodist Church in Baltimore, MD. Previously, Christopher was the Director of Music and Organist at Towson Presbyterian Church in Towson, MD. In May 2006 Christopher received a Bachelor of Music degree in Organ Performance at Indiana University in Bloomington and in May 2008 he completed his Master’s degree in Organ Performance and Church Music at IU.
Christopher has been involved in church music for more than thirty years. His first church music experience was at St. Mary’s Catholic Church where his mother was organist. With years of piano instructions and experience, he began to play organ at several Protestant churches in Rushville, Indiana. Before graduating from high school, he studied organ privately at Earlham College and attended Interlochen Music Summer Camp. Christopher studied organ at Westminster Choir College before returning to Indiana University to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. Chris continued his interest in music with part-time positions at various churches in the Indianapolis area while working full time in the fields of Social Work and Accounting.
In the Fall of 2003, Christopher returned to higher education to complete his music degrees, attending Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. While there, he studied composition, choral and organ techniques. He completed both the Bachelor and Master degrees in Organ Performance and Church Music under the guidance of many fine musicians and professors including Dr. Marilyn Keiser and Dr. William Gray.
Christopher enjoys playing organ recitals in the Baltimore area. Other passions and expertise include choral and congregational singing. Other interests include pursuing ways to make organ music and congregational singing more enjoyable and meaningful to the congregations of the church and to the general public.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Donna Shandle
President
Mindy Elledge
Vice President
Bruce Butz
Treasurer
Betsy Saik
Secretary
Gordon Murray
Thomas Harley
Ashley Fancher
Nina Mullenax
Ruthanna Maust
dr. janice mahinka
Liaison, Harford Community College