Virginia Children's Chorus

VCC's Artistic Staff

Carol Thomas Downing is the Founder / Artistic Director of the Virginia Children’s Chorus. An experienced singer, violinist, and children’s choral director, she has trained young musicians from preschool through the university level. Ms. Downing holds a B.A. degree in voice, graduating summa cum laude from Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland. She also has an M.A. in Music Education from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota. Her teachers include Ruth Drucker (voice) and Berl Senofsky (violin). Ms. Downing served as Music Director of the Waldorf School of Baltimore and Chairperson of the Musicianship Department at the Preparatory Division of Peabody Conservatory, Johns Hopkins University. In 1989, she founded the Peabody Children’s Chorus and served as its artistic director until 1992. Ms. Downing teaches violin in her home studio and at The Academy of Music in Norfolk. She is a freelance performer, conductor and an avid Celtic fiddler. She is a frequent guest adjudicator and conductor for All-City and District Chorus events and a clinician for community Suzuki violin workshops. Ms. Downing also serves on the summer faculty of The Walden School for Young Composers in Dublin, New Hampshire, and is a contributing author to The Walden School Musicianship Course: A Manual for Teachers, (2002). She holds Kodály certification and is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, Chorus America, the Organization of Kodály Educators and the Suzuki Association of the Americas.

Corbin Thomas Shoup is the conductor of the Virginia Children’s Chorus Chamber Singers. She sang as a student with VCC for six years and, while in college, returned to sing at the annual Cabaret and as a soloist in the Midsummer Night’s Dream performance in 2002. Ms. Shoup is also the Choral Director at Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach. She is an active performer and sings with the Virginia Symphony Chorus as a core soprano and has performed with the Virginia Chorale. She graduated magnum cum laude with an undergraduate degree in music education (vocal concentration) from James Madison University. Ms. Shoup is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, the Music Educators National Conference, and Pi Kappa Lambda, music honor fraternity.

Louisa Priore directs the Virginia Children's Chorus Training Choir I and II at both the Norfolk and Virginia Beach branches. She holds a B.A. degree from the State University of New York. She completed the Kodály Level III certification class at James Madison University in 2003. Mrs. Priore joined the VCC staff in 2001 as a solfčge instructor for the Concert Choir. Her involvement increased as she began to test choir members on their memory solos, direct sectional rehearsals, assist Mrs. Downing with the Training Choir and substitute as rehearsal director for the Training Choir, Choristers, and Concert Choir. In addition to her work with the VCC, Mrs. Priore has taught musicianship classes at The Academy of Music in Ghent and at the summer choral camp at James Madison University. She served as worship leader and Director of Music and Arts at Bayview Baptist Church from 2001-2004 where she taught music to children and directed a children’s musical. Mrs. Priore has over twenty-five years experience teaching in the classroom and privately. Mrs. Priore has begun studies for her Masters in Music degree at James Madison University. She is a member of the Organization of Kodály Educators.

Welby Pugin, VCC accompanist and arranger, has performed extensively as both soloist and accompanist. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in piano from Indiana University where he studied with Sidney Foster, Abbey Simon and Jorge Bolet. In addition to accompanying, Mr. Pugin has composed many vocal and instrumental arrangements for the VCC including “Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head” (1999) and “Oh, Had I a Golden Thread” (2002). Prior to moving to Norfolk, Mr. Pugin taught at universities in Indiana, Idaho and New Jersey and established private studios in Georgia and Texas. He and his wife are owners and directors of the Ghent Montessori School.

Paul Putnamis the VCC Training Choir accompanist. Paul received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a concentration in organ and voice. He has taught vocal music at all levels K-12 for over 14 years. Since 2003, Paul has been teaching K-5 vocal music with the Virginia Beach Public Schools, most currently at New Castle Elementary School. Paul is also the Music Director at Oakland Christian Church, UCC in Suffolk where he directs a Children's Choir, Youth Hand Chime Choir, an Adult Handbell Choir and an Adult Chancel Choir.