ARTISTIC AND
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAMS
ALLAN ANDREWS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
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A relative newcomer to WNY, Allan Andrews moved to Buffalo (Snyder) in 2020 from Seattle, where he served as the Director of Music Ministries at Mt. Baker Park Presbyterian Church, Artistic Director of the Swedish Singers of Seattle, and the A.D. of the Seattle Metropolitan Singers. Before that, Allan began his teaching career in Oklahoma, serving as choral director at Lawton High School (Lawton, OK). Following graduate school, he was the Head Choral Director at R.L. Turner HS in Carrollton, TX, a suburb of Dallas. He retired after serving as Director of Choirs at Northlake College, also in Dallas. While teaching high school, Allan’s choirs were consistent sweepstakes winners in UIL competitions, as well as winning multiple choral festivals across the United States. He is a frequent clinician and adjudicator across the Southwest and the Pacific Northwest. Mr. Andrews received his Bachelor of Music degree from Oklahoma City University and his MM in Vocal Performance from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX. While living in Seattle, Mr. Andrews was on the Greater Seattle Choral Consortium board, an umbrella organization of over ninety community choirs. He served as the Washington State Music in Worship Chair of the American Choral Directors Association.
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COLLABORATIVE PIANIST, HEATHER DIETSCH
Heather Dietsch is an accomplished pianist and organist, recently retired from teaching music in the East Aurora school district. She currently is the organist of the First Presbyterian Church of Warren, PA, where her husband, Barry, is the music director.
Heather earned the Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from Bowling Green State University where she studied with Virginia Marks and received the Outstanding Graduate Assistant Award for her work as accompanist for the university’s opera department. She also earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from SUNY Fredonia where she studied with Robert Jordan and received the Amy Bromley Piano Scholarship.
Heather is a proud resident of East Aurora with her husband and daughter, Natalie, a high school senior. While not at the piano, Heather keeps busy playing pickle ball and traveling.
Board of Directors
THE PRESIDENT
If you're interested to join the chorale or find out more info, please contact me at
PATRICIA CHIODO, PRESIDENT
Patricia Chiodo received her Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music and her Ph.D. in Music Education from the University at Buffalo. After retiring from teaching elementary general music for more than 30 years in the Williamsville Central Schools, she taught music education at the graduate level at the University at Buffalo for another ten years. During that time, she was awarded the ECMEA/Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Award for Excellence in Music Education, served on the NYSSMA Executive Council as the Chairperson of the NYSSMA Classroom Music Committee, worked on the Editorial Board of the Music Educators Journal, and presented frequently at state and national conferences.
Joseph Gawron—Vice President
Sonja Rieder—Secretary
Paul Grucza —Treasurer
Dolores Battle
Linda Carroll
Nancy Murphy
Christina Paul
Nicholas John Steltzer