FOR A SONG. FOR A CHILD. FOR A LIFETIME.
Selina Midkiff,
Founder and Director Emeritus
Selina Midkiff is the founding and artistic director of the Appalachian Children’s Chorus (ACC). She also directs ACC’s premier, touring choir, Concert Choir and founded the Appalachian Festival of Young Voices, a national children’s choir festival hosted by ACC. With bachelors and masters degrees from West Virginia University, she taught in Kanawha County Schools for forty years.
She served as adjunct professor both at the University of Charleston and WV Tech. She is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, WV Music Educators Association and Chorus America. An experienced singer who has performed leading roles in opera, oratorio, and musical theater, she has also concertized throughout West Virginia. Mrs. Midkiff studied children’s choral technique and conducted with such renowned artists as Henry Leck, Barbara Tagg, Doreen Rao, Sandra Murphy, Janet Galvan, David Brunner, Lee Kesselman and Sir David Wilcox. Mrs. Midkiff served as guest clinician for Kanawha, Putnam, Clay, Roane, Boone and Wood Counties. She received the prestigious Artist-Teacher Certification from the Doreen Rao Choral Music Experience Institute and is serving in her fifth term as a commissioner on the Governor’s Commission on the Arts.
In 2015, she received the Spirit Award from the WV Music Hall of Fame. The Community Music Association awarded her for her service to WV with ACC, she was named “A Woman on a Mission” from the Union Mission and she received her honorary doctorate from the University of Charleston.
Mrs. Midkiff is the wife to Gary Midkiff, mother to Allen, Chad, Andrew and William and grandmother to Aidan, Silas, Everly and Micah. She is also mom to her four legged children, Gizmo and Rudy.
Christy's contact information:
email: christy@wvacc.org
Christy Dietz,
Artistic Director -Concert Choir Director
Christy Dietz is a music educator with numerous years of experience teaching in public schools in Greenbrier County, WV, Columbia, SC and at Cross Lanes Christian School in Cross Lanes, WV.
She holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Radford University – Vocal/Choral Music ages Pre-K through 12th grade. While at Radford she was a vocal major and minored in piano. She performed with the University Chorus, Women’s Chorale, Radford Singers and Madrigal Singers. She has also performed as a member of the Greenbrier Valley Chorale in Lewisburg and WomanSong Chorale here in Charleston. She has been actively involved with ACC for over 12 years. She has served as a choir mom, choir assistant, choir director under the tutelage of Selina Midkiff, ACC office assistant, ACC Board member, and ACC Board President. While at ACC, she has accompanied the choir on trips to Ohio, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Canada and Portugal. She has been involved in numerous retreats, performances, and workshops.
Mrs. Dietz is a member of WV Music Educators Association, the National Association of Music Education and the American Choral Directors Association. She began singing at the age of four and began playing piano at age nine. She has been singing and/or playing piano in church her entire life. She has been active in worship ministry for over 33 years and currently serves on the worship ministry team at Southridge Church. Christy is married to her wonderful husband, Dr. Paul Dietz and they are proud parents of a beautiful daughter, Hannah.
Danielle Coleman,
Associate Director - Camerata Choir
Danielle Coleman is a music educator with nearly fifteen years of experience with Kanawha County Schools. Originally from Huntington, she earned her BA in Music Education from Marshall University where she performed with the MU Chamber Choir and other various ensembles. Actively working with schools, her church, and other local organizations throughout her life has provided her the opportunity to help children find their voice and achieve their ambitions. Ms. Coleman feels extremely blessed to have the unwavering support of her parents, husband, and two daughters as they endeavor all of life’s grand adventures.
Dionne Canterbury,
Associate Director - Canzona Preparatory Choir
Dionne Canterbury directs the Canzona Preparatory Choir. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Charleston and is the Children's Choir director at Village Chapel Presbyterian Church. She is a teaching assistant at Charleston Montessori School at the primary level and is a certified Kindermusik educator. She teaches private voice and piano lessons as well.
Dionne has had an active singing history in Charleston, both as a choir member and soloist in such groups as Womansong, OPUS, and the Light Opera Guild. She has also performed as a choir member/soloist in America's longest-running outdoor drama, "The Lost Colony".
Dionne is the proud mother to Vivien, Annabel and Isaiah, and puppy, Albert.
Choir Assistants
Concert Choir
To be announced!
Cambiata Choir
To be announced!
Camerata Choir
Liz Bonar
email: liz.bonar@outlook.com
Canzona Preparatory Choir
To be announced!
Contact Information for ACC
For general questions, contact the ACC office:
Phone: 304.343.1111
Fax number: 304.720.1508
Email: ACCinfo@wvacc.org
Address:
210 Brooks Street
Suite 309
Charleston, WV 25301
(see Google Map)
For payment questions and general information:
Contact Suzette at the office at 304.343.1111 or ACCinfo@wvacc.org
For public relations, marketing, enrollment, booking the choir, and administrative questions:
Contact Blaine at 304.343.1111 or blaine@wvacc.org
For donations, grant suggestions, and information on sponsoring the choir, an event, or a child:
Contact Blaine at 304.343.1111 or blaine@wvacc.org