Ann Wingert-Williams – Artistic Director:  Ann Wingert-Williams is a native of the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis who has been conducting choirs for 24 years. She attended Earle Brown Elementary and graduated from Brooklyn Center High School.  She holds a BA in Elementary Education and Music Education from College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN.  She later continued her studies at the University of St. Thomas, where she earned a Master of Arts in Music Education with emphasis in choral arts.

Ann’s other musical accomplishments have included directing the District 279 Children’s Chorus and the St. Alphonsus Children’s Chorus. She also served on the Education Board for The Dale Warland Singers. In 2005, Ann was selected as co-director of the American Choral Director’s Association State Elementary Honors Chorus.  She is a cantor at Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis, MN. Ann currently holds memberships in the American Choral Directors Association, Chorus America, and the Music Educators National Conference.

Julie Bright – Assistant Artistic Director and Accompanist:  TCYC principal accompanist Julie Bright has worked wtih Artistic Directors Diane Nielsen and Ann Williams for the past 15 years as a colleague and children’s choir accompanist.  She completed her BS degree in music education at Moorhead State College in Moorhead, MN and earned an MA in Music Education from University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN.  Her work has taken her to three continents, and has included work with students from grades K-12 in both choral and instrumental arts.  She has accompanied extensively in the public school arena as well as the community at large.  She currently is chairperson of the music department at Osseo Junior High, working with ensembles of 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students.  In addition to her work with the TCYC, she sings and accompanies for Two Rivers Chorale and North Suburban Concert Chorale, both located in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis.