Carol M. Schoch – Founder/Director

A native of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, Carol earned her B.A. in Vocal Music from Lycoming College, and K-12 Vocal and Instrumental Music Education Certification from Moravian College. Two years into her teaching career, her husband, David, started with Ford Motor Company, which took them to Cleveland and then Farmington Hills, where they brought three daughters, now 26, 24 and 20, into the world. The family then accepted foreign assignments with Ford to England, Brazil and South Africa.

Throughout the years, Carol utilized her musical training as a church choir director, teacher, singer and founding director of the International Choir of São Paulo. After returning to the States, she earned her Masters of Music in Choral Conducting and Vocal Pedagogy from Oakland University in 2005, studying under Dr. Michael Mitchell, Dr. Edith Diggory and John-Paul White. Currently, she performs with the Birmingham First Chamber Choir and Cantata Academy Chorale, where she serves as soprano section leader. Her passion for choral singing goes far beyond the music and the applause – it is a dissertation in the making!

Margaret Reese – Assistant Choral Director

Margaret Reese is a veteran music educator with 33 years teaching experience in the Pontiac Public and Southfield Public school districts. She has also taught music theory at Wayne County Community College.

Mrs. Reese holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Arts in Guidance and Counseling from Oakland University. In 1996, she was recognized by the University of Michigan as one of four outstanding multicultural music educators in the State of Michigan.

She has taught music to students at all levels, kindergarten through high school and community college, and began working with the Detroit Children’s Choir in 2008 at Coleman A. Young and MacDowell Elementary Schools.

Mrs. Reese has sung professionally in the Detroit metropolitan area.  She has also been a choral singer with the Cantata Academy Chorale since 1984 and is a long time member of its Board of Directors.  She also is the alto section leader of the chancel choir and plays handbells at Central United Methodist Church, Detroit. In addition, Mrs. Reese is employed by MacMillan/McGraw Hill book publishers as a teacher consultant in music education.