Dr. Gackle is the Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus of the Gulf Coast Youth Choirs, Inc., a community choral arts organization in Tampa, Florida which she began in 1993. She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Louisiana State University and her Master of Music Education as well as her Doctorate of Music Education from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

Her choirs have performed at the State, Divisional and National Conventions of the American Choral Directors Association as well as the Music Educators National Conference Biennial Convention.

In the summer of 2009, Dr. Gackle moved to Waco, Texas to take up the position of Associate Professor of Choral Music at Baylor University. She leaves behind a strong organization with talented Choral Directors who will continue the level of excellence that Gulf Coast Youth Choirs has become known for.

Rodney Shores serves as Pastor of Worship and the Arts at Tampa Covenant Church.

 

Dr. Shores holds a Masters degree in Piano Performance and Choral Conducting, as well as the Advanced Graduate Certificate in Piano Pedagogy from USF.  In 2005, Rodney completed the Doctor of Worship Studies degree in Liturgics and Sacramental Theology at the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies, and has studied philosophy and theology at Reformed Theological Seminary.

 

Rodney also serves as Assistant Professor and Chair of Worship Ministries at Trinity College of Florida, and has served as Adjunct Professor of Music at USF, where he conducted the USF Women’s Chorus. Dr. Shores has served as an active music educator and clinician, and has maintained a private voice and piano studio since 1993.

 

Dr. Shores currently serves as the Choral Director for Le Petit Choeur, Mannchor, and Voce di Vita.

Deah McReynolds is a graduate of the University of South Florida holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education. She studied choral conducting under Dr. Robert Summer, Dr. Lynne Gackle and voice under Annetta Monroe.  While at USF, Deah was a featured soloist and section leader for the USF Chamber Singers and University Singers. She was the recipient of the Nancy Mayo Choral Award and the Martin Andrews Choral Scholarship.  In 1991 she received First Place in the category of Senior College Women at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) District Contest.

Deah has served as the Director of Music and Worship Arts at several area churches overseeing music, drama, dance and technical arts ministries for all age levels. Before entering into full-time vocational ministry, Deah was an Elementary Music Specialist for the Hillsborough County School System.  She has also served as an adjudicator for several regional choral festivals and talent competitions including “Reflections” for the Hillsborough County Schools

A former director of the Gulf Coast Youth Choirs Cadet Choir and Tampa Bay Children’s Chorus Apprentice Choir, Deah has extensive experience working with choirs of all ages.  She is a former member of The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and has enjoyed singing as a soloist and with various ensembles throughout the Tampa Bay area for more than 20 years.

Marjorie Smith is currently the music teacher at Schwarzkopf Elementary School in Tampa, Florida located in Hillsborough County. Mrs. Smith has taught music at the college level for 3 years and the elementary for 36 years. She received the honor of Hillsborough County Teacher Of the Year in 1989; Florida Elementary Music Educator of the Year in 2001; and, National Board Certification in 2002.  She is also listed in the Silver Anniversary edition of Marquis Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who in the World and Who’s Who in American Woman. In addition, her school music program at Schwarzkopf Elementary was identified as a Music Demonstration School by the state of Florida from 2001 - 2008.

She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education from the University of South Florida.  She is also certified in Levels I and II Orff-Schulwerk and Level I World Music Drumming. Mrs. Smith has conducted elementary All-County choruses, festivals and teacher workshops throughout the state of Florida.

 In 1990 she co-authored Listen and Learn, a music series with active listening lessons for elementary and middle school music classrooms. Mrs. Smith is also a contributing author to the 1995 edition of the Silver Burdett music textbook series entitled, The Music Connection. She is an active member of the Music Educators National Conference, Florida Music Educators Association, Florida Elementary Music Educators Association and the American Choral Directors Association.

In addition, she is an active member of the Adult Worship Choir at Idlewild Baptist Church and leads the Praise and Worship and puppet ministry for the four-year-olds.

Judy Romera attended the University of South Florida on a full academic scholarship.  She graduated from USF in 2002 with a B.S. in Music Education, focusing on Choral Studies.  She has been teaching music in Hillsborough County since 2002 and her choirs have consistently earned high ratings at Music Performance Assessments and Festivals.

Judy has sung with the USF Chamber Singers, the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, and is currently a member of the St. Lawrence Chorale. She is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, the Florida Music Educators Association and the Florida Vocal Association.  She enjoys helping young people appreciate and understand the music in their lives, as well as molding a well-rounded education.

Kara Dwyer, Director of Operations, Gulf Coast Youth Choirs
Photo coming soon

Kara Dwyer is originally from Liberty, Maine.  She received her Graduate Certificate in Non Profit Management from the University of Tampa in 2009, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and International Business from the University of Maine - Orono in 2005.  She also attended Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia in partial fulfillment of her international concentration.  Kara works part time for Gulf Coast Youth Choirs and is also the Director of Operations for The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay.  Kara has also served as the Marketing Coordinator for the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay and the Assistant Office Manager for the Maine Center for the Arts (now the Collins Center for the Arts).  Kara sang with many choirs throughout high school, college, and beyond including the Mount View Chamber Singers, University of Maine Singers, University of Maine Oratorio Society, the Collegiate Chorale at UMaine, The Richard Zielinski Singers, Con Amore, Ensemble Mir, and currently sings with The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and the USF Collegium Choir.

Cheryl Ambrose, Bookkeeper, Gulf Coast Youth Choirs
Cheryl Ambrose was born and raised in Africa. In 1997, she and her family moved to the United States and in 2004 they all became U.S. citizens. Cheryl has 28 years of accounting experience in both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. She is fully conversant with all aspects of bookkeeping from Accounts Receivable billing to preparation of the Balance Sheet, financial reporting, budgeting, strategic financial planning and tax preparation.

Cheryl has been working part-time at Gulf Coast Youth Choirs as the Bookkeeper for the past four years.  During that time she worked in two private schools, successfully balancing accounting and administrative duties and gained valuable experience dealing with parents and students alike.  

 

Accompanists