VILLAGE VOICES CHORALE NAMES NEW DIRECTOR: MEET JACLYN PAIGE

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Jaclyn Paige has been singing in choirs from a very early age at church, in her community, and has regularly toured domestically and internationally with ensembles for 25 years. After graduating summa cum laude from Westminster Choir College for a Bachelor's of Music in Music Education, she began classroom teaching grades K-8 and served as music director for 3 years at St. John Eudes Catholic School and Parish. She then moved to Notre Dame High School, and during her 6 year tenure, filled the roles of Choir Director, Campus Minister, Theology Teacher, and Retreat Director. During that time, Jaclyn earned a Master's Degree at California State University of Los Angeles in Music, specifically Choral Conducting and graduating with honors. She moved to public school education and put that degree to good use, as a Choral Director and Music Academy Chair at CHAMPS Charter High School of the Arts, putting on an array of creative performances, with a varied repertoire of music. In addition to leading the Village Voices, she teaches as an Artist-in-Residence at CHAMPS and is the new Music Director and Liturgy Coordinator at St. Julie Billiart Catholic Church in Newbury Park.

Jaclyn has also sung in and conducted various choirs in the LA and Ventura area.  For many years, she was the co-conductor of the internationally acclaimed Sunday Night Singers, ranking as one of the top choirs worldwide in the World Choir Games, Eisteddfod, and Grand Prix Festivals. She currently sings with Areté Vocal Ensemble and The New West Symphony Chorus in Thousand Oaks. You can also hear her frequently on the radio, and in commercials and video games, as she is a studio singer in the LA area in the styles of pop, classical, and musical theatre.

Jaclyn Paige has a vast background in a wide variety of music, spanning from Medieval chant and Renaissance polyphony to modern jazz and musical theatre. A goal in the forefront of her pedagogy is to make high level choral music accessible to singers (and audience members!) of any skill level. Although her graduate thesis was on the topic of "choral improvisation" and specializes in avant-garde pieces, a core principal of Jaclyn's direction is connection and storytelling. A theme of her years on the podium has been that she doesn't teach "music." Music is simply the vehicle to teach about humanity. 

In addition to her artistic life, Jaclyn is a partner to a prolific artist of his own craft, mom of 2 budding choristers (three if you include the pup!), and loves to follow her sports teams: Dodgers and LA Kings! She also loves to take on new projects making their house a "home." There may be power tools making lots of noise, but it's always accompanied by an inspired playlist! Jaclyn is honored to take on the role as Director of Village Voices and incredibly eager to begin this journey of music-making with the organization!