ABOUT
Mission
The Georgia Festival Chorus serves the spiritual needs and ministers to both local audiences and the greater global community by singing a repertoire of classical, contemporary, spiritual and traditional sacred choral works in live concert presentations and through professionally produced recordings.
Values
INSPIRING
We seek to move our audiences with the power and intensity of our singing and our music, creating an atmosphere where our guests, both old and new, connect to us, each other, and the music.
INVITING
We seek to invite new and established audiences to experience the wonder of music; to welcome them with familiar sounds in the performance; to connect with them and create a comfortable atmosphere; to take them to new & exciting places with music they may not have heard; and to trust us to join in our musical journey.
PASSIONATE
We seek to perform an excellent, well-prepared musical concert experience in each of our performances, presenting nothing less than our absolute best, so that audiences new and old know to expect the highest quality performance every time we sing together.
LOVING
We seek to present our gifts and talents in service of Christ, bringing His message to our audiences through music, which we see as our responsibility and purpose in ministry.
David Scott
Director
David has led the Georgia Festival Chorus as Director since 2019. He is one of the founding members of the Chorus from its beginning in fall of 1987 under the direction of Frank Boggs, and has served in multiple roles over the years as chorister, soloist and Associate Director. David attended Northern Kentucky University under a full voice scholarship, graduating with Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Bachelor of Music Education degrees, and he holds a Master of Church Music from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. David's full voice is expressed in three areas -- individually as a soloist, in various-size groups as a choir, and in the large group experience of a congregation. Study at NKU turned to reality directing local church choirs in 1975 as Founding Director of NKU Baptist Student Union Choir, and as a BSU Summer Missionary. His choral work developed as member of Cincinnati Opera Chorus 1974-1976, and with Alabama Singing Men and Sons of Jubal during service as a full-time minister of music. Now as the Chorus responds to the challenges of serving its audience across the globe, David's heart is to go beyond presenting and preserving great music; his desire is to expand the ministries of the chorus, serve their audience, and create new experiences to advance God's message through the choral arts.
Staff
Ken Terrell
Assistant Director
Ken, Assistant Director for the Chorus since 2007 and member since 1998, has a BA from Presbyterian College and a Master of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary. His pastoral career spanned 40 years, serving Presbyterian churches in Georgia and North Carolina. Most recently, he was the Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (USA) in Marietta, Georgia for more than thirteen years, retiring in the spring of 2011. In his retirement, he continues to serve the church through temporary pulpit supply opportunities. In addition to his musical interests, Ken spends a lot of his time playing pickle-ball, golf and ping-pong.
Cathy Callaway Adams
Accompanist
Cathy, GFC pianist since 1995, was accompanying both the middle school and high school choruses in her southeast Georgia home town at the age of eleven. Her First Baptist Church called on her that same year to begin playing piano for worship services, including Adult and Youth Choirs. Thus began her love of hymn singing and her high regard for singers. She studied piano with Eula P. McNatt until high school graduation, then studied piano and organ with Lois Lantz and Timothy Wissler, respectively, at Tift College in Forsyth. In between piano collaboration gigs with soloists, instrumentalists, and church worship services, Cathy has devoted more than three decades to a career in financial services and leadership/strategy consulting. She currently serves as chair of the board of trustees of Mercer University, board president of Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, board vice-chair of South Arts, and immediate past president of Atlanta Opera.
Randall Romig
Accompanist
Randy studied piano, organ, and percussion in Pennsylvania, where he also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Pennsylvania University System. He did further graduate work at Villanova University. In Atlanta, in addition to full-time employment for a national advertising company, he has served as interim organist and choirmaster at numerous churches including Holy Innocents Episcopal, Tucker United Methodist, St. Luke’s Episcopal, Roswell Presbyterian, and many others. Randy served five years as chairman of the board of Georgia Symphony Orchestra, as well as president of Atlanta Opera Guild for four years. He is Southeast Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions and Managing Director of Atlanta Baroque Orchestra. He sits on the board of Harrower Summer Opera Workshop at Georgia State University.
Chris Owenby
Composer In Residence
Chris is the founder and owner of The Resourceful Church Musician, an online platform serving music directors from all around the globe through well-crafted sheet music and resources. His music has been featured by organizations including Goliard ensemble, Northwestern College Choir, DeKalb Choral Guild, LaGrange College Singers, Sons of Lafayette, and members of the Columbus, Atlanta, and LaGrange Symphony Orchestras. His music has received awards from College Music Society (2010, 2011, 2012 Southern Regional), Vox Reflexa’s New Millennium Composer’s Forum CD Project, and DeKalb Choral Guild’s 2009 Young Composers Competition. His compositions have aired on National Public Radio, Immanuel Broadcasting Network, White Dove Radio, and Bigloo Christian Radio. He serves as Director of Traditional Worship at Hillside United Methodist Church in Woodstock, GA.
Officers
Paul Manno
President
Marcia Wright
Vice President
Cathy Garrison
Secretary
Barbara McIver
Treasurer