The Directors

Deborah Lee Deborah T. Lee
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Home Phone - 890-7807
Email Deborah - dlee@missourichildrensing.com
Deborah Lee holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in education (music/vocal emphasis) from Southwest Missouri State University. Her 33 years of teaching experience include 14 years in the Springfield Public Schools and the Greenwood Laboratory School, MSU, where she developed performing choirs and programs for all levels, K-12. Lee's focus for the past 21 years has been the establishment of the Children's Choirs of Southwest Missouri. Lee's choirs have given invitational performances for the Missouri Music Educators Association, the Music Educators National Conference, the Organization of American Kodaly Educators, and the Missouri and Southwestern Divisions of the American Choral Directors Association. Long active in professional music organizations, Lee has served as R&S Chairperson for Children's Choirs in the Missouri Choral Directors Association, and has held district and state offices in the Missouri Music Educators Association. She was recognized by the SMSU Music Department as the 2003 Outstanding Alumnus Award Honoree. In addition to her CCSM duties which include overseeing the organization and directing the Ensemble and Young Artists, Lee teaches kindergarten and first grade music at Eugene Field School in Springfield.

Lee, her husband, Ed, an attorney, and their two children, Alex, age 17 (Young Artist) and Katelyn, age 20 (Alumna and vocal performance major at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music), enjoy their involvement with Children's Choirs of Southwest Missouri.



Jennifer Jeffries Stone Jennifer Jeffries Stone
MUSIC DIRECTOR

Jennifer Stone holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance Pedagogy from Texas Christian University and a Bachelor of Music Education from Oklahoma Baptist University. While working on her degrees Ms. Stone won numerous voice competitions including the NATS regional and state auditions. She is passionate about music and loves sharing the joy of music with students. Ms. Stone has taught kindergarten through grade 12 during a career that has taken her to schools in Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri. Ms. Stone now directs the Stone Academy of Music, specializing in early childhood music and movement classes.

Ms. Stone is thrilled to be in her third year with CCSM. She and her husband, David, have two sons, six year old, Taylor (a member of the Carolers) and two year old Tucker.

W. Duane Harris W. Duane Harris
MUSIC DIRECTOR

Mr. Harris holds a bachelors degree in vocal performance from Wayland University in Plainview, Texas. He also holds a Masters degree in Theory/ Composition from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. Mr. Harris is in his 35th year as a choral director and his 2nd year as director with Children's Choirs of Southwest Missouri. Mr. Harris directed the International choir from his college Alma Mater while he served as Chairman of the Department of Music at Wayland. His college choir toured Western and Eastern Europe as well as much of the United States during his tenure at Wayland. Mr. Harris and his High School Choir in Carlsbad, New Mexico earned national and international recognition by being selected as 1 of 10 choirs in the United States to perform with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in Vienna, Austria. Currently Mr. Harris serves as Director of the Concert Choir at Drury University. He also teaches private voice, Music History and Music Education.

Harris and his wife, Kitty, have two grown children and are proud grandparents of six grandchildren.

Norma May Norma May
MUSIC DIRECTOR

Norma May holds BS and MS degrees in music education from Southwest Missouri State University and has a background of 31 years teaching experience. She began her career in the Blue Eye School District (Missouri) teaching both vocal and instrumental music in grades K12. Norma then worked 28 years in the Reeds Spring School District (Missouri), teaching various levels of vocal music for grades K-6, and developing choirs for elementary children's voices. Under her direction, the elementary choir program at Reeds Spring was widely recognized and twice selected to perform for the Missouri Music Educators Association's annual state convention. Her choirs also participated in several performances at the Grand Palace in Branson with recording artist Kenny Rogers. Choirs under Norma's direction also competed every spring 1982-2003 at the Ozark Mountain Country Band and Choral Festival on the campus of College of the Ozarks, receiving "1" ratings (Excellence) at each competitive performance. Many students from her choirs have been selected to perform in the National ACDA Children's Honor Choir, tour Europe performing as part of the American Boychoir Federation, participate in numerous District Honor Choir performances, and sing with the Children's Choirs of Southwest Missouri.

Outside the classroom, Norma has also played keyboard and trumpet professionally in Branson, Missouri, and she has served as pianist, organist, and adult choir director for her church. She also has held district office in the South Central Missouri Music Educators Association.

She and her husband Greg (Reeds Spring School District band director for 32 years), have two children - James, a former member of the Children's Choirs, is currently playing French Horn with the 135th Army National Guard Band, and Leigha, a 12 yr. Children's Choir member alumna and former flautist with the Young Artists, is attending OTC.

Business Administration

Kathy McCormick Kathy McCormick
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR
Home Phone - 725-6641
Email Kathy - kmccormick@missourichildrensing.com

Kathy is in her sixth season as Business Administrator of Children's Choirs of Southwest Missouri. She has over twenty years of business management experience for both non-profit and for-profit companies. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Studio Art. Kathy's daughter, Emily, is in her fifth season with CCSM, and is a proud member of the Ensemble.

Kathy will gladly answer your questions and mail you information.


Our main number 885-7880 is an Answering Service. Please leave a message and we will promptly reply. Thank you.



Children's Choirs of Southwest Missouri
3825 S. Campbell Ave., PMB #185
Springfield, MO 65807-5339
(417) 885-7880
info@MissouriChildrenSing.com

Studio Photos by Dawn Shields Photography ©2006