Amanda Rust, President
Amanda joined the Choral Guild in the spring semester of 2017. Throughout her school years and into college, she participated in singing venues from school auditorium stages to Radio City Music Hall in New York City and back to her hometown church in Buffalo, New York. Many of those years were spent singing in the choir alongside her mother. She is pleased to be part of a choir again and is honored to serve as President.
Darlene Bice, Vice President
Bio coming soon.
Johanna Wilmore, secretary
Bio coming soon.
David M. Young, Treasurer & Membership Chairmen
Mr. Young has been with the Valdosta Choral Guild since 2014. He is a second tenor/baritone. His singing experience includes the Cherry Capital Men’s Chorus of Traverse City, the Northwestern Michigan College Grand Traverse Chorale, and the Valdosta State University Concert Choir. He is a member of the Park Avenue United Methodist Church choir, and a previous member of the Traverse City Central United Methodist Church choir. He is a licensed attorney in Michigan, and has had professional experience as a Michigan State Police Trooper, adjunct university professor, and residential builder. He is actively auditioning for various roles as an actor in the film industry.
RAlph Gosnell, PUBLICITY CHAIRman
Ralph has been with the Valdosta Choral Guild for many years. He served as Vice President of the guild for more than five years and is now serving as the Publicity chairman.
Paulette Butts, historian
Paulette Butts has been in the Choral Guild for over 25 years. In her spare time she enjoys reading and singing. She also enjoys teaching her grandson how to throw the perfect spiral football pass. She is employed at DFCS for the state of Georgia. She is presently serving as Historian, in past positions she has been on the Social Committee and a Soprano Section Leader.
judy bennett, librarian
Judy has been singing with the Choral Guild since 2013. She serves as the Librarian, which she is enjoying. Judy is a stay at home mom of two young children. She enjoys spending time with her family, singing, sewing, and cross-stitching. She is a member of Covenant Baptist Church.
Section leaders
Rhonda Strand, First Soprano Section Leader
Rhonda started playing the piano at 6 yrs old along with tap dancing. Sang with the high school and church choir. After graduating from high school, it was off to Valdosta State College to study music /art major. Second semester she met Lt. Peter Strand and married here at Moody Air Force Base. She has traveled to many countries. In February 2004, Rhonda was invited to sing with the CT Lyric Opera Co based in New London, CT. She has sung in four languages and in 19 operas. Soon, she became Costumer for several operas. Her favorite is "La Traviata". They have two daughters and two grandsons living in CT. She enjoys quilting, singing, traveling, cross stitching and movies.
Cynthia Daniels, Second Soprano Section Leader
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Cynthia has been a part of the Valdosta Choral Guild for two years. She has also participated in musicals with the Valdosta Theatre Guild. She enjoys singing and was in choirs from Elementary school all through her college years. She is extremely happy to have found a choir in Valdosta to sing again. She works at Lanier County Primary as a Kindergarten teacher. She enjoys reading, singing, and spending time with family and friends in her spare time.
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Brenda Lipscomb, Alto Section Leader
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Brenda was around five years old when she started singing duets in church with her younger sister Angee, and then began to sing alto in 5th grade. She and her sister still occasionally sing when together. Brenda also sang in high school and college choirs. Spring of 2015 Brenda learned about the Valdosta Choral Guild through friends who are members and has been Alto Section Leader since spring of 2016. Staying busy as an active member of Park Ave Seventh-day Adventist Church along with work and home, Brenda also enjoys her pets, photography, yard work, sewing, reading, and camping, Being a member of the VCG has given her the opportunity to meet people from the Valdosta area whom she would not have otherwise met.
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Ben Norton, Tenor Section Leader
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Bio coming soon.
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Pete Strand, Bass Section Leader
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Pete joined the Valdosta Choral Guild in January 2017. He has sung in choirs for sixty years. Pete is a charter board member of Connecticut Lyric Opera and was Stage Manager, Set Builder, Technical Director, Chorus Manager and Chorus Member for ten seasons performing in over twenty different operas. He is a graduate of Pilot Training at Moody AFB and spent nine years active duty as a USAF pilot. He met his wife, Rhonda, here in Valdosta and they were married in 1972. After his tenure as a pilot, he worked in various Engineering and Supervision capacities in the paper industry. He is now retired and is a Volunteer Van Driver for the Veterans Administration.
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