A not-for-profit musical organization, the Vienna Choral Society (VCS) was formed in January 1987 to provide music for events sponsored by the Town of Vienna, community organizations, and the residents of Vienna and surrounding communities.
Our purpose is to present varied programs of high-quality music for public entertainment and personal enrichment, to promote greater appreciation and enjoyment of good music by the general public and to join with other organizations in giving our time and our talent to programs and activities that benefit our community.
Our members come from all backgrounds and walks of life. We share a love of singing and a desire to grow both in our awareness of the rich choral music that exists and in our abilities to perform it well. We are proud to have several founding members of VCS still within our ranks, and we warmly welcome new members who are interested in blending their voices with ours.
VCS is a member of the Arts Council of Fairfax County, the Northern Virginia Choral Alliance, The Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce and the United Way.
Organizational Structure
The Vienna Choral Society is a membership organization. The work of VCS is accomplished through a collaboration between the Members, the Board of Directors, the Artistic Director, and the Accompanist. Members are asked to give additional volunteer time each year to perform for community events and celebrations, to serve on committees and to attend twice yearly VCS Membership Meetings. All Members are expected to sell tickets for the concerts.
VCS has also recently welcomed an Administrator to manage and guide the organization’s rapid growth.
Our Board
2010-2011 Board of Directors
The VCS Board Members give many hours to planning and to ensuring that the work of the organization gets done and that sufficient moneys are raised. They also respond to the needs of current VCS Members and oversee the work of VCS staff members. They gladly wear many “hats” and demonstrate a devotion to and passion for choral music and the Vienna Choral Society!
Karen Akers, President
Connie Berger, Vice President
Linda Ferri, Secretary
Linda Ferri, Treasurer
Dick Foote, Finance Committee
Aaron Reed, Operations and Logistics
Barthy Setty, Fundraising Committee
Kathy Tugendhat, Membership Committee
Kevin Warner, Operations and Planning
Ron Duquette, Advisory (ex-officio)
Artistic Director, Jennifer Rodgers Beach
Jennifer Rodgers Beach has based her work as a choral conductor, performer and vocal instructor out of the Washington, DC area since 1993. In addition to her directorship of the Vienna Choral Society, she is the Director of Music at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockville, Maryland and the Executive Director of Plunge! Cabaret, a touring theater company that works with higher education and community service organizations.
Jennifer holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance and Theater from Ithaca College and a Master’s Degree in Opera Theater from the Maryland Opera Studio of the University of Maryland. She has sung with The Washington Opera, among others, and has written and produced two original shows for Plunge! She has private voice studios in Rockville and Ashburn, VA and a CD recording entitled ‘What She Wants.’
Jennifer has worked in leadership and human development in the arts and higher education for over twelve years. She served as an internal organizational development consultant for the University of Maryland where she also taught an honors-level leadership development class. In music and theater, Jennifer has designed, directed, and conducted productions in many styles and venues over the last fifteen years.
Accompanist, Mark Vogel
Mark Vogel received his Bachelor’s Degree in piano performance from the University of Iowa studying with Rene Lecuona, and his Master’s Degree from Manhattan School of Music studying with the late Ruth Laredo. He is currently the Director of Music at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax in Oakton, Virginia. Mark performs regularly with the Fairfax Chamber Ensemble. He has also worked with Washington Men’s Camerata, National Master Chorale, the Washington Ballet Orchestra, Aurora Opera Theatre, Woodley Ensemble and Georgetown University, among others. He has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Strathmore, the Washington National Cathedral, the Library of Congress, and many more locations in and around Washington, DC.
Administrator
David Helfgott has been a resident of Vienna since 1991. He is an active member of the Vienna Rotary Club, serves as Treasurer of Viva! Vienna and Treasurer of Country Creek HOA, and is an active parent member of Boy Scout Troop 1539. David has worked in the banking industry in the Vienna/Tysons area for 25 years.
