Read about the OYC Board of Directors >>
La Nell Martin is a native of Oakland, graduate of Holy Names High School, and alumna of the Oakland Youth Chorus (1986-1989). She has earned her B.A. degree at Holy Names College as well.
LaNell began conducting OYC's Middle School Magic Chorus in 2004 and Concert Chorus in 2006. In the 2007-2008 season LaNell led an extraordinary tour for each of the OYC chorus ensemble's which were awarded with various honors at the Heritage Music Festival in Las Vegas and the Muisc in the Parks Festival in the SF Bay Area. In addition, the soloist LaNell chose for the season won the Best Soloist Overall two years in a row.
LaNell is eager to get the word out about OYC and is actively recruiting for future seasons. She believes that children can benefit from learning how to appreciate and perform all styles of music.
Rhonda Crane, or "Miss Rhonda" as her students call her, was born in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in San Francisco. She began playing the piano at 8, the viola at 12, and sang every chance she got in church and school choirs. She has played in orchestras, bands, sang in operas and with Street Sounds, and is currently a member of CHELLE! and Friends Ensemble.
Miracle Teacher at ASCEND School and OYC alumnus Bryan Dyer (‘81- ‘89)’s musical career started as a child in the church and through the public school system, where he learned to sing as well as play trumpet, piano, baritone horn, percussion, and piano. He is a member of the a capella quintet Street Sounds, a group whose performance is a tapestry of blues, jazz, African chants, rap, R&B, doo-wop, and civil/human rights songs. Currently, he also performs with the a capella group, SoVoSo, directs his church choir, and works as a singer, producer, and instrumentalist.
Tina Harrington has worked with the OYC since 1989 as Alumni Conductor, Assistant conductor, and vocal coach. Her experience as an alumna from 1977 to 1981 enables her to uniquely relate to the students, and her current work brings back warm memories of friendships and experience which focused her own professional pursuits. Ms. Harrington is also Artistic Director of the Distaff Singers (an Oakland-based women's community chorus, now celebrating its 63rd year). In addition, she is Choral Director for the College Preparatory High School, and assistant conductor and a member of the San Francisco Choral Artists, and has lent her vocal coaching expertise to numerous local groups and musical productions.
D'Shawn Hunter graduated from Oakland Technical High School at the age of 16. He is currently studying at Cal Berkeley as a Bio-Sciences Major and he plans to attend medical school at Stanford University. As a member of the OYC from 1997-2003, Mr. Hunter has a great ear for music, as well as a love for the art itself. He performed with the OYC at Oakland's Paramount Theatre and numerous other Bay Area venues and has performed internationally with other choral groups Mr. Hunter has tremendous experience working with youth in several different structures, and truly has a love for OYC.
Michelle Jacques is the Artistic Director/founder of the CHELLE! and Friends,and WOW (Women of the World) ensembles. Michelle performs educational programs for the San Francisco Symphony’s Adventures in Music program.
Michelle is the founder and director of the ALA Children’s Chorus and World Music Chorus in Alameda, is an elementary school conductor for Oakland Youth Chorus in the Oakland Unified School district, LEAP…Imagination in Learning in the San Francisco school district and Young Performers International.
Michelle is also a founding member of the Street Sounds a cappella quintet. Michelle has toured throughout the United States and Europe performing with and along side many well know artists including: Manhattan Transfer, Wynton Marsalis, Linda Hopkins, Ladysmith Black Mambaza, Pete Seger, Al Greene, and The Persuasions. Michelle also performed in Geneva, Switzerland, for the United Nations World Conference of Human Rights, Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir, the Montreux Jazz Festival, The Gurten Music Festival, and The Berne Jazz Festival.
Michelle’s credits include: recipient of the City Of Oakland, Individual Artist grant for 2008-2009, winner of the 1992, Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARA) for “Best Folk/Progressive Song”, “Home Africa.
Holly Burnett is a native of St. Louis, MO and has lived in the Bay Area for three years. She graduated from Union University (Jackson, TN) in 2005 with a B.M. in Music Education. Holly is a Miracle Chorus teacher at Lighthouse Community Charter Academy and at New Highland Academy for her second year. She also teaches elementary music in San Francisco for Music in Schools Today (MuST). Holly is an active member of the East Bay alumnae chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, a professional music fraternity that promotes and supports music education and organizations in the community. In her free time she enjoys playing the flute, guitar, and piano.
Sheena JohnsonPhoto courtesy of Keira Heu-Jwyn Chang
She comes to the OYC with a solid background in non-profit administration and fundraising. She has fundraised for Critical Resistance, the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training, and the Center for Media Justice. She is excited to combine her fundraising experience and passion for the arts in her new position at OYC. In addition to being the new fundraising coordinator at OYC, Sheena is a dancer and choreographer. She is currently finishing up her Masters of Fine Arts in Dance & Choreography at Mills College in Oakland. If you want to know when she is performing next or have an exciting idea about how OYC can raise more funds shoot her an email: sheena@oaklandyouthchorus.org.
Kevan PeabodyKevan Peabody delivers a unique and welcomed experience! His musical training is a rich blend of traditional and contemporary gospel music which has universal appeal, reaching both church and concert audiences. Kevan has traveled the America’s and Europe as an performer and he is able to communicate spiritual and cultural expressions that are welcomed by his diverse audiences.
Kevan’s production credits include Edwin Hawkins, Dr. Bobby Jones, Lawrence Beamen and Emmit Powell & the Gospel Elites. His current solo piano project is entitled “Songs From The Place of God”.
Kevan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Francisco State University and is C.E.O. of Twin Productions. He resides in Oakland, California with his wife, Mary and twin sons, Kevan and Edwin.
Ja Ronn ThompsonJa Ronn Thompson is a seasoned gospel/r&b performer and has led gospel groups and workshops around the world including Costa Rica and in Africa with the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries. He is currently the Instructor of the SF State University's Gospel course that he founded in 2004. He also leads the Oakland Interfaith Youth Gospel Choir and Cal State East Bay's Gospel Choir. Most recently, Ja Ronn was appointed to become a private music instructor with LEAP, a nonprofit in San Francisco that brings visual and performing arts to classroom around the Bay Area as well as SFartsED.
Ja Ronn began singing in church as a teen and was highly influenced by his renowned cousin, Terrence Kelly. He studied privately with musical greats, Janice Maxie Reid and Allowyn Price. In his experience, he has learned to "sing with passion and with no fear," a message he continuously instills in his students and peers. He wants to encourage and teach young people how to grow in their music and understand where it comes from.