Carol Ann Elze - Sussdorff,    Adirondack Voices Accompanist

Carol Ann returned to Skidmore College after serving as music instructor at St. Mary’s/St. Alphonsus School in Glens Falls, where she founded a comprehensive choral and music instruction program for elementary to middle school students. Carol Ann has served as Music Director and Conductor of the Glens Falls Symphony Children’s Chorus 2009-2012, and has been the accompanist for Adirondack Voices since 1999. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from the Crane School of Music where she performed both solo and chamber works with acclaimed soprano Renee Fleming.

As a pianist, Carol Ann performed at the Sagamore Hotel from 1985-1993. She has accompanied classes for Northeast Ballet, where she played master classes for Sean Lavery and Kyra Nichols of NYCB, and former NYCB principal dancer, and Founding Artistic Director of Miami City Ballet, Edward Villella.  While at Skidmore, she has enjoyed playing master classes for baritone Nathan Gunn, and Kirsten Simone of the Royal Danish Ballet. She accompanied the Union College Chorale under Hugh Allen Wilson, where she played Stravinsky’s “Symphony of Psalms “at his farewell performance.

She is the organist and choir director of the United Methodist Church of Queensbury, and maintains an active accompanying schedule collaborating with area standout students for recitals, auditions, and NYSSMA performances. She lives in Diamond Point with her husband Bill, and good dog Lucy.

Penny Schiek began directing Adirondack Voices in 1999 and also served as director for our ensemble, Adirondack A Cappella. While Penny has stepped down from directing, she continues to sing in our also section and serves as our substitute rehearsal director whenever called upon.  She is well known in the Glens Falls area as a choral director, mezzo-contralto soloist, voice teacher and handbell director.  She grew up in the western Finger Lakes region of New York State and received her Bachelor of Music degree from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and a Masters in Music from Bowling Green State University, Ohio.  Both degrees are in music education with performance concentrations in voice and conducting.

 Ms. Schiek has taught in the public schools for 31 years, the first 13 years at Whitehall Jr/Sr High School, and during the same time period, was an adjunct voice professor for Castleton State University, Vermont.  She recently retired as  the vocal music director at Queensbury High School, NY, where she directed three choral ensembles including the highly select Queensbury Madrigal Singers, a 24 member a cappella group which gives approximately 30 performances a year both locally and throughout Europe.  She is currently the director of handbells at Christ Church Methodist in Glens Falls, a voice adjudicator for the NYS School Music Association (NYSSMA), and a past president and secretary of the Washington County Area Music Teachers Association.

 Ms. Schiek’s guest conducting includes the Burlington Madrigal Festival sponsored by the American Choral Director’s Association, several All-County Choruses, and as a guest conductor for Rutland’s 1999 performances of Handel’s Messiah with the Rutland Area Chorus and Orchestra.  In Glens Falls she has prepared a community Messiah Chorus for several performances, as well as Bach’s St. John Passion in 2004 with the Glens Falls Symphony, an epic performance in 2009 of Verdi’s Requiem with over 200 participating musicians, and a spectacular performance in 2016 of Belshazzar’s Feast under Simon Carrington..

 She has been named to Who’s Who Among American Teachers, is a past member of the American Choral Directors Association, the Society for Research in Music Education, and a current member of NYSSMA and the National Association for Music Education.

Her retirement hobbies include photography, motorcycle touring, golf and travel.