Let You Voice Shine!
Deah McReynolds
Artistic Director
Conductor, Stele & Voci de Lumina
Deah McReynolds holds a Masters of Music degree in Choral Conducting and Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from the University of South Florida. Deah is Artistic Director for Lumina Youth Choirs, Youth Choir in Residence at the University of South Florida. This diversified program of vocal arts sustains seven choirs of boys and girls, ages 6-18, which perform locally, nationally and internationally in choral festival, concert and competition settings. She is Conductor of Lumina Stele & Voci de Lumina. Both choirs toured Ireland in March 2014 where they were honored to be guest performers at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin.
An active adjudicator and clinician, Deah most recently served as adjudicator for the Florida Vocal Association’s 2015 Solo & Ensemble contest, District 7 & 8 and as conductor of the 2015 Hillsborough County Elementary Fine Arts Festival Chorus. In 2014 she served as conductor of the Hillsborough All-County High School Women’s Chorus, Elementary Fine Arts Festival Chorus and Polk County Elementary Showcase Girl’s Choir.
Mrs. McReynolds has extensive experience working with choirs of all ages. While attending USF she conducted the USF Chamber Singers, Collegium and Collegiate choirs. She served as Choral Director at Adams Middle School in Tampa where she oversaw a program of 230 students in 5 choirs. While at AMS, her choirs consistently earned Superior ratings at Music Performance Assessments as well as other music festivals across Florida. Deah was also Artist in Residence at Orange Grove Middle Magnet School of the Arts teaching voice and an Elementary Music Specialist for the Hillsborough County Public Schools. As Director of Music and Worship Arts at several Bay area churches, she oversaw music, drama, dance and technical arts ministries for all age levels.
In 2015, Deah was in the ensemble cast for two events in the Sarasota Orchestra Broadway Pops series starring Susan Egan, Allie Mauzey and Kyle Dean Massey. In 2014, Mrs. McReynolds was a featured soloist with the Florida Orchestra in performances of Video Games RePlay and again for The Orchestra Sings educational outreach concerts. She is an active member of The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and has enjoyed singing as a soloist and with various ensembles throughout the Tampa Bay area for more than 20 years. Her professional memberships include the Florida Vocal Association, American Choral Directors Association and the National Association for Music Educators.
Meghan Alfaro
Conductor, Amiaza – St. Petersburg
Meghan Alfaro, a St. Petersburg native, is a lyric soprano and music educator. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Magna Cum Laude from Florida State University. She is also a graduate of St. Petersburg College and St. Petersburg Catholic High School. She is an active performer in the Tampa Bay area, having performed with Florida Pro Musica, Herald Vocal Arts, and the St. Petersburg Opera Company. In addition to her vocal experience, she has been an elementary school music teacher for Pinellas County Schools for 13 years. Currently the music teacher at Northwest Elementary School in St. Petersburg, she teaches general music, chorus, and world drumming. She also serves Pinellas County Schools at the district level, serving on multiple curriculum and learning cadres. She has twice been a presenter at the Florida Music Educator’s Association state workshop, and an adjudicator for the elementary all state auditions. She was a finalist for the Pinellas County Elementary Music Educator of the Year in 2010. Mrs. Alfaro was thrilled to serve as the guest conductor for the 2013 Pinellas All County Elementary Honors Chorus, and regularly has students selected for All State Elementary Chorus. In 2015, Mrs. Alfaro was nominated for Pinellas County Outstanding Educator of the Year. She is married and the mother of two wonderful children, a girl and a boy.
Kyla Bailey
Conductor, Aurora – Tampa
Ms. Kyla Bailey is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas with a degree in Music Education. While at UCA, Ms. Bailey was the winner of the 2007 UCA Concerto Aria Competition and performed her winning selctions with the Conway Symphony Orchestra. She was then invited to represent UCA as a guest soloist with the Fujian Symphony Orchestra in Fuzhou, China during the Christmas season later that year.
Ms. Bailey has been with Hillsborough County Schools for 6 years and is currently the Elementary Music Teacher at Lanier Elementary in South Tampa. Ms. Bailey also serves the District as a member of the Hillsborough County Elementary Music Educators Council as well as co-sponsoring the Student Council at her own school. She currently conducts four performance groups at Lanier including two choruses, Orff Ensemble, and World Drumming. She has twice been selected as the conductor for the West Chorus in the Hillsborough County Fine Arts Festival. Last year she was voted Lanier Elementary's Teacher of the Year, and was then named a finalist for the 2013 Hillsborough County Teacher of the Year.
Jeff Bogue
Conductor, Serata – Tampa
A Florida Native, Jeff Bogue graduated with a bachelors degree and is currently pursuing a masters degree in Choral Music Education from the college of music atFlorida State University. He has been teaching chorus at Newsome High School in Lithia, Florida for seven years where his choirs consistently receive superior ratings. Actively involved in various performing groups around the Tampa area, he is also a member of FMEA and ACDA as well as FVA where he has served as the district 7 chairman. Jeff also serves as a judge for choral and solo and ensemble performances. Under his direction, choirs have performed at festivals
Judy Romera
Conductor, Amiaza – Tampa
Judy Romera has a degree in Music Education from the University of South Florida and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Saint Leo University. She has been teaching both elementary and secondary music in Hillsborough County since 2002 and currently serves as the Orchestra and Chorus Director at Davidsen Middle School.
Judy has sung with the USF Chamber Singers, the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, and the St. Lawrence Chorale. She is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association for Music Education, the Florida Vocal Association and the Florida Orchestra Association. She enjoys helping young people appreciate and understand the music in their lives, as well as molding a well-rounded education.
Mary Gant
Accompanist, Amiaza – Tampa
Mary Gant is a graduate of the University of South Florida with a degree in piano performance. Mary has been an active accompanist in the Tampa Bay Area for many years, including playing for GCYC from 1993-1995. She has also served as an accompanist for dance classes and for various ensembles for the USF College of Visual and Performing Arts, and was a teacher of Kindermusik for the USF Community Music Division. She has played for numerous Bay area theatrical productions, including Jesus Christ Superstar, Fiddler on the Roof, Nunsense, The Sound of Music, Godspell, and The Fantasticks. Mary is currently the music director at St. Paul Catholic Church in Carrollwood, along with her husband, Russell.
Clint Longcoy
Accompanist, Serata – Tampa & Amiaza – St. Petersburg
Phil McReynolds
Accompanist, Stele & Lumina de Voci – Tampa
Phil McReynolds received his Masters in Piano Pedagogy from the University of South Florida. Phil has also accompanied the Elementary All County Choir for the Hillsborough County Fine Arts Festival for six years. Phil has performed extensively in the Tampa Bay Area, including playing with national touring musicals casts of The Radio City Music Hall Revue and Evita. Currently he is employed as an Elementary Music Specialist at Forest Hills Elementary in Tampa, Florida as well as pianist/organist at St. James United Methodist Church in New Tampa.