Music Leadership
Vicky Thomas, Director of Choral Music and Handbell Choir
Choral Director at Seattle First Baptist since 2006, Vicky Thomas has enjoyed over twenty years working as a church musician in the Pacific Northwest and on the east coast. She has taught all ages from pre- schoolers to retirees and has directed a wide variety of musical ensembles. In addition to the standard choral repertoire, Ms. Thomas' particular love is extending the boundaries of Christian choral ensemble work. World music works with the choir include Misa Criolla with an Andean band, interfaith anthems including Islamic, Buddhist, and Jewish texts, congregational refrains with marimbas, use of sign language in a Korean hymn and a hymn orchestration in the Karen language. Over the last four seasons Ms. Thomas developed a series of social justice concerts which combine music and outreach ministries to raise both funds and awareness. These concert include Wage Peace in 2009, Sing Us Home in 2010, Refuge in 2011 and, in 2012, a newly commissioned choral/orchestral interfaith work on earth ministry to be premiered at the NW American Choral Directors Convention in March. Phone: 206.325.6051 x108 |
Ruth Draper, Organist
Organist at Seattle First Baptist since 2008, Ruth Draper is also a doctoral organ student of Carole Terry's at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. She holds degrees from Eastman School of Music (music theory pedagogy and organ) and Oberlin Conservatory (environmental science and organ), where she studied with David Higgs and David Boe, respectively. Ruth specializes in adapting orchestral accompaniments to the organ, including recent performances of Vivaldi's Gloria, Duruflé's Requiem, Haydn's Creation, and Bernstein's Chichester Psalms. She has accompanied a diverse array of choirs on both piano and organ, including the Seattle Girls Choir, the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia, the Finger Lakes Community Chorale (Canandaigua, NY), and Windsong, Cleveland's Women's Chorus. Ms. Draper is the recipient of the 2009 Peter B. Knock Scholarship for the study of sacred music, and a laureate of the 2007 Odense International Organ Competition (Odense, Denmark). Phone: 206.325.6051 x109 |
Belle Chenault, Children and Youth Choir Director
One of the main reasons that Belle Chenault joined Seattle First Baptist in 1995 was to sing in its wonderful choir. She started her career as a high school teacher in Alabama after receiving a bachelor's degree in English and music from Northwestern University. Shortly after moving to Seattle in 1970, she obtained her Master's Degree in Choral Conducting at UW and conducted various church choirs and community choirs in the Seattle area. She taught choral music, general music, guitar, and African Drum Ensemble (and English, math, and drama) at the junior high level in Seattle and Bellevue. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology. Vocationally, she now works primarily with children, doing counseling and educational assessments. But her main avocation is music performance—from Bluegrass to jazz to classical. She plays bass in an orchestra and has sung in many choirs and chorales, as member, assistant conductor, and soloist. She especially enjoys bringing music to the congregation of this church with the children and youth. Email:
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James Ginn, Associate Organist
Associate Organist is one of several roles that Jim Ginn fills at Seattle First Baptist Church. He has been a member of the Sanctuary Choir since 1990. Jim serves as a soloist, cantor and tenor section leader. Music has been a passion nearly all of his life. He was singing before he talked, began studying piano at the age of six, French horn in the fifth grade, pipe organ in junior high school, and received the outstanding senior musician award in high school. He served as pianist and organist at several churches in his home state of Missouri. After completing his BA degree in Mathematics from William Jewell College and his Masters degree in Computer Science from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Jim moved to Texas to begin his career as a computing professional. In 1989 he came to Seattle to work for The Boeing Company where he currently serves as Senior Enterprise Information Technology Architect. When Jim is not working, doing a musical activity, or sleeping, he is most likely riding one of his three touring bicycles while humming a tune. |
