Missoula Community Chorus

MCC

  • Ellen McKenzie has proudly taught at Hellgate since 2014, and has been directing choirs and teaching since 2002. Prior to teaching at Hellgate, she taught in Frenchtown, Manteca (CA), and Kalispell.

    Mrs. McKenzie earned her Bachelors Degree in Music Education in 2001,  and her Masters Degree in Integrated Arts and Education in 2012, both from the University of Montana. She is National Board Certified in Music/Early Adolescence Through Young Adulthood. Throughout her career, she has been a very active member of her schools and communities. She has taken choirs to Hawaii, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Banff, Alberta.

     When not teaching, Mrs. McKenzie enjoys being a performer, and participates in shows at MCT as her time allows. She loves to run, read, camp, and mostly to spend time with her husband Peter and her two wild and crazy sons, Ben and Jack.

  • Sylvia Wood is a pianist, flutist and composer who graduated from the University of Montana last spring.

    She is currently the pianist for the Missoula Community Chorus, collaborative pianist for vocalists and instrumentalists, flutist with the Missoula Symphony Orchestra, and piano teacher at Play Piano Academy.

    She loves to use music and composition to turn her impressions of the world into something that resonates with others.

    When not playing music, you can find her baking, painting, hiking, or bothering anyone who will listen with Hamilton trivia.

MPower Voices

  • For the past 20 years Malcolm has been fortunate enough to have conducted MPower Voices, formerly known as the VSA Arts choir.

    Malcolm received a bachelor in voice performance from Western Washington University and a masters in composition for theater from San Diego State University.

    Following college he worked professionally in Theater on the west coast as a composer, performer and sound designer.

    When he moved to Missoula in 1993, he started a small business, The Loose Caboose, which continues to keep Missoula caffeinated.

    He has performed numerous roles on stage at Missoula Community Theater, and he has sung for many years with Dolce Canto.

  • Linda Stratton moved to Missoula in 1990 and has since collaborated with many musicians from Masters in Performance candidates at the University of Montana to preschool.

    She has worked extensively with the Missoula Children’s Theater on community productions and accompanied for many public schools throughout the region.

    One of the organizations that is close to her heart is the MPower Voices choir where she has collaborated with Malcolm for 17 of the 20 years it has been in existence. It is a privilege to work with him as he encourages and enables these special individuals to both expand their abilities and realize their love of performing music.

Missoula Forte Children’s Choirs

  • Renie Hall Gibson is thrilled to be the founding conductor for the Missoula Forte Choir—developing musicianship and preparing young singers for a choral performance experience since 2022.

    Renie is a veteran music educator and choral conductor who has taught high school choral music, early childhood music and conducted community choirs for thirty-five years.

    She funded the Eastern Idaho Childrens' Choir in 2001, and worked with the Idaho Falls Youth Arts Council teaching musical theater classes. She has served as president of the Idaho American Choral Directors Association, board member for Treasure State Orff, Idaho Falls Symphony, Missoula Symphony, and the Missoula International Choral Festival.

    In 2006 she moved to Missoula and currently teaches at Rattlesnake Elementary School.

    In addition to singing in choral groups, including the Missoula Community Chorus, Renie enjoys playing a variety of instruments: piano, fiddle, ukulele and the hammered dulcimer.

  • Jack Desmul is a graduate student studying piano performance at the University of Montana. Through his work as a graduate teaching assistant, Jack teaches a piano class and tutors theory students in addition to maintaining a studio of private and undergraduate piano students.

    Before attending the University of Montana, Jack received degrees in music and business from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

    When he is not in Missoula, Jack is in his hometown of Kalispell assisting in the operation of his family's business, Big Mountain Ciderworks.