Emily DePaul Gil, Founder
Emily Belcher, Artistic Co-Director
Dr. Patti O'toole, Artistic Co-Director
Lori Lazenby, Associate Director
Annie Spain, Associate Director
Emily DePaul Gil, Founder
Emily Gil brings twenty years of experience as a singer, conductor and educator to the Con Brio Children's Choir. She is a graduate of Otterbein College and holds an MA in Music Education from The Ohio State University. She has taught vocal music to students of all ages and currently teaches for Worthington Schools, where her choirs have consistently earned superior ratings at adjudicated choral festivals. Serving as Associate Conductor for Kinderchor, children's choir in residence at Otterbein College, Mrs. Gil laid a strong foundation for their youngest singers, directing the training and intermediate choirs for seven years.
Mrs. Gil is an active member of the Ohio Choral Director's Association serving two terms on the Board as Multicultural Repertoire and Standards Chair and most recently as the Ohio Children's Honors Choir Coordinator for the 2009 OCDA Conference. She has served as Guest Conductor for the Columbus Public Schools Elementary Honor's Chorus (2007, 2008, 2009) the Northeastern Ohio Chorister's Guild Children's Choir Festival (2008) and the Southeastern Ohio Children's Choir Festival (2010). In 2003, Mrs. Gil was honored to have been chosen as the Columbus Symphony's Elementary Music Educator of the Year.
Emily Gil brings twenty years of experience as a singer, conductor and educator to the Con Brio Children's Choir. She is a graduate of Otterbein College and holds an MA in Music Education from The Ohio State University. She has taught vocal music to students of all ages and currently teaches for Worthington Schools, where her choirs have consistently earned superior ratings at adjudicated choral festivals. Serving as Associate Conductor for Kinderchor, children's choir in residence at Otterbein College, Mrs. Gil laid a strong foundation for their youngest singers, directing the training and intermediate choirs for seven years.
Mrs. Gil is an active member of the Ohio Choral Director's Association serving two terms on the Board as Multicultural Repertoire and Standards Chair and most recently as the Ohio Children's Honors Choir Coordinator for the 2009 OCDA Conference. She has served as Guest Conductor for the Columbus Public Schools Elementary Honor's Chorus (2007, 2008, 2009) the Northeastern Ohio Chorister's Guild Children's Choir Festival (2008) and the Southeastern Ohio Children's Choir Festival (2010). In 2003, Mrs. Gil was honored to have been chosen as the Columbus Symphony's Elementary Music Educator of the Year.
Emily Adams Belcher, Artistic Co-Director
Emily Adams Belcher received her Bachelors of Music Education Degree from Otterbein College, where she doubled majored in vocal performance and music education. She is currently enrolled in the Master of Music Education program at The Ohio State University.
Mrs. Belcher taught choral music at Olentangy High School for two years and, prior to taking a leave to raise her children, was the general/vocal music teacher for four years at Chapelfield Elementary School in the Gahanna School District. Mrs. Belcher was a staff member of the Kinderchor (Children's Choir) Summer Institute at Otterbein College where she taught vocal pedagogy, music theory and assisted with the training and intermediate level choirs for four years. Mrs. Belcher enjoys teaching private voice lessons and is currently a worship leader at Lifepoint Church in Delaware County.
Emily Adams Belcher received her Bachelors of Music Education Degree from Otterbein College, where she doubled majored in vocal performance and music education. She is currently enrolled in the Master of Music Education program at The Ohio State University.
Mrs. Belcher taught choral music at Olentangy High School for two years and, prior to taking a leave to raise her children, was the general/vocal music teacher for four years at Chapelfield Elementary School in the Gahanna School District. Mrs. Belcher was a staff member of the Kinderchor (Children's Choir) Summer Institute at Otterbein College where she taught vocal pedagogy, music theory and assisted with the training and intermediate level choirs for four years. Mrs. Belcher enjoys teaching private voice lessons and is currently a worship leader at Lifepoint Church in Delaware County.
Lori Lazenby , Associate Director
Ms. Lazenby is a graduate of The Ohio State University, earning both her BME and MA with an emphasis in elementary music education. She is the music teacher at Worthington Hills Elementary School where her choirs consistently earn superior ratings at festivals and competitions. For the past twenty two years her continued commitment to giving her students an engaging and solid foundation in music education has led her to study varied methodologies including those of Emile Jacques Dalcroze, Carl Orff and John Feierabend. She served as a Guest Conductor for the 2001 Putnam County Elementary Choir Festival in West Virginia and as a Guest Choral Clinician for Southwestern City Schools.
Ms. Lazenby is a member of America Orff Schulwerk Association, the American Choral Director’s Association and the Music Educators National Conference. She was nominated as "Who's Who Among American Teachers" in 1999 . An accomplished singer, Ms. Lazenby has performed with choirs across the country, including backup choirs for Celine Dion and The Judds.
Ms. Lazenby is a graduate of The Ohio State University, earning both her BME and MA with an emphasis in elementary music education. She is the music teacher at Worthington Hills Elementary School where her choirs consistently earn superior ratings at festivals and competitions. For the past twenty two years her continued commitment to giving her students an engaging and solid foundation in music education has led her to study varied methodologies including those of Emile Jacques Dalcroze, Carl Orff and John Feierabend. She served as a Guest Conductor for the 2001 Putnam County Elementary Choir Festival in West Virginia and as a Guest Choral Clinician for Southwestern City Schools.
Ms. Lazenby is a member of America Orff Schulwerk Association, the American Choral Director’s Association and the Music Educators National Conference. She was nominated as "Who's Who Among American Teachers" in 1999 . An accomplished singer, Ms. Lazenby has performed with choirs across the country, including backup choirs for Celine Dion and The Judds.