Bios

Heather Wilcox, director, holds a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Music in Conducting from Winthrop University. While in both her degree programs, she studied voice under Professor Jerry Helton. She was a longtime featured soloist in Winthrop’s award-winning and critically acclaimed Jazz Voices under the direction of Dr. Robert Edgerton and Chamber Singers under the direction of Dr. Katherine Kinsey. As a younger choral singer, she performed with esteemed conductors and clinicians such as John Rutter, Moses Hogan, Simon Carrington, Robert Ray, and Eric Whitacre. Ms. Wilcox is now the Director of Choirs at River Bluff High School in Lexington, South Carolina. There she directs six different choral ensembles. Her choirs have performed in Carnegie Hall and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and consistently have achieved Superior ratings at state and regional choral festivals. Her choirs have performed at conferences for the South Carolina Music Educators Association and the South Carolina chapter of ACDA. She frequently leads middle school and high school choral clinics and honor choirs throughout the state. In addition to her roles as an educator, Ms. Wilcox sings in professional choral ensembles including The King’s Counterpoint, Cantores Charleston, Vox Regis, and Inspirar. She also serves as a section leader in the choir at Old St. Andrew's Parish Church in West Ashley, South Carolina. (Photo © Katie Hilliger Page)

Tammy Lorick, collaborative pianist, is a retired choral director, music educator, and piano instructor from Chapin, South Carolina, having taught all levels in the public/private sector. While at Lexington School District One she served as Co-Director of the Lexington School District One Children’s Honor Choir, was Assistant Choral Director, accompanist, and music theory instructor for Tri-District Arts Consortium, and has been a participant in the SC Curriculum Leadership in the Arts program, writing both choral and general music curricula for the district and state. The choirs have performed at SCMEA Conferences, SC ACDA Conferences, the Annual SC Governor’s Carolighting, and also with the Lexington County Choral Society. She was selected Teacher of the Year at her school and was twice selected as Parent-Teacher Association Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Lorick received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education with choral emphasis and a Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy from the University of South Carolina. She achieved her Master’s plus 30 in music education through the College of Charleston, Appalachian State University, and the University of South Carolina. Her additional music studies and training were received from Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina and the Sherwood School of Music in Chicago, Illinois. Mrs. Lorick is a vocal adjudicator and also serves as piano accompanist for many ensembles and choral clinics/events.

Dr. Elaine M. Ross, composer/arranger, is the President and CEO of The Southern Atlantic Conservatory of Music, a newly founded higher education institution intending to launch its inaugural curriculum in the Fall of 2027. She also currently serves on the faculty of Charleston Southern University and is a collaborative pianist for Low Country Piano. Dr. Ross recently served on the music theory faculty as head of aural skills and instructor of music theory at Morgan State University. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Ross was on the theory faculty at Towson University and Ohio University, served as the chair of music theory at the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles, CA, and as the coordinator of music theory/composition at Central Washington University. Dr. Ross is a recording artist for the Albany label and is an extremely active and sought-after collaborative pianist. She has performed with such artists as Toby Oft, principal trombone of the Boston Symphony, Harry Watters, premiere jazz trombonist of the army blues(ret.), world renowned clarinetist Fred Ormand, and internationally acclaimed hornist Frank Lloyd, to name a few. Dr. Ross’ research interests include both the creative aspect of composition and theory pedagogy, including instructional approaches, the comparison of teaching results for perfect/absolute pitch vs. non-perfect pitch musicians, and the compilation of several pedagogical workbooks. Dr. Ross is published by Southern Music Company, Sisra Press, and Triplo Press and has had performances throughout the United States and in France, Germany, Israel, and has numerous upcoming performances throughout the world. A complete catalogue of works, recordings and sample scores can be found at www.elainemross.com.

Lynne-Grace Wooden, floutist, is a senior flute performance major at the University of Louisville, studying under the instruction of Dr. Leanne Hampton. She is currently principal flute in the UofL Orchestra. Prior to this semester she has performed in many other environments, including performing the operatic works of Mozart's Don Giovanni as well as Michael Polo's Pluto with the Vienna Summer Music Festival in 2022, and playing principal flute in the Butler Ballet Orchestra for their performance of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. Prior to undergrad, she played in the Kentucky All-State Symphonic Band (2020), the Kentucky All-State Symphony Orchestra (2019), and was a member of the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras (2016-2020). In the Summer of 2019 she attended the Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts. She has also studied with Kathy Karr of the Louisville Orchestra, Matthias Schulz of the Vienna State Opera, Karen Moratz of the Indianapolis Symphony, Becky Arrensen of the Indianapolis Symphony, Amy Taylor of the San Diego Symphony, as well as Merrilee Elliott of the Lexington Philharmonic.

Nicole Talton, bassist, has played bass for 30 years. She is from Fort Montgomery, New York, and graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a degree in Computer Science. She now works as a Project Manager in IT. Nicole is married to her husband of 23 years, Charles Talton, and together, they have three children. When Nicole isn’t playing the bass, you can find her working out, listening to true crime podcasts, or spending time with her family.

Annalisa Ingram, percussionist, is a junior at Lexington High School. She has been a pianist and a singer for 12 years and a percussionist for 7 years. Annalisa often participates in honors ensembles for the University of South Carolina. She has achieved positions in South Carolina Band Directors Association Region Band and All State. Currently, she serves as the South Carolina Youth Philharmonic Orchestra principal percussionist. Annalisa was awarded Best Leadership Ability in her school band’s percussion section last year and she loves to teach percussion in her free time.