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Singer Spotlights

Name: Cindy Dixon
Voice Part: Alto 1
Years with PCC: 8
TELL US ABOUT YOUR MUSICAL BACKGROUND
I graduated with a church music degree from TCU and then went to First Christian Church, McKinney, where I directed the chancel choir, several bell choirs, children’s choirs, and taught pre-school music for 11 years. Since, then I have continued to sing in the chancel choir and play handbells, as well as sing with the contemporary ensemble. I am currently in a quartet called One More Time Texas, an ensemble dedicated to performing songs of decades past at senior living centers.

TELL US ABOUT ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE PCC CONCERTS:
My favorite concert was probably my first concert 8 years ago when we sang the
Bruckner Requiem. I hadn’t sung any “classical” works in so long, and it was a joy to get back to such great music!!

​WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT PCC?
I love the fellow musicians in PCC!!! We are all trying to keep our voices in shape, and we all love choral music! We have such a variety of people in our chorus, and that makes it fun! I sing in PCC because of the musical selections. There is no place else in my life where I can sing such great and difficult music. It truly touches my soul to hear the gorgeous choral sounds at rehearsals and our concerts!
Name: Debi Klein
Voice Part: Alto 1
Years with PCC: 8
TELL US ABOUT YOUR MUSICAL BACKGROUND
I started taking piano lessons when I was 7 and started singing in elementary school. I was an all-state choir member in high school, and sang in college choir at the University of Texas. I was a member of the Houston Symphony Chorus, and then a 20-year member of the Dallas Symphony Chorus before joining the Plano Civic Chorus in 2014. I am the cantorial soloist at my Congregation, Shir TIkvah Frisco, and I currently take voice lessons with Debra Scroggins.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PCC CONCERT?
I have two favorite concerts. The first was Music in the Key of Life, where music was interspersed with original poetry by two of Texas' Poets Laureate. This was a very different type of concert, and the poetry was very powerful and fit perfectly with our music. I also loved our Bluegrass Spectacular, which was another concert that was different from our normal concerts. It was just a really fun concert.

​WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT PCC?
I love that the PCC is a professional-sounding chorus, and we sing difficult music that requires a lot of concentration and time spent outside of rehearsal. We sing so many pieces that I've never sung, even though I've been in choirs for at least 55 years! Music lifts me up spiritually, and brightens my day when things seem sad or chaotic. I don't know where I would be without music in my life.
NAME: Jill Jeffery
VOICE PART: Soprano 2
YEARS WITH PCC: 9 months
TELL US ABOUT YOUR MUSICAL BACKGROUND
I started off playing the piano at age 5, switched mostly to clarinet in 5th grade, but started singing and playing clarinet in college groups, although I was not a music major. I continued to sing and play clarinet as a young adult, then decided singing was my thing. I sang in several choruses in Southern California, the Fort Wayne (Indiana) Philharmonic Chorus, and now that I am in Texas, I am excited to be a part of PCC!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CONCERT YOU’VE SUNG WITH PCC.
Unfortunately, due to Covid, I never made it to a concert, but I LOVED the rehearsals this past year! This is a great group, and I feel very much a part of it!

​TELL US WHY YOU CHOOSE TO SING IN A CHOIR, AND THE IMPORTANCE MUSIC HAS IN YOUR LIFE
Music has always been a part of my existence. It was an essential part of our family growing up. I communicate through singing. I feel very fortunate to have found this outlet for myself, and to have been embraced by other wonderful musicians. Once Covid has been conquered sufficiently to allow us to sing again, I just really long for a concert with the PCC, to experience the full power of choral music again.
Name: Stevie Otto
Voice Part: Alto
Years with PCC: 1
TELL US ABOUT YOUR MUSIC BACKGROUND: Music has always been my passion since I was little, making mixtapes on my stereo, singing in my school choir, and competing in Texas All-State competitions in high school. I graduated from Southwestern University with a Bachelor of Music in Music History and from the University of Iowa with a Master of Arts in Musicology. I started a Ph.D., but then switched careers to go into Higher Education Administration instead, and unfortunately didn't have another opportunity to sing choral music for many years until I joined the Plano Civic Chorus in 2019.

​WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT PCC? I'm a busy professional who travels occasionally for work (when there isn't a pandemic!) and a mom to an energetic toddler. I love being a part of PCC because it gives me something that is all mine to enjoy with other people who are also passionate about music and singing. It's also my way to energize myself after being constantly on the go, because I get the chance to use my brain for something challenging and fun at each rehearsal and concert. I also think organizations like PCC are so important to the well-being of our local community. I'm a strong believer that everyone should have easy access to the arts!
​Meet Gordon Roe, Baritone with PCC: “I grew up in South Texas and first joined the choir at age 10 in First Methodist Church, Weslaco, Texas. My dad was the pastor and my mother was choir director. I could read the alto part and enjoyed putting on my robe and seeing the congregation. Even today i am happier sitting in the choir loft. I sang in the choir at Southwestern and seminary at SMU. While at SMU I got a job directing a choir in Arlington and met a certain alto who has been my wife for several decades.
I took a sabbatical from pastoral work and enrolled in UNT. After being turned down by the Dallas Opera (my first choral rejection, I believe) I made the Ft. Worth Opera Chorus on scholarship and sang with them two years. I appeared with Placido Domingo - he was the gypsy son in "Il Trovatore" and I was “Eleventh Gypsy.”
I was a charter member of the Dallas Symphony Chorus and we sang in State Fair Music Hall which was entirely too big. I remember keenly our move to the Meyerson - Ralph and others were there. We had two weeks of opening nights. Van Cliburn was one of the soloists and he came back to the chorus room to congratulate us on the finesse of our performance.
Considering age and travel routine I decided to try out for Plano Civic Chorus and have been with the group for 10 years. When I am not singing I look over at the sopranos, amazed at their perfect intonation. My decade has been a real joy and I thank the officers and leadership for many uplifting musical moments.”

Recent Digital Concerts

CASA Concert

​For many years now our Choir - the Plano Civic Chorus - has supported the City of Plano's Sunset Ceremony on Memorial Day, singing behind the Honor Guard from VFW American Legion Harding-Blaine Post 321.

PAST SEASONS

2019-2020 Season

2018-2019 Season

2017-2018 Season

2016-2017 Season

2015-2016 Season

Plano Civic Chorus
P.O. Box 864411
Plano, Texas 75086
info@planocivicchorus.org
972-606-5220