Clermont Chorale: Our Story

Clermont Chorale started as the Clermont Festival Chorale in January 2006, with the mission of bringing choral music opportunities to Clermont County.

Seasons, or “festivals,” were designed to be diverse and musically challenging, and open to any singer age 16 and up. The group regularly partnered with the Clermont Philharmonic Orchestra and even joined with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra’s Chorus for a regional performance.

During the 2009 recession, the group took a break. However, the demand was such that in 2011, founding member Andrea Brady invited Tracy and Tim Carpenter to help relaunch the group. They accepted the challenge, and under their leadership, the chorale steadily grew in both size and artistry. In 2016, as the group evolved beyond its original festival format, the name was officially changed to Clermont Chorale.

Since its rebirth, they have expanded from just two annual performances to presenting four or more each year. Today, the Chorale includes approximately sixty singers and is a beloved favorite for holiday caroling throughout the community.

Over the past fourteen years, audiences have delighted in the Chorale’s diverse repertoire—ranging from Bob Dylan and The Beatles to Mozart, Schubert, and Hildegard von Bingen, as well as contemporary composers like Eric Whitacre and Dominick DiOrio. With programs that span centuries and styles, Clermont Chorale is proud to offer music that both inspires and connects communities.

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In 2022, Milford First United Methodist Church graciously invited us to make their building Clermont Chorale’s permanent home, and we gladly accepted. We are grateful for the space and thankful for the kind hospitality of our friends at MFUMC!

In the fall of 2024, Clermont Chorale launched an exciting new chapter: Project Level Up! This strategic plan aimed to expand our offerings with an auditioned ensemble, musicianship classes, and private voice lessons. We not only met those goals, but we exceeded them! These initiatives now thrive under the Clermont Chorale umbrella, along with vibrant community activities like our book club, karaoke nights, and trivia events. Our newly- auditioned ensemble, Chromatix, is already performing its third concert and shows no signs of slowing down!

As you can see, Clermont Chorale is a dynamic, welcoming organization with something for everyone. Today, we perform regularly across Clermont County and the Greater Cincinnati area, including appearances at prestigious venues like Cincinnati Music Hall.

Clermont Chorale: Our Music Team

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Tracy Carpenter
Co-Artistic Director

TRACY holds a BA in Music Education (vocal and instrumental emphasis) from Berea College, where she studied conducting under Stephen Bolster and theory and harmony with John Courter.  She also achieved two levels of Orff Certification at the University of Cincinnati.

Tracy started her teaching career in the Adams County/Ohio Valley School District, teaching K-8 General Music for two years before teaching at Milford Junior High School for 22 years. She is currently retired from Milford High School.  For 6 years, Tracy chaired the OMEA District 14 Middle School Honor Choir event, organizing almost 200 students from 10-20 Clermont and Hamilton County schools.

Her own choirs have achieved Superior Ratings and placed first and second place in competition.  In her years as a music teacher, Tracy has taught well over 10,000 students, several of whom are or have been members of the Clermont Chorale!

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Tim Carpenter
Co-Artistic Director

TIM has taught music at every age level from 3 year olds to folks in their 90s, but most of his career has been spent as a choir director in the public schools.  He is currently co-artistic director of the Clermont Chorale, the Director of Traditional Music at Milford First United Methodist Church, directing the Altar Choir and the Wesley Handbell Choir there, and is also a voice coach at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy.

Tim holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Berea College and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.  He is certified in Orff Music Education Level 1, and serves as the Historian on the Ohio Choral Directors Association (OCDA) State Board.

In addition to conducting choirs, Tim enjoys composing and arranging music for choirs and brass ensembles, some of which are in publication.  He is married to Tracy, and is the proud dad of two school band teachers, the proud granddad of two beautiful granddaughters, and a true dog person currently working as a CAT-DAD for a pair of the best cats ever.

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Michael Spresser
Accompanist

With over thirty years of combined experience in music education and music publishing, Michael’s career highlights include: helping to stage the opening number of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for ten years, providing editorial assistance to Stephen Schwartz on educational choral arrangements from Wicked and the recent Pippin revival, and more recently the team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, being inducted into the Turpin High School Music Hall of Fame, becoming a member of the Producer’s Wing ­– National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (The Grammys), and now playing for the Clermont Chorale. A sought-after accompanist, he has had the privilege of playing in over fifty cities in twenty-five states, Canada, Sweden, Finland, and the former Soviet Union.

Clermont Chorale: Our Board of Trustees

The Clermont Festival Chorale is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

Our Board of Trustees:

Officers

  • President: Mary Ann Shreve
  • Vice President: Carol Armstrong
  • Treasurer: Anne Laun
  • Secretary: Elesa Labanz
  • Co-Artistic Director: Tracy Carpenter
  • Co-Artistic Director: Tim Carpenter

Members

  • Kylee Hudson
  • Marlene Humfleet
  • Zach Van Camp
  • Gloria Walker
  • Nick Yakovsky
  • Taylor Horman
  • Kelly Barrett
  • Andrea Brady
  • Daren Kummer