Leadership

Anima’s staff is composed of both full time and part time employees, all dedicated to making the Anima experience the best it can be for our young choristers, their families and our audiences. The music staff, under the direction of Emily Ellsworth, chooses music, provides music instruction, conducts rehearsals and performances and all other aspects of the music program. The administrative staff, under the direction of Priscilla Smith, cares for the business of the chorus, including arranging for rehearsal space, managing the finances, marketing, communications with families and all other administrative concerns.

Music Staff

Emily Ellsworth-Artistic Director, Touring Chorus Conductor
Nationally recognized in the U.S. as a leader in the field of youth chorus directors, Ms. Ellsworth has served as Artistic Director of Anima – Young Singers of Greater Chicago (formerly the Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus) since 1996.  She brings to her work a passion for the vocal art and a love for young people and their enormous potential.  Under her direction, Anima was the first youth choir to win the Dale Warland Singers Commission Award, jointly given by Chorus America and the American Composers Forum (2009) and the once-in-an-organizational lifetime Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence from Chorus America (2008).  Also under her direction, the Chorus was given the 2001 ASCAP award for adventurous programming, and the 2000 U.S. Library of Congress’ Local Legacies Award, acknowledging the chorus as one of nation’s cultural treasures.

She has prepared the Chorus for performances with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Ravinia Festival, the Grant Park Symphony, and many others for conductors including Bernard Haitink, Claudio Abbado, Christoph Eschenbach, John Nelson, James Conlon, Sir Andrew Davis, Charles Dutoit, and Sir Georg Solti.  She has conducted the Chorus in appearances with Julia Roberts, Garth Brooks, Dennis DeYoung, and the Canadian rock group Barenaked Ladies; featured broadcasts on Chicago’s classical radio WFMT; seven CD recordings; regional and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, the Organization of American Kodaly Educators, and Chorus America; and concert tours of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, China, South Africa, and Morocco.

Ms. Ellsworth serves as advisor for the Opera Workshop series with Boosey and Hawkes Publishers.  She has over 20 years of university teaching and singing experience, and has been honored to serve several times on the music panel for the United States government’s National Endowment for the Arts.  In great demand as guest clinician, she leads workshops and festival choirs throughout the United States.  She has also led festivals in the Republic of Ireland, England, and given presentations for the national association of choral directors in Brazil.  She is the Repertoire and Standards Chair for children’s choirs for the Central Division of the American Choral Directors Association, and earned her Master of Music degree with honors from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. 

William Buhr-Principal Accompanist
Enjoying a national reputation as an accompanist, chamber musician, adjudicator and clinician, William Buhr's work as a collaborative pianist has taken him to performing engagements in over thirty countries on six continents. Equally at home on the stages of the world's most prestigious concert halls or in the world of musical theater, Mr. Buhr's musical partnerships are numerous and richly varied. He has served on the accompanying staff of the Chicago Symphony Chorus at the invitation of founder/director Margaret Hillis, and has accompanied James Levine, Michael Tilson Thomas, Yo-Yo Ma, June Anderson, Berndt Weikl and others at the Ravinia Festival. He has also worked with Stephen Sondheim, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald and Michael Cerveris in the Ravinia Festival productions of Sunday In The Park With George and Anyone Can Whistle.

Holding degrees from the University of Illinois and DePaul University, Mr. Buhr has appeared in many international festivals as well as numerous national and regional conventions of major musical and educational organizations. He is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and holds membership in many other professional organizations. Mr. Buhr has served on the faculty of the Choral Music Experience Institute for Choral Teacher Education with Doreen Rao since its inception in 1986, and has played for the national touring companies of numerous Broadway musicals including Showboat, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and The Phantom of the Opera. He has served as the Associate Director and accompanist of the New Classic Singers, the resident professional choral ensemble at the College of DuPage, since 1986, and has enjoyed an association with Anima - Young Singers of Greater Chicago since 1984.

Ron Korbitz- Concert Chorus Conductor
Ron Korbitz received Bachelor and Master of Music Education degrees from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. He spent several years performing with local Chicago theater groups at The Royal Castle Dinner Theater and Captain Dick’s Voyage, where he was also the musical director. He has performed as a solo artist and chamber musician in Chicago and the suburbs, and has also worked in the popular music world with groups like The Sound Connection and The Frank Pellico Orchestra. Ron is a collaborating author for the children’s book “Mr. Everybody’s Recorder Book” published by Myles Music and contributing writer to the American String Teachers Association Journal. Mr. Korbitz has served on faculties at The Hinsdale Center for the Arts, Moraine Valley College and School District 117. He has also adjudicated for the Illinois Grade School Music Association and the American String Teachers Association. Currently, he is on faculty at Brookdale School in Naperville, where he teaches K-5 general music and directs the chorus, choir chimes ensembles and guitar ensembles.

Michael Mayer-Concert Chorus Accompanist
Michael is a graduate of VanderCook College of Music with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and an emphasis on percussion and piano performance.  During his undergraduate studies, Michael also became a proud member of the ΦΜΑ Sinfonia Music Fraternity.  With his certificate in Music Education, he excels at working with students of any age or level of experience.  During his near 20 years as a pianist, Michael has accompanied solo musicians and small ensembles, choirs, and bands since he was 13, and taught privately since he was 17.  Some of Michael’s personal accomplishments include: two years in the Illinois All-State High School Theater Festival where he served as Percussionist, Keyboardist, rehearsal pianist, and assistant music director, along with performing in the Illinois All-State High School Band, serving as Percussion Section leader.  Out of college, Michael was hired in Elgin as a 4th grade beginning Band Director, 7th grade General Music Director, and a mixed 7th and 8th grade Choir Director.  The following year he then took a job in Streamwood as the 4th, 5th, 6th, and High School String Education Director.  Music and education are the truest of Michael’s passions, and he is deeply excited to be working with Ron Korbitz and the Anima Singers Concert Choir.

“Without music life would be a mistake.” ~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche.

Megan Drahos- Treble Chorus and PrepChoir Conductor
Megan Drahos is excited to join the Anima team! Ms. Drahos is in her second year of teaching K-8 general music and choir at Visitation School in Elmhurst, where she has transformed the music program in a very short period of time with skill and passion.   A top music education graduate from North Central College in Naperville, Megan was mentored by Dr. Ramona Wis, sang in the Chamber Singers and the Women's Chorale, and toured France, Germany and Austria.  She graduated magna cum laude and received the Smith Hildreth scholarship for excellence in musicianship and leadership.

She currently serves as a cantor for weekend masses, weddings, and funerals.  Ms. Drahos has gained great experience working with the youth choirs (3rd-8th grade) at Visitation Church in rehearsals and weekend masses.  She enjoys teaching private voice and piano lessons as well.  She brings great skill and vitality to her work with young people.

Marcia Smits-Treble Chorus Accompanist
Marcia Smits received a B.A. in Education from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She studied piano and organ with Irma Wylie, Carl Sennema, Alyce Lantinga and John Hamersma. Prior to moving to Illinois, she taught school, accompanied children's choirs and served as church organist and director of handbell choirs in western Michigan. Mrs. Smits lives in Wheaton with her husband and is the proud mother of Chad, Colleen, Carl and Carmen and grandmother of Holland, Griffin, Kayla and Cassie. Currently, Mrs. Smits is Choir Accompanist at Elgin High School and Streamwood High School and organist at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church. She has been with Anima since 1991.

Sally Hepler-Anima KidSingers Instructor
Sally Hepler is excited to be joining the Anima team this year as the new KidSingers instructor.  She is working towards her Masters of Music Education from Vandercook College of Music.  She holds a Bachelors of Music Education from Indiana Wesleyan University.  Born and raised an Ohio State Buckeye, Mrs. Hepler recently moved to Downers Grove, Illinois after marrying her wonderful husband, Josh, in 2009.  She is in her third year of teaching Grades K – 5 General Music at Hall Elementary School in Aurora, IL and loves every second of it.  Mrs. Hepler also directs the Drama Club at Hall School, which puts on an original script each year written by her awesome husband.  She has had the pleasure to perform in numerous plays, musicals and operas as well as sing in collegiate choirs.  In her free time, you may find her tackling a sewing project, playing video games, or enjoying a good book.

Oksana Rodak-Lombard Young Singers Conductor-Oksana Rodak is a graduate of the University of Toronto, Canada, where she received both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music Education.  Also holding an Associate Diploma in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, she studied choral conducting at the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine.   Oksana has held positions as Artistic Director of the Cantate Children's Choir,  Young Naperville Singers, and Coordinator of Children's Music at Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago.  She holds an Artist Teacher Diploma from Doreen Rao's Choral Music Experience Institute.

Administrative Staff

Priscilla Smith-Executive Director
Ms. Smith has worked for Anima in various capacities for 22 years, and as Executive Director since 2005.
Ms. Smith is responsible for managing all administrative, promotional, performance, and developmental requirements for Anima. She brings to the Chorus over 30 years of corporate management experience, with an extensive background in communication, negotiation, statistical analysis, organization, marketing and media relations. She is also a management consultant providing services to businesses in the western suburbs.

Ms. Smith also loans her expertise to a number of non-profits, from the arts to homeless shelters and considers the work both necessary and highly rewarding. Ms. Smith holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with honors from Elmhurst College.

Nondi Orazi-Development Manager

Leslie Morgan-Program Administrator

April Stosur-Business Manager