Melody Svennungsen, Artistic Director / Director (Grace Notes)

Melody Svennungsen is a “local” and loves her hometown of San Luis Obispo. She has over 40 years of experience in vocal and theatre performance and appears as soloist for local choral groups, most recently the San Luis Obispo Vocal Arts Ensemble. A member of SLOVAE since 1986, Melody served as Soprano Section Leader and Gary Lamprecht’s Assistant Director. At Gary’s recent passing, Melody accepted the position of A. D. for the Vocal Arts. Melody’s official conducting career began with the CCYC 18 years ago just before she received her Vocal Performance degree at Cal Poly in 2007. While at university, she served as assistant conductor for Dr. Davies and studied voice with both Katherine Arthur and Jackie Kreitzer. Melody is grateful for the richness and meaning that music brings to her life, and for the opportunity to facilitate the love of music and the deep bonding among the CCYC singers that results from singing together. 
Inga Swearingen, Director (Cadenza)
​Inga Swearingen is also a native of SLO county. Pursuing her love of music from a young age, Inga sang in choirs and studied voice at San Luis Obispo High School, Cuesta College, Cal Poly University, and the Musik Hochschule in Lucerne, Switzerland. Eventually she earned her master’s degree in choral conducting from Florida State University. During that time, Inga received her first invitation to appear on Garrison Keillor’s renowned radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, an opportunity that led to over a dozen appearances on the show. Currently, Inga teaches jazz voice at both Cal Poly & Cuesta College, performs with her band, and spends time with her family, which includes keeping up with her 12-year-old son and 6-year-old niece, who are both singing with CCYC today!
JoAnne Stoddard, Director (Cadence)
JoAnne Stoddard has been involved with CCYC in various valuable roles over the past several years—Co-Artistic Director, Apprentice Choir Director, Accompanist to several choirs, and special guest instrumentalist, to name a few! She is now serving as Director for our Cadence Choir. Originally from Montana, she graduated from the University of Idaho and studied Music Education, K-12, with an emphasis on flute. She began her career as an elementary music teacher in Elko, Nevada. Since moving to the Central Coast, she has taught music in several local districts, including San Miguel, Pleasant Valley, Atascadero and Templeton schools. During her tenure in Templeton, she helped develop a comprehensive choral music program incorporating grades 4-12. One of JoAnne’s greatest honors was being recognized as Templeton Elementary School Teacher of the Year (1993-1994) and TUSD Teacher of the Year (2003-04). She has been an active member of the California American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), serving as Central Coast Representative as well as Chairperson for Children’s Choir Repertoire and Standards. After 29 years of teaching music, she is now “retired” and enjoys gardening, hiking, traveling and reading.
Susannah Fletcher, Director (Brio)
Susannah Fletcher has grown up on the Central Coast. She has had a wide variety of musical experience, from musical theater, playing the Arabic accordion at Cal Poly, singing in the San Luis Obispo Vocal Arts Ensemble, and serving as accompanist on organ and piano for St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. The first choir she sang in, however, was the Central Coast Children's Choir, which is now CCYC!  She is honored to be able to come back as a Director and teach music to children. Her passion for singing started with this organization, and she hopes she can share that same passion with the children in Brio. Susannah met her husband Westley when they were 7, and is happily married along with being a mom to their 6 year old son Christian, who is singing in CCYC's young Music Makers group this year. ​​
Hannah Kenyon, Director (Music Makers)
Hannah Kenyon is a Board-Certified Music Therapist. Hannah has worked in a variety of early intervention and special education settings here on the Central Coast where she was born and raised. Hannah developed her musicality from an early age, singing in church with her mother and father, a concert pianist and teacher in Templeton. Her first choral director was JoAnne Stoddard, and under her direction she sang in vocal jazz, Just Jazz, chamber choir and California regional and state honor choirs! Hannah studied voice at Cal Poly, alongside Melody Svennungsen, and then pursued her master’s in music therapy at University of Queensland in Brisbane Australia. She has been a Music Together teacher and program director, and has run her own business Singin’ Sprouts, off and on since 2012. After working 11 years with adults in the mental health field, Hannah is thrilled to share her love of music with children and families again. Hannah has a passion for using playful and fun music experiences to enhance the musical and overall development of children and to inspire and empower the parents and caregivers who love them to incorporate music in their everyday lives. She currently sings with Master Chorale, is joining the Jinglebelles, and most enjoys quality time with her husband and two children, Daniel, 7, and Noella, 10.
Joshua Tarica, Accompanist (Cadenza)
Joshua Tarica is a home-grown native of Atascadero, California. Josh came up through the CCYC program and was a valued member of the Young Men’s Ensemble. Currently, he is a third-year student at Cal Poly as a double major studying Psychology and Music. Josh serves as tenor section leader in the Cal Poly Choir, Polyphonics. Beyond being an experienced and passionate pianist and singer, Josh teaches private piano lessons and plays gigs throughout SLO county. Josh is always eager to share his love of music with children and is excited to be a part of the CCYC family as an accompanist. 
Gregory Riley, Accompanist (Cadence)
Gregory Riley joins the staff of CCYC as our new Brio accompanist. Gregory is a native of Plymouth, MI. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Principia College, where he studied organ with Dr. John Near and piano/harpsichord with Dr. Marie Juriet. He then pursued a Masters in Music Performance (concentration: organ) from Eastern Michigan University, studying under the tutelage of Scott Elsholz and Timothy Tikker; D.M.A. Postgraduate studies were with Dr. Gregory Hand at the University of Iowa. He has served for congregations of various denominations in places such as Dearborn and Ypsilanti, Michigan; West Branch and Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Northridge and San Luis Obispo, California. He is also currently the Accompanist/Assistant Director of Music at First Pres. SLO. 
John Cribb, Accompanist (Brio)
John Cribb is the Music Director Emeritus at St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church, Los Osos. He has also served at St. Stephen’s Episcopal, SLO United Methodist, Orcutt Presbyterian, Zion Lutheran and First Presbyterian churches. John was accompanist for the choirs at SLO High School, Assistant Director of the SLO Vocal Arts Ensemble and State Secretary of the American Choral Directors Association. John has been active in community theater as pianist and Music Director for numerous companies. He studied organ with Paul Knox in Dallas and James Bratton at the University of Denver. He is a member of the American Guild of Organists and American Choral Directors Association, accompanies the Brio Choir with the Central Coast Youth Chorus, and sings in San Luis Obispo Master Chorale and Resonance Vocal Ensemble.