Jodi French (2012-Current)
Jodi French plays a number of instruments with a special passion for the piano. She began her piano studies at age three with her parents. Her father was a gifted jazz pianist and encouraged her to play by ear, while her mother taught her to read music. She was a working musician by age ten, playing for churches, weddings, and local theater, writing arrangements for dance bands, and accompanying advanced solo competitions. She has coached with international prize-winning soloists and studied at Southern Oregon University with distinguished Russian pianist Alexander Tutunov. She specializes in collaborative piano and has performed with some of the best singers and instrumentalists in the country. Jodi also enjoys giving the occasional solo recital and has been a featured soloist with the Rogue Valley Symphony.
Her interests in recent years have expanded to include composition. Jodi has had several sacred works published, frequently offers small liturgical pieces in her organist position at Trinity Episcopal Church, and writes a large-scale choral-orchestral work every year as Composer-In-Residence for Southern Oregon Repertory Singers. Favorite quote: “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there lay within me an invincible summer.” —Albert Camus
Craig Kingsbury (2002-2012)
Craig Kingsbury (b.1952) is a Portland, Oregon-based composer, arranger, and conductor known for his choral works, particularly those written during his tenure as composer-in-residence for the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers from (2002-2020). His compositions blend classical techniques with poetic, atmospheric, and Shakespearean influences.
He holds a degree in music composition from the University of Southern California. He worked for many years in the Los Angeles area as a choral conductor, musical arranger and singer, and spent two years in Europe singing opera and oratorio. He is currently producing recordings, compositions and editing and arranging music.
