Board of Directors

Diane Wright, Executive Director
Janet Telford, Vice Chair
, Salon Concert Co-Coordinator
Donna Elias, Grants/Advertising
Jeanne Willhoite, Treasurer
Makena Benz/Shiloah Stone Fenn, Youth Concert Coordinators/Social Media
Marguerite Close, Locals’ Concert Coordinator/Program Editor/Advertising Coordinator
Jennie Moiso, Advertising/Historian
Bethany Winters, Recording Secretary
John Carter, Publicity
Carl Rudolph, Bach’s Brunch Coordinator

Members at Large
Sandra Betti

Advisory Board
Craig Fleming, C.P.A.

Executive Director

Diane Wright has been involved with the Sonora Bach Festival for over 20 years and has been singing with various groups since high school. She is a mezzo soprano and has performed with a number of local community groups. She is a founding member of  the doo-wop group, Sincerely, and is its Managing Director. After serving as a Program Manager for GE in various bay area locations, she returned to Tuolumne County and taught Computer Science at Columbia College for 20 years. She is a Master Swimmer, an avid walker, a beginning bridge player, and a Tuolumne County native.

Vice Chair, Secretary and Salon Concert Co-Coordinator

Janet Telford of Soulsbyville studied flute with Paul Renzi (San Francisco Symphony) and oboe with Eldon Gatwood (Pittsburgh Symphony), and holds degrees in Music Performance and Musicology from San Francisco State University and Penn State University. She was a founder and long-time president of the San Jose Chamber Music Society, former co-editor of Music for the Love of It, an international newsletter for amateur musicians, and is the past Executive Director of the Sonora Bach Festival. Ms. Telford performs with numerous chamber music groups, including the Bach Festival Chamber Trio. She is also a long-time member of the Columbia College Community Chorus as well as being a founding member and musical director of the doo-wop vocal ensemble “Sincerely”.

Grants/Advertising

Donna Elias has been an active member of the Columbia College Community Chorus since 2003. Her interest in music stems from singing in the Greek Orthodox Church choir as a youth and listening to Middle Eastern violin and oud music played by her father. After retiring as a science and math teacher, Donna has enrolled in music classes at Columbia College and enjoys playing piano and guitar. Music and theater are her passions and Donna has recently joined the Bach Festival Committee to help with advertising and wherever needed.

Treasurer

Jeanne Willhoite has lived in Tuolumne County for over 60 years and raised her family here. She has worked in accounting for more than three decades. Although she has no formal training in music, Jeanne comes from a musical family with a long line of professional musicians.

Advertising/Historian

Jennie Moiso has been active in the Columbia College Community Chorus since coming to Sonora in late 1980. She sings with the newly formed Central Sierra Threshold Choir as well as with the 49er Church Choir. She joined the Bach Festival Board several years ago and has served in the important capacity of Secretary. She is now the Historian for the group.

Recording Secretary

Bethany Winters was born in Sonora California and grew up in the Sonora and Tuolumne, California area. My parents home schooled me all the way through high school. Throughout my schooling, I was blessed to have private piano lessons. Beginning with a foundational teacher and then going on to Gail Johnson to continue my music education. In 2020 I started my own piano studio. At first I had only a few students, but God has blessed me and I have gained a good amount over the last few years. I hope to continue my own music education so I may educate children even better in music, and I hope to develop a larger studio which can offer additional music courses.

Publicity/Salon Concert Co-Coordinator

John Carter has organized and publicized many musical events through his work at the college including hosting A Festival of Singing featuring local school choirs, The California Community Chorus Festival, and The Mother Lode Community Chorus Festival. He has been actively involved with publicity for The Sonora Bach Festival, The Tuolumne County Arts Alliance, and formerly The National Association of Singing/San Joaquin Chapter. As a tenor/conductor, John has performed extensively in the Central Mother Lode. For 30 years he taught vocal and choral music at Columbia College — retiring in 2014. While at the college he conducted choirs — including the Columbia College Community Chorus — and taught many vocal students. During this time he received the school’s Teacher of the Year Award twice, The Community Service Award, and was elected to Who’s Who numerous times. He has served on the boards of the American Choral Directors Association/California and National Association of Teacher’s of Singing/San Joaquin Chapter. He holds music degrees from Chapman University, Westminster Choir College and a certificate from Temple University.

Locals’ Concert Coordinator/Program Editor/Advertising Coordinator

Marguerite Close is a soprano soloist for churches as well as private events. She has sung with prominent choirs and groups including the San Diego Symphony Chorus, the Paul Kaye Singers in Minneapolis, Columbia College Community Chorus, Sonora Master Chorale and “Sincerely”. A former private banking administrative assistant, dance/fitness and yoga instructor, massage therapist and energy healer, she now keeps busy with friends, family and the Sonora Bach Festival.

Youth Concert Co-Coordinator/Social Media

Makena Benz is a graduate of the Sonora Bach Festival Youth program. Starting at age 5 she participated in the Youth Concerts until she graduated from high school. She later returned as the Youth Featured Artist. As an adult, she has performed at the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, toured Italy with the Suzuki School of Northern California, and played in Germany and Prague with the CSU Long Beach Chamber Orchestra. In the fall of 2017, she won a section violin contract with the Reno Philharmonic. Makena is extremely passionate about teaching and advocating for the arts. She currently teaches at Sierra Strings and is happy to have gotten back to her mountain roots in the Sonora area. Makena studied with Dr. Moni Simeonov at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, where she completed her MM in violin performance. Ms. Clark completed her BM in violin performance at University of the Pacific’s Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Igor Veligan. Her former teachers have included Dr. Ann Miller, Mr. Brook Moes, Dr. Warren van Bronkorst, and Maestro Eugene Stoia.

Youth Concert Co-Coordinator/Social Media

Shiloah Fenn began her teaching career as a high school student, assisting her music teachers as an accompanist and conductor. After school, she would give private piano lessons and knew that teaching music was definite for her future. Shiloah’s commitment and passion for music led her to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from University of the Pacific with a primary focus in piano. She went on to teach high school music for five years, and then moved to Southern California to earn a Master’s Degree in Conducting from Azusa Pacific University. While at Azusa Pacific, she served as a Graduate Assistant to David Hughes accompanying, directing, and leading the Bel Canto Women’s Choir. Shiloah then relocated to Nashville, TN, where she continued teaching at various levels, but also was able to experience the heart of the music industry through song writing and recording as a studio musician. Throughout her teaching career, Shiloah has instructed choral ensembles, class piano, song writing, music theory, music appreciation, conducting, and musical theatre. When she isn’t teaching, Shiloah enjoys leading worship at church, writing music, and recording. Music is the heart of who Shiloah is.

Bach’s Brunch Coordinator

Carl Rudolph

Member at Large

Sandra Betti has played the flute since she was 9 years old. She has a Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance, and has studied with Paul Renzi, Principal Flutist with the San Francisco Symphony (now retired) and with Leone Buyse, Assistant Principal Flutist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Her first teacher was Angela Koregelos, whose father George Koregelos made the flute that Sandra is playing today. Sandra has performed with the Berkeley Symphony and the Artesian Pops Orchestra in Los Angeles. She has performed concert tours of Europe with classical guitarist Sergio Funes. In addition to playing the flute, Sandra has worked for several musical instrument manufacturers as a sales representative.