A. Barron Breland joined the River City Mixed Chorus as a singer in October 2010 and then attained the position of Artistic Director in January 2011. With degrees in Music Theory and Choral Conducting from the University of Georgia and Indiana University, Breland has a diverse background in many different fields of music, including the piano and saxophone. Singing from the age of 6, Breland's first exposure to professional choral music was in 1990 as a member of the Atlanta Boys' Choir where he performed with Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, as well as in tours and festivals throughout Europe.

He is emerging as one of a new generation of conductors, set apart from others by his eclectic interests and skills equipping him to perform everything from masterworks of the Baroque and Classic eras to great contemporary works of art, including repertoire in various popular styles. Breland completed his doctorate in choral conducting at the Jacobs School of Music in 2009. He has been a member of the choral conducting faculty, preparing the University Singers for a performance with Dale Warland in 2008, and giving 12 performances as guest conductor of the 120-member Grammy-nominated Singing Hoosiers.

Currently Breland is on faculty at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, conducting the auditioned choral ensembles and teaching classes in history, theory, conducting, voice, diction, and appreciation. In his fourth year at Creighton, the Chamber Choir has doubled their number of performances on and off campus, and they are performing the core repertoire of the virtuoso chamber ensembles. The Creighton University Chamber Choir also received its first conference invitation in 2010, singing at the Nebraska Music Educator's Association Annual Conference this past November in Lincoln.

Visit him in cyberspace: http://barronbreland.com

Salli Compton - Accompanist

As the accompanist for the River City Mixed Chorus, Salli enjoys the weekly privilege of playing for the most talented chorus in town directed by the most accomplished conductor. Playing for singers has always been her musical passion. Her mother taught Salli to accompany by singing beloved Broadway tunes from the kitchen with a variety of tempos and dynamics. Salli's gifts from the universe have included many different church choirs, numerous Community Theatre folk, elementary school children, vocal students of all ages, and her extended RCMC family. When she is not playing the piano, she is thinking and breathing the art of teaching children. Joyce, Whit, Luke, Mack, Laci, Henry, and Maggie learn every show right along with her while keeping her in the now. She believes that music is the expression of the essence of life.