New Artistic Leadership for Dutch Fork Choral Society

Rehearsals for the Dutch Fork Choral Society fall concert season begin on Monday, August 27th at the Dutch Fork High School music room from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. New members are welcome! Dutch Fork Choral Society starts the new season with new leadership. Mrs. Marjorie Turner has been selected as Artistic Director for this Irmo/Chapin choir which offers fall and spring concerts to the local community. Mrs. Frances Webb has been selected as accompanist.

Mrs. Webb recently returned to her home state of South Carolina after 36 years of collegiate teaching at Texas State University. In addition to teaching piano, she served as organist and music director of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Her degrees in piano performance are from Coker College and Indiana University.

Mrs. Marjorie Turner

Mrs. Turner has been a music educator for 34 years. She is a graduate of Newberry College with post-graduate work from the University of South Carolina, Furman University, and Columbia College.

She began her teaching career at Irmo Middle School where she built a basic chorus ensemble into a successful and well-developed choral program. After eighteen years at the middle school, she transferred her talents to the newly opened Dutch Fork High School. What began in 1992 with 55 choral students has flourished into today’s 175-member program, which supports five choirs. Mrs. Turner’s choirs have performed in Carnegie Hall on three occasions. In addition, choirs have performed in the Disney Candlelight at Epcot and recently, the Chamber Choir participated in the ETV Choral Project performing the Mozart Requiem, under the artistic direction of Nicholas Smith. The Showstoppers, under Mrs. Turner’s direction have delighted audiences for years with their outstanding musical offerings, including “Roar,” Broadway Our Way,” and “Bernstein and Sondheim-Center Stage.”

Mrs. Turner’s gift of teaching has been recognized by awards such as: Teacher of the Year, Irmo Middle School; Outstanding Young Women in America; Intern, South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts; Teacher of the Year, Dutch Fork High School; Teacher of the Month, Irmo Greater Chamber of Commerce; WOLO-TV Teacher of the Month; and multiple recognition as Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. She is also in great demand as a middle school clinician and adjudicator.

Aside from teaching, Mrs. Turner has had numerous performance experiences. She has performed with many choral groups including the Columbia Choral Society, The Guthrie Darr Chorale and The Sandlapper Singers. Her talents have been showcased in musicals and opera as well as the occasional radio jingle.

Mrs. Turner is a member of the Music Educator’s National Conference, American Choral Director’s Association, and the South Carolina Music Educator’s Association.

Mrs. Frances Webb