MEET THE TEAM
PATRICK SCHELL
Piedmont Youth Chorus Artistic Director & Conductor
Patrick Schell is the new Artistic Director for the Piedmont Youth Chorus. Currently in his tenth year as a music educator, he serves as the Lower School Music and Arts Enrichment Coordinator for Forsyth Country Day School (FCDS). Prior to arriving at FCDS, Patrick taught high school and middle school chorus. Ensembles under his direction earned top marks at state and regional choral festivals and were invited to perform at the North Carolina American Choral Directors Association conference. Students have also auditioned into multiple county-wide, state, regional, and national honors ensembles.
Along with teaching, Patrick has performed with numerous ensembles since arriving in North Carolina, including Piedmont Opera, Winston-Salem Symphony, Bel Canto Company, and other ensembles around the state. He is a member of ACDA, NCMEA, NAfME, Chorus America, A Cappella Education Association, and has Level II Orff certification.
Patrick is a graduate of the Florida State University College of Music and is currently a student of Victoria Livengood.
LINDSEY ALLEN
Director of Education and Outreach
Michigan native, Lindsey is an alumna of UNC School of the Arts and Indiana University with degrees in Opera Performance. She has performed with numerous opera companies including Piedmont Opera, Kansas City Lyric, and Tel Aviv Opera. Prior to joining Piedmont Opera, she worked in hospitality as a Southeastern Regional Director for a Concierge firm, as well as historic hotels in Kansas City (The Raphael Hotel), and Winston-Salem (The Historic Brookstown Inn). She has a passion for opera and looks forward to sharing her love of music and hospitality within the Winston-Salem community.
SUSAN ORGAIN
Piedmont Youth Chorus Pianist
Susan Orgain is the new accompanist for the Piedmont Youth Chorus. Currently in her twenty-eighth year as a church musician, she serves as the Organist and Associate Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church, Winston-Salem. In addition to her organist responsibilities, her duties include accompanying the adult choir, directing the youth choir and three handbell ensembles as well as coordinating the children’s choir program.
A native of Holland, Michigan, Susan is a graduate of Westminster Choir College.