Rome’s community chorus was organized in the spring of 2000, under the direction of Dr. Brian Horne, to provide the Rome area with opportunities for local singers to participate in choral music and add to the community’s cultural richness.
In addition to regular fall, winter, and spring concerts, the chorus has performed with other groups such as the Northwest Georgia Winds and the Rome Symphony Orchestra. In addition, they are committed to reaching out to the community by involving school groups in their concerts and performing for local assisted living facilities.
Len Willingham, music director, is a Rome native with a Bachelor of Music degree from Berry College and a Masters in Church Music degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. After serving in Georgia, Kentucky, and Virginia, he retired as Minister of Music from First United Methodist Church in Rome in 2010. Len has served as Adjunct Music Faculty at Georgia Highlands College and directed the Shorter University Chorus in 2010- 2011. In addition, he has performed bass solos in numerous works, worked with singers of all ages, prepared soloists for works by Handel, Bach, Menotti, Rutter, Britten, and Schwartz, and for All-State auditions at various levels. He also has taught private voice lessons and has received numerous awards and honors related to his musical endeavors.
Joan Hill, accompanist, is a graduate of Shorter College with a Bachelor of Music degree in organ performance. She also earned a Master of Music degree in organ performance from East Carolina University and did additional graduate study, including performance concert, at Southern Baptist Seminary. Joan has been an organist at churches in Georgia, Kentucky, and North Carolina and accompanist for choirs, ensembles, and soloists in churches, schools, and communities. She is currently the organist at First Baptist Church in Rome. She retired in 2010 after 24 years of teaching public school music.
