Heartsongs with Spirit
The Georgia Festival Chorus serves the spiritual and cultural needs of both local and global audiences by performing a diverse repertoire of classical, contemporary, spiritual, and traditional sacred choral works. The Chorus aims to inspire and uplift through live concert presentations and professionally produced recordings.
About Us
The Georgia Festival Chorus (GFC) is an auditioned community choir based in the Atlanta area, boasting over 100 talented singers. Known both regionally and internationally, GFC captivates audiences with stirring performances of sacred classics, anthems, hymns, spirituals, and folk songs. Founded in 1987 by the esteemed basso Frank Boggs (1927-2021), the Chorus honors his legacy by continually striving for musical excellence and integrity under the artistic direction of David Scott, a founding member who has led the ensemble since 2019.
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GFC presents ten to fourteen live concerts annually at venues throughout metropolitan Atlanta and the southeastern United States, with performances during both the Fall/Christmas and Spring seasons. Concerts are always complimentary and open to the public. Since its inception, the Chorus has toured internationally, performing in England, Scotland, Ireland, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and Italy. GFC has been privileged to perform in revered Christian venues and cathedrals such as Westminster Abbey, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Copenhagen Cathedral, Votivkirche, and St. Peter’s Basilica.​
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Musical Advent Calendar - Since 2020, the Chorus has delighted audiences with a Musical Advent Calendar. Featuring some of Atlanta’s favorite musicians and GFC singers, these professionally-produced videos showcase the music of Advent and Christmas from December 1st to 24th. The videos are available on YouTube, Facebook, and the Chorus' website.
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GSU Partnership - The Chorus enjoys a partnership with Georgia State University, allowing second-year students from the School of Music’s master’s program to hone their skills alongside the GFC's professional team and chorus.
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Voice of Joy - The GFC volunteer community service choir, Voice of Joy, brings hymns and sacred choral music to senior living and rehab facilities in metro Atlanta. If you know of a facility that would benefit from a sing-along event, please contact us at info@tgafc.org.
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The Georgia Festival Ensemble - A smaller, auditioned group selected from the Chorus, the Georgia Festival Ensemble performs both during GFC concerts and separately at smaller venues. The Ensemble is available for hire for special events; for more information, contact us at info@tgafc.org.
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GFC Officers
Hector Rodriguez
President
Joey Thomas
Vice President
Karen Manno
Secretary
Barbara McIver
Treasurer
GFC Staff
David Scott
Artistic Director
GFC Artistic Director David Scott stepped into that role in 2019 and has sung and assisted in directing the chorus since its formation in 1987. He began his musical journey as a boy soprano; in high school, he studied voice and sang in multiple advanced choral groups. David continued his studies at Northern Kentucky University where he earned degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education, and he holds a Master of Church Music from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has directed choirs since 1975, and has sung with countless choirs and ensembles as a baritone soloist. David was a full-time minister of music before pursuing a career in technology, from which he has recently retired. He is married to Jean Kleman Scott, and they have two daughters.
Barbara McIver
Managing Director
Managing Director Barbara McIver has been a member of GFC since 2007 and has served as Treasurer since 2015. Her interest in music and art began at a young age with private piano and art lessons. During high school and college, she joined choral groups, studied voice privately, and began working as a fine artist under her maiden name Barbara Walsh. After earning degrees from Chicago’s American Academy of Art and Illinois Benedictine University, Barbara enjoyed a three-decade career at AT&T/Bell Laboratories in both systems engineering and senior management roles before retiring as a Senior Systems Architect. She currently serves on the board of the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra and is a member of Cherokee Arts Center in Canton.
Michael Cromwell
Associate Director
Michael Cromwell is excited to return to the GFC this season as the Associate Director. He has served in the music and worship ministry since the age of seventeen and currently serves as the Associate Pastor/Minister of Worship at Hillside Church in Woodstock, GA. He has served churches in Monroe, LA; Slidell, LA; St. Louis, MO; Roswell, GA; and Woodstock, GA. Michael holds a Bachelors of Music Education from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, a Masters of Music in Conducting from the University of New Orleans, a Masters of Theological Studies from Asbury Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Worship Studies from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. He has also completed post-graduate studies in conducting at Westminster Choir College and Eastman School of Music. Above all, Michael is proudest to be a child of God, the husband of Katie, and dad of Allie, Aubrey, and Carson.
Ken Terrell
Assistant Director
Ken Terrell joined the GFC in 1998 and has been Assistant Director since 2007. He has a BA from Presbyterian College and a Master of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary. His pastoral career spanned 40 years, serving Presbyterian churches in Georgia and North Carolina. He served as the Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (USA) in Marietta for more than thirteen years, retiring in the spring of 2011. Throughout his professional career as a pastor, he enjoyed singing in community-based choruses, which provided many opportunities for solo work. In his retirement, he continues to preach occasionally asopportunities arise. In addition to his musical interests, Ken spends a lot of his time playing pickleball, golf, and ping-pong.
Trevor Kytola
Assistant Director/Intern
Originally from Walla Walla, WA, Trevor Kytola is a second-year candidate for the Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting at Georgia State University. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from Pacific Lutheran University while also obtaining a K-12 Teaching Certificate for the State of Washington. This year, Trevor is a Graduate Assistant for the Choral Area at GSU while is assisting with the Georgia State Choral Union. He leads the St. Cecilia Children’s Choir and is a staff singer at St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church and has also appeared in productions with Vashon Opera, Tacoma Opera, and PLU Opera. In Georgia, Trevor has appeared with the Georgia State University Singers at the 2023 Georgia ACDA Conference, as well as multiple engagements with the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra. He is also a member of the Charleston, South Carolina-based professional choir, the Taylor Festival Choir.
Cathy Callaway Adams
Accompanist
Cathy Callaway Adams, GFC pianist since 1995, developed a deep love of hymns and choral anthems when she began playing piano in her local church as a pre-teen. As a collaborative pianist with singers, instrumentalists, and choirs throughout junior high and high school, Cathy studied piano with Eula P. McNatt. She then studied piano and organ with Lois Lantz and Timothy Wissler, respectively, at Tift College in Forsyth, where she accompanied the college choir for three years. Cathy has served soloists, community choruses, churches, theatres, and schools throughout Georgia, and serves on the board of directors with the Atlanta Opera, the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, and South Arts.
Randall Romig
Accompanist
Randall Romig, in his ninth season as organist/accompanist for the GFC, studied piano, organ, and percussion in Pennsylvania, where he also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Pennsylvania University System. He did further graduate work at Villanova University. In Atlanta, he has served as interim organist and choirmaster at numerous churches in the metropolitan area, including at Holy Innocents Episcopal, Tucker United Methodist, St. Luke’s Episcopal, Roswell Presbyterian, and many others. Randy served for five years as chairman of the board of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, as well as president of the Atlanta Opera Guild for four years. For several years he was chairman of the Southeast Region Metropolitan Opera auditions.
