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About Us The Magnolia Chorale is a community of dedicated members who share a passion for the joyful and inspiring influence of music. Each member brings intense personal commitment to all phases of participation--rehearsals, fund-raising, and artistic development. The Chorale is a community in every sense of the word and we have fun, work hard, and enjoy the spirit of music and camaraderie together.
The Magnolia Chorale, founded in 1989, is a community-based non-profit organization formed to permit singers of intermediate to advanced skill and experience levels to participate in performance of sacred and secular choral music. Such participation is intended for the enjoyment of members of the Chorale and the local and surrounding communities. The Magnolia Chorale performs two concert series annually during the first weekends in May and December. Both concerts present seasonal numbers as well as a major work. Occasionally special soloists or instrumentalists accent selected pieces.
 Jean-Marie
Kent
Born in Canada, and a graduate of the University
of Regina in Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Music Education, Jean-Marie went on
to post graduate work at the University of Southern California, and McGill
University in Montreal, receiving her Masters Degree in Choral Conducting. She
then moved to Vancouver Island, where she conducted community orchestras and
choirs, taught elementary music, and lectured at the University of Victoria.
Ronald Haight replaced Mr. Austin at the podium for the 1997-1998 concert series. Mr. Haight has been the Music Director at the First Free Methodist Church on Queen Anne Hill for many years. He oversees and directs the growing music program featuring choirs, instrumental ensembles, handbells, and drama groups. Mr. Haight is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University. For a time he directed the Seattle Pacific University Symphonic Wind Ensemble .Mr. Haight has worked for the Seattle Chamber Singers/Orchestra Seattle serving as Assistant Conductor. He has been the tenor soloist and interim Music Director at St Paul's Episcopal Church in Seattle. Previously he spent nine years teaching music in the Northshore School District.
Charles W. Zwicki earned a BA degree in Trumpet Performance and a MA degree in Vocal Performance with an emphasis on Choral Conducting from Northeast Missouri State University, now Truman University. While at the university, he taught Applied Voice and earned certification for Master of Music Education. After teaching in secondary schools for four years, he was appointed Director of Music Ministries at Lake Forest Park Presbyterian Church (1991) where he directs blended worship services including music of all styles and musical ensembles of varying design. He directs frequent mass choir events in the Northwest region of the United States. Charles served as Musical Director of the Magnolia Chorale from 2000 to 2006.
Heather MacLaughlin Garbes completed her Doctorate of Music Arts in Choral Conducting at the University of Washington, where she studied with Geoffrey Boers. As one of the teaching assistants for the choral department, she conducted the University Singers and the Summer Chorale. She received her M.M. in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington and her BME from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. With a strong interest in Baltic choral music, Heather has helped develop and maintain the Baltic Choral Library at UW, the first of its kind in the United States, and is wrote her dissertation on Estonian composer, Ester Mägi. Ms. MacLaughlin Garbes is currently the music director at Youth Theatre Northwest, where she has directed numerous musical theater productions and maintains a voice studio of twenty students and is the choirmaster for the Annas Bay Music Festival. Heather also sings and has been guest conductor with the Cathedral Choir at St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle.
Diane Beckman received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music and Psychology from Seattle Pacific University in 1980 and her Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from The University of Washington in 1984. Ms. Beckman has been employed as a teacher of piano. She has studied music in Switzerland, has accompanied the Columbia Boy Choir of Bellevue, and is a member of the Music Teachers National Association.
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Clint
Gawthrop Originally
from Detroit, Clint began piano studies at age eight. Thereafter, he
added violin, trombone, and organ to his repertoire. In high school he
began studies with Mischa Kottler, a prominent Detroit musician who had
studied in college under Rachmaninoff. While in Detroit, Clint began
playing for First Presbyterian's campus ministry. Moving to Seattle in
1994, he became a full-time musician in 1996, playing at churches, weddings,
dinner parties as well as teaching. Also in his musical adventures,
Clint produced a variety show in 1998 and completed his first solo CD Brilliant Blue in 2001. He is currently the organist/accompanist at
Lake Forest Park Presbyterian. 
Don
Austin, founding music director, has directed the Magnolia Chorale since
its inception in 1989. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Music
Education from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio in 1962 and a Masters of Arts
for Teachers degree in Music from the University of Washington, Seattle,
Washington in 1971. Since 1983, Mr. Austin has performed frequently as
interim choral director at the Magnolia United Church of Christ. He graciously
stepped in to direct the Chorale during the winter concert series, 2003 and
again for the spring concert series, 2007. 
Ms.
Lemcio, a Magnolia resident, jointed the Magnolia Chorale as Accompanist in
early 1991 . She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music in 1970 and a
Master of Music degree in organ from the College-Conservatory of Music,
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio in 1977. For ten years, Ms.
Lemcio was the organist for the Bellevue Philharmonic Orchestra. She is
presently serving as organist at First Free Methodist Church.