All-East Conductor Bios
2012 Women's Chorale Conductor
Dr. Karen Kenaston-French
University of Texas at Arlington
Director of Choral Activities
2012 SATB Chorus Conductor
Dr. Eric Thorson
Carson-Newman College
Director of Choral Activities
2012 Men's Chorus Conductor
Dr. Larry Wyatt
University of South Carolina
Director of Choral Studies
2012 Middle School Chorus Conductor
Dr. Kenney Potter
Wingate University (NC)
Director of Choral Activities and Music Education
Kenney Potter, Director of Choral Activities and Music Education at Wingate University, holds degrees in music education from Florida State University and Portland State University and a Doctor of Musical Arts in choral conducting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Under his direction, choirs have performance in nationally acclaimed venues as well as abroad, including England, Ireland, Austria, and, most recently, South Africa. Dr. Potter has a strong personal commitment to preparing teachers for the contemporary classroom, and he was honored to receive the Debra O’Neal Award for excellence in teaching.
Prior to his appointment at Wingate, Dr. Potter taught middle and high school chorus in the North Carolina public schools for nine years. Additionally, he helped establish Cantare, the changing/changed voice ensemble of the Charlotte Children’s Choir, which he conducted for six years. Drawing from these teaching experiences, in 2006 Dr. Potter founded the Wingate University Middle School Choral Celebration to encourage excellence in choral music for the middle school singer.
In addition to his work at Wingate, Dr. Potter is the choir director at First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Gastonia, North Carolina. As a clinician, Dr. Potter frequently conducts festival choirs and music conferences. This year, he will serve as guest clinician in festivals in Virginia, North and South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. His compositions are published by Hinshaw Music , Chorister’s Guild, and Santa Barbara Music Publishing. He resides in Charlotte with his wife, Heather, and their daughter, Syl.