Milwaukee Children's Choir Executive Director to Retire As Of 10/31

Milwaukee Children's Choir (MCC) Executive Director Deborah Patel will retire effective October 31, 2010. On November 1, MCC General Manager Paula Bell will replace her to become MCC's new Executive Director.

"My retirement has been in the making for some time and will come as no surprise to those who know me" says Ms. Patel. "Luckily for me and MCC, Paula Bell is ready and willing to take over the administrative reins. Last year, MCC wisely hired Carol Storck, a fine teaching artist with superb leadership skills, as its second artistic director. This year Paula becomes the second executive director. We have a new generation taking over. Well done, MCC!"

During Ms. Patel's six-year tenure, MCC grew in size and stature, enhanced the diverse and creative mix of MCC singers through its urban outreach program, moved administrative and rehearsal operations into arts venues, deepened its relationship with other arts and community organizations, and became a member of the United Performing Arts Fund.

"I am grateful for what Debbie accomplished at MCC during her tenure," said Ms. Bell, "and am excited to build on that work."

Ms. Bell joined Milwaukee Children's Choir in 2004 in order to work with staff dedicated to child-centered music education. She began as an assistant to the General Manager and was soon promoted to Operations Director and then General Manager. For several years Ms. Bell has been in charge of day-to-day chorus operations, production planning and national and international tours. She supervises key MCC employees, manages both front- and back-of-house operations at MCC concerts, has profit and loss responsibility, and works directly with MCC's performance peers. As part of the transition, Ms. Bell will shift certain duties to others and hire additional part-time staff.

"As we continue to deepen the scope of our work at MCC, Paula is the perfect choice to guide the organization into its next phase" said board chair Christine Burgener. "Her passion for MCC and understanding of its mission will serve us well in the years to come."

Ms. Bell graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing. Before joining Milwaukee Children's Choir, she was office manager and then director of parent relations at Milwaukee Montessori School, and was a teaching assistant at Elmwood Elementary School in New Berlin. Ms. Bell is also a musician, trained on both piano and violin, and has been a violinist with the Waukesha Symphony Orchestra (now known as the Wisconsin Philharmonic). Ms. Bell lives with her husband and two daughters. Both her daughters joined Milwaukee Children's Choir in 1999 and one just began college at the University of Minnesota.

The Milwaukee Children's Choir mission is to provide exceptional choral music instruction and performance experiences that foster creativity, personal expression and social growth. For more information, visit www.milwaukeechildrenschoir.org.

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