Celtic and Classical Christmas December 14, 2024, at 7:00 PM
Under the direction of Rob Taylor, the acclaimed Taylor Festival Choir will perform alongside the talented voices of the Palmetto Youth Choir, led by Danielle Loveless. Adding to the magic, Bill Gesin will grace the performance on organ and piano.
We are also thrilled to welcome Ivan Goff, a special guest artist known for his mastery of the Uilleann pipes and whistle, bringing an authentic Celtic touch to the evening.
For more about our choirs, directors, and special guests, explore their full bios below.
About the Taylor Festival Choir
The Taylor Festival Choir (TFC) is a professional chamber choir based in beautiful Charleston, SC. Founded and conducted by Robert Taylor, the choir is inspired by the lives and careers of his parents Bob and Cornelia Taylor, venerated music educators in their home state of Arkansas. Begun in 2001 and becoming fully professional in 2015, the Taylor Festival Choir has toured and been heard in prestigious venues and festivals throughout the United States, Ireland and the UK, and has garnered a reputation of excellence among critics and choral specialists alike. TFC has been featured in multiple American Choral Directors Association Conferences, including the 50th-anniversary celebration and National Conference in 2009. They are one of three pro ensembles to be featured at this season’s 2025 ACDA National Conference in Dallas.
TFC is part of the Taylor Music Group. It presents a full concert season in the Charleston area, and has recorded with PARMA/Navona Recordings, Delos Recordings, MSR Classics, and Centaur Records. Their newest album - Pathways to Healing–is scheduled to be released in May by PARMA/Navona. Previous albums have met with rave reviews: Musicweb International Classical Review (London) calling the TFC’s performance “choral singing at the very finest level… a very impressive performance indeed.” Sing We Now of Christmas, recorded with legendary Celtic traditional artists Liz Carroll, John Doyle, and Kim Robertson, has been called “a choral feast that will linger long in your memory after you’ve heard it” (Audio Society of Atlanta). Fanfare Magazine has described TFC (as recorded in So Hallow’d the Time) as possessing “arresting tonal beauty and purity, with masterful balancing”, and as being a “choir clearly superbly trained and directed by its founder Robert Taylor… an outstanding choir, gorgeously recorded in this instance.”
Personnel in the ensemble represent conductors, educators, performers, and professionals from throughout the United States. The Taylor Festival Choir performs the finest choral literature from all eras, medieval to modern, with particular emphasis on new music. It has collaborated with and commissioned esteemed composers such as Stephen Paulus, Trevor Weston, Brian Galante, Michael McGlynn, David Maves, Edward Hart, and Karen Marolli. TFC also performs folk music from the Celtic nations, frequently collaborating with Na Fidléirí, as well as Irish and Scottish traditional legends such as John Doyle, Liz Carroll, Kim Robertson, and others. The TFC is actively involved in the Taylor Music Group’s “Pathways to Healing Initiative”, an initiative focused on harnessing the transformative power of music to foster healing and well-being in individuals facing physical or emotional challenges.
Dedicated to bringing the beauty and spiritual enrichment of choral music to as wide an audience as possible, the Taylor Festival Choir tours frequently, and performs outreach concerts in schools and churches throughout South Carolina and the surrounding states.
About Dr. Robert Taylor
Dr. Robert Taylor is the Founding Artistic Director and President of the Taylor Festival Choir (TFC) and Taylor Music Group (TMG), the recently retired Director of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Singers, and Professor Emeritus in Choral Music at the College of Charleston. Called a “star in the international choral scene” and a "true master of his craft", Taylor’s choirs have been described as sounding "more musical than would seem possible", and have received numerous plaudits from critics and choral specialists for their technical proficiency, musicality and beautiful sound production. Taylor's ensembles have performed throughout the United States and Europe. They have been featured in numerous festivals, conventions and special concerts, including the 2015 (scheduled for March 2025), 2009 and 2005 American Choral Directors (ACDA) National Conventions; the 2008 and 2011 National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conventions; and multiple appearances in regional and state ACDA and AGO conventions. Taylor and his combined choirs performed with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra in a feature concert in the 2013 National Collegiate Choral Organization National Convention.
Dr. Taylor's professional ensemble, the Taylor Festival Choir (TFC), has been hailed by critics and choral specialists alike as being one of the nation’s finest: with legendary composer Stephen Paulus stating that TFC is “simply one of the finest choirs in the world.” Performing a full season of concerts in the Charleston area, TFC also has toured throughout the USA and Ireland and has recorded with PARMA/Navona Recordings, Delos Recordings, Centaur Records, and MSR Classics. Taylor has conducted more than 50 major choral/orchestral works to critical acclaim, his interpretations of modern works and the works of Ralph Vaughan Williams being especially praised. His recording of Vaughan Williams' Epithalamion and An Oxford Elegy was hailed as "a highly accomplished performance," one in which "his forces capture [Vaughan Williams' score's] ebb and flow perfectly" (American Record Guide).
With the CSO Chorus, Taylor prepared numerous choral/orchestral masterworks for performances in Spoleto USA and annual Charleston Symphony seasons, working with prestigious conductors such as the late Dr. Joseph Flummerfelt, Dr. Joe Miller, David Stahl, Ken Lam, Louis Solemno, JoAnn Faletta and Stuart Molina,. At the College of Charleston, Taylor served as Director of Choral Activities, overseeing all choral studies and endeavors, including leading the acclaimed Concert Choir, the Madrigal Singers, and directing the choral strand of the College of Charleston's Master of Arts in Teaching in the Performing Arts degree. He serves as editor of the Robert Taylor Choral Series with Colla Voce Publications, and is an avid lover and arranger of Irish traditional music. Deeply involved for 25 years in Piccolo Spoleto and with the Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, Taylor was awarded the Piccolo Spoleto Lifetime Achievement Award.
Taylor holds a DMA in Choral Conducting from Louisiana State University, where he studied with Dr. Kenneth Fulton. He frequently partners with his wife Mary Taylor, a renowned fiddler, violinist, teacher and arranger; and with his daughter Kiri–a wonderful mezzo soprano and folk singer. He is an avid golfer, reader, podcast listener, lover of Hallmark Christmas movies, and fan of his beloved Arkansas Razorbacks.
About the Palmetto Youth Choir
The mission of Palmetto Youth Choir is to give meaningful voice to singers, providing the opportunity for them to develop and advance their artistic abilities in a safe and positive learning environment, inspiring and empowering them to succeed in music and in life.
Our artistic and educational goals are:
To develop musical literacy and healthy vocal technique
To learn diverse and quality choral literature
To share musical messages of peace, hope, love and justice
To give back to our community through service projects
Palmetto Youth Choir is open to students in grades K-8 who love to sing. (High Schoolers are invited to join our adult choir, Palmetto Peace Choir!) The choir is divided into groups based on experience and ability. Reading music is not a requirement, but is a welcomed skill. Singers are expected to attend all rehearsals and performances, and to utilize provided tools for regular practice at home. Members learn musicianship, vocal technique and performance skills, and participate in concerts and outreach and community events.
We are an independent, secular community choir, unaffiliated with any school our church. Our repertoire includes an eclectic range of music, such as folk, jazz, world, musical theatre, Americana, pop and traditional choral pieces. Our goal is to choose music that shares universal messages of peace, hope, love and justice! Our nurturing staff ensures all students are treated with kindness and celebrated for their unique talents and abilities.
About Danielle Loveless
Danielle Loveless is the Music Director of the Palmetto Youth Choir. Starting a community youth choir in the Charleston area has been a dream of hers for a decade and she is ecstatic for the opportunity to have finally arrived. Prior to working with PYC Danielle taught elementary, middle, and high school choral and general music in South Carolina, Connecticut, and Colorado. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Music Education degree from Gettysburg College and a Master of Music in Music Education degree from the University of Utah. Previous choirs under the direction of Ms. Loveless have competed in choral festivals and received highest marks for their performances. She is a member of the National Association for Music Education, American Choral Directors Association, and has been a presenter at state and regional conferences. As a singer she has performed locally with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Chorus. Danielle has taught private piano and voice lessons, directed musical theater, and is a student of Taiko Charleston, a Japanese Taiko drumming troupe. In addition to her lifelong love of music, Ms. Loveless is passionate about the outdoors, and she was a founding director of Loblolly Adventures, a nature-based education program in Charleston. Originally from Connecticut and having lived in multiple states (including a year traveling the country in an RV with her family), she now resides in Johns Island with her husband and three young children.
About Regina Ruopoli
Regina Ruopoli is the Managing & Artistic Director for Palmetto Youth Choir. Regina earned a B.A. in Theatre from Marian University in Indianapolis, where she graduated with honors. She has worked as an actor, singer and voiceover actor for 25+ years, appearing in a wide variety of projects in stage, radio, film and TV. Regina is currently represented by Coastal Talent Agency for voiceover acting. She has taught and directed children's theatre and musical theatre in Indianapolis Public Schools, in Charleston County Schools, Engaging Creative Minds and Charleston Youth Company. She also maintains a private voice studio. Regina has performed a broad range of musical styles, including jazz, blues, folk, Americana, pop, classical, spirituals and showtunes, and has performed in numerous concert choirs and show choirs. She has been the lead vocalist in multiple bands, performing locally and regionally at various venues, festivals and special events, including sold-out shows at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival. She has been a frequent performer at the popular "Women and..." concert series at Charleston Music Hall. Regina was voted Best Female Vocalist by readers of Charleston City Paper in 1999, and was a founding member of Jazz Artists of Charleston (now Charleston Jazz.) She has been a core performing member of Taiko Charleston, a Japanese Taiko drumming troupe, for 11 years, where she is also an assistant instructor. Regina has also enjoyed a successful career in marketing, PR, communications and event production, having worked for a wide variety of non-profits, corporations and freelance clients. She resides in the West Ashley area of Charleston, SC, with her husband and teenage son. They share their home with a little rescue dog, Trudy, who really runs the show. Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Regina has called Charleston home since 1992.
About Bill Gesin
Bill Gesin is the Principal Accompanist for Palmetto Youth Choir. He teaches piano at Allegro Charter School of Music and is an adjunct online music instructor for Lighthouse Connections Academy. He also plays piano for The Unitarian Church in Charleston and accompanies for the Taylor Festival Choir in addition to being a freelance accompanist for performances ranging from school and university concerts to musical theater auditions, classes, and productions. He moved to Charleston from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2016. While in Pennsylvania, Mr. Gesin was the music department accompanist and a private piano instructor at California University of Pennsylvania and the assistant organist at Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Together with Chatham Baroque, Pittsburgh's renowned baroque ensemble and Calvary's Ensemble-in-Residence, Calvary performed several large works each year, including Handel's Messiah, Faure's Requiem, Durufle's Requiem, and Bach's St. John Passion. He also sang in the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, known for its innovative programming, and was the accompanist and assistant director of The Three Rivers Choral Society. He has accompanied for festivals conducted by well-known conductors, composers, and arrangers such as Moses Hogan, Dr. Rollo Dilworth, and Dr. Lon Beery. As a middle and high school choir director in the Pittsburgh area, his choirs performed a wide variety of sacred and secular music and consistently earned Superior ratings at adjudication festivals. The choirs grew substantially under his direction, sometimes doubling and tripling in size. Mr. Gesin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Music degree in Music Education from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While at IUP he was the winner of the annual concerto competition and was a featured soloist with the IUP Orchestra in a performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. At IUP he was a member of the inaugural class of the Robert E. Cook Honors College, and while at Duquesne he was inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda, a national music honor society. Mr. Gesin lives in James Island with his husband, Scott, an Infectious Diseases Physician and the Associate Hospital Epidemiologist at MUSC, their two sons, and their two rescue dogs.
About Ivan Goff
Ivan Goff, originally from Dublin and now based in Brooklyn, plays the uilleann pipes (Irish bellows-blown pipes), Irish wooden flute, and pennywhistles. As a child, he took lessons from the legendary Dan O’Dowd. When he was older, Ivan turned to Mick O’Brien, his mentor and biggest musical influence, to study both pipes and pennywhistle. Apart from solo work, Ivan has toured with Irish traditional bands Dervish, Danú, Lúnasa, Téada, The Green Fields of America with Mick Moloney, and is a former member of the Eileen Ivers Band. He has dueted with many traditional musicians over the years including Míchéal Ó Raghallaigh, Tony DeMarco, Tom Morrow, and Patrick Ourceau. Ivan is a member of recently formed Ghost Trio with Iarla Ó Lionáird and Cleek Schrey.
His work crosses and combines many musical genres. He has performed with jazz saxophonists, Paul Winter, Matt Darriau, and Ada Rovatti-Brecker, and his music has featured in work as diverse as acclaimed experimental art-film Cremaster 3 (dir. Matthew Barney), exhibited in the Guggenheim museum; in live accompaniment for 1922 silent film Come on Over, performed at MOMA in association with the Irish Film Institute; and in theatrical productions such as Peter and Wendy (Mabou Mines, dir. Lee Breuer). He has worked as soloist with composers throughout the world on various projects including a specially com- missioned concerto for uilleann pipes with the Albany Symphony Orchestra (comp. Robinson McLellan) and, more recently, a new-music piece with bass clarinet and 23-piece orchestra (comp. Elizabeth Hoffman). Ivan has also performed in well- known productions including extended engagements with Riverdance (U.S. tour and Broadway) and Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance.
Ivan Goff holds a BA in music from Maynooth University, an MA in Computer Composition and Music Technology from Queens University, Belfast, and an MA in Musicology from University College Dublin. He is currently a PhD candidate in music at New York University.
