Staff & Board Members

The 2017-18 season marks Karen Mail’s seventh season as Artistic Director of Mason Chorale. Karen is also Director of Music Ministries at Heritage Presbyterian Church in Mason, and a voice instructor at West Chester Academy of Music and Dance. She is an accomplished soprano soloist, conductor, choral adjudicator, and music educator.

Karen has conducted Mason Chorale in John Rutter’s Gloria and Michael Burkhardt's Savior of the Nations, Come, both presented with soloists, chamber orchestra, and organ. She has prepared Chorale to sing with Paul Stanbery’s Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra, the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra under J. R. Cassidy; and at Choirs4Crayons with the Greater Cincinnati Choral Consortium, and the World Choir Games.

At Heritage Presbyterian Church, Karen selects music and directs their handbell choirs and vocal ensembles, and sings regularly for their weekly worship services. She is a soloist and section leader for West Chester Chorale, performing the role of "The Mother" in their presentations of Amahl and the Night Visitors, and as soprano soloist for Schubert’s Mass in G, Te Deum by Anton Bruckner, and Missa Luba, a setting of the Latin Mass sung in styles traditional to the Democratic Republic of Congo arranged by Father Guido Haazen.

A passionate music educator, Karen taught vocal and choral music for the Hamilton City Schools to singers in grades K through 12. Her school choirs received many superior ratings and first place trophies at choral competitions. She is currently an adjudicator for Music in the Parks, who sponsors competitions for school music groups at theme parks around the country.

Professional memberships include Chorus America, American Choral Directors of America, and Fellowship of American Baptist Musicians. Karen participates in many of national, state and local events sponsored by these organizations.

Karen is a graduate of Indiana University’s School of Music, studying with Virginia MacWatters, and touring with their Singing Hoosiers. She has also done extensive post graduate work at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Kristen has been a member of the Mason Chorale since 2013. She grew up in Parma, OH and has always loved music and singing from a young age. While in high school she had the chance to sing with the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. Kristen attended the University of Cincinnati and graduated with a degree in Management and Marketing. While attending UC, Kristen sang with the UC Men's & Women's Choruses and was also on the board as their Librarian. After many years of not singing Kristen is thrilled to be singing again with the Mason Chorale and is also singing with the West Chester Chorale.

I have been a member of the Mason Chorale for over 15 years singing in the tenor section of the chorale. I was the President of the Mason Chorale Board for over 3 years and then became the treasurer 4 years ago. It has been a pleasure to sing and also to be on the governing board of the group.

Debbie Cummins has collaborated musically with Karen Mail for over 30 years leading school choirs, church choirs and community-based choruses. A graduate of CCM, Debbie is a public school music teacher, having taught choral music on the high school and middle school level. She currently teaches grades 1-3 music and enjoys the little ones. She is also a committed church musician, serving as Director of Music and Organist at St. John United Church of Christ in Reading, OH.

Joy has been on the board for four years and has thoroughly enjoyed it! She sang in her high school choir and has been singing in her church choir for the past 15 years. In addition, getting involved in community choirs such as Mason Chorale six years ago was one of the best decisions she ever made. In her spare time, Joy enjoys working with children, volunteering, walking with friends, and of course, singing!