Leadership

Dr. Benjamin Hutchens

Artistic Director

Dr. Benjamin Hutchens was the Artistic Director of the Alexandria Kinderchoir from 2018-2020 and is delighted to continue his service as the Artistic Director once again. Ben is a native of Statesville, North Carolina. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a Master of Music degree in violin performance from the University of Alabama, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Furman University. Currently, Dr. Hutchens is also the Director of Music Ministries at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Alexandria. At Westminster, he conducts a 60 voice adult choir, multiple handbell ensembles, and a robust graded children’s choir program. When not making music, he enjoys travel, cooking, and sailing.

Megan Yingst

Assistant Artistic and Outreach Director

Megan Yingst currently serves as the Assistant Artistic and Outreach Director of the Alexandria Children’s Chorus. She is the founder and music educator of Megan’s Marvelous Music, where she teaches in-home voice and piano lessons. Megan’s belief in the power of music to unite communities has propelled her career from a young age, founding a middle school choir at 18 and advocating for music education on Capitol Hill numerous times. She holds a degree in Music Education from Florida Southern College and has directed choirs in Title I communities, where her students achieved superior ratings and performed at Disney World. She recently served as the Executive Director of the Alexandria Choral Society, where she organized the first city-wide Choral Festival, One Voice Alexandria, uniting 450 singers from across the city. Megan honors the legacy of her grandmother, Margery Kennedy, a respected church organist, choir director and educator, in all the music she creates.

Logan Blatt

Conductor

Logan Blatt is currently in his third year of teaching elementary music. Logan was born and raised in Chesapeake, VA, beginning guitar lessons in second grade and starting choir in sixth grade. After spending his childhood dedicated to music, Logan went on to study Music Education at James Madison University where he participated in multiple ensembles, including classical and contemporary a cappella music. After college, he began teaching general music at Ferdinand T. Day Elementary and remains their primary music teacher. He is thankful for the opportunity to work with a young choir, and he looks forward to bringing positivity to their lives through music.

Molly Roden

Rehearsal Assistant

A life-long musician, Molly has been involved with children’s choirs since 1990. Molly has always been an active choral singer and soloist, participating in many auditioned choirs. She majored in Voice at Austin College, and earned a Masters in Library Science from the University of North Texas. When not singing and teaching, Molly and her husband David enjoy their many grandchildren.

June Gunter

Accompanist

June Gunter is 15 years old, and is a current sophomore at Alexandria City High School taking STEM-focused classes. Outside of school, she is in robotics, girl scouts, and several musical groups including multiple choirs and bells. June has been playing piano for over 8 years, and this is her first year accompanying the Alexandria Children’s Chorus.

Jane Bourdow

Accompanist

Jane Bourdow received degrees in music from Mary Washington College and American University. She has been an active church musician for many years, most notably a tenure of 33 years as organist and choirmaster at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Alexandria. Now “semi” retired, she substitutes at area churches. This is her fourth season with the Alexandria Children’s Chorus.

Kay Sidahmed

Kinderchoir Founder

Kay Sidahmed is the Kinderchoir’s founder and original Managing Artistic Director. Kay has experience leading early childhood music classes in the area and has taught music in the elementary school classroom setting. She is a classically trained soprano, who has embraced choral singing her entire life, and she currently sings with the choir at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Alexandria. Kay also holds a doctoral degree in Agricultural Sciences and is a devoted yoga teacher and practitioner, living in Del Ray with her husband and two children.