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 Teri
Simmons, Director of Music at McGee Avenue Baptist Church in
Berkeley, California, is a proud native of Oakland, California.
Prior to her working at McGee, a little over three years ago, she
served as Minister of Music at the Church of All Faiths for over 15
years and Music Director at the Elmhurst Seventh Day Adventist
Church for over 7 years.
Teri has and continues to serve in multiple administrative and
musical capacities, working with a wide variety of church and local
organizational affiliations, choirs, age groups, ministers and local
musicians. An accomplished pianist and organist, Teri has traveled
throughout the US and overseas as guest musician for many concerts
and programs.
In addition to being
a piano instructor, music transcriber and editor, she is a prolific
music writer and arranger. She has a professional singing ensemble, Teri
Simmons With Renewed Faith, who recently released an album of her
original works. She has also produced an album of piano hymn
arrangements and has co-produced albums with other Bay Area artists.
Because of her extensive knowledge of music law, she is often sought out
to be a presenter at various workshops to teach copyright law or song
writing essentials. She especially enjoys helping other musicians by
sharing information and offering music notation services should they
need it.
Although she has
received many numerous and prestigious awards such as the 1999 Organist
of the Year, presented by the Gospel Academy Awards Committee, and the
1997 Professional Christian Business Leaders Award (ORBY), she believes
that her greatest achievement lies in her ability to let God rule in her
life and throughout her music ministry
Teri studied Music
and Business Administration at Laney, Merritt and Alameda Colleges in
the East Bay and Oakwood College of Huntsville, Alabama. She graduated
from Golden State Academy of Oakland, California.
Profile
Minister of Music with 25 years program administration experience in the
San Francisco Bay area. Emphasis on choir directing and building, music
training, and providing piano/organ accompaniment. Have served in
multiple capacities, working with a wide variety of church and local
organizational affiliations, choirs, age groups, ministers and
musicians. Extensive administrative and technical skills utilized to
conduct music training sessions, plan worship service programs, and
coordinate musicals, fundraisers, etc. Able to manage overall program
planning for organizations with multiple choirs and musicians as well as
those with only one or two choirs. Technically proficient in piano,
organ an electronic keyboard applications. Familiar with a wide range of
music types and styles; sacred hymns, folk, gospel, and contemporary.
Able to read, compose, score, direct and play music as required.
Professional Experience
McGee Avenue Baptist
Church - 1640 Stuart St. - Berkeley, CA
D. Mark Wilson - Pastor |
8/96 -Present |
Church of All Faiths -
2100 Fifth Ave. - Oakland, CA
Willie R.
Daniels - Pastor
- Minister of
Music, Sanctuary & Temple Choir Director
Voices of All Faith Director
- Women's Chorus
Director
- Men's Chorus
Director - 1985 to 1991; 1996 to 1998
- Children and
Youth Choirs Director - 1985 to 1991; 1996 to
present
-
Organist/Pianist - 1977 to present
|
9/77 - 8/96 |
Elmhurst Seventh Day
Adventist Church - 9658 Thermal Ave. - Oakland
Virgil Childs - Pastor
- Minister of
Music - 1994 to 1998
- Church Organist
and Pianist
- Youth Choir
Director - 1990 to 1993
|
Various |
Elmhurst Methodist Church
- 83rd and Plymouth Streets - Oakland, CA
Nymphus Edwards - Pastor |
2/94 - 6/96 |
Havenscourt Community
Church - 1444 Havenscourt Blvd. - Oakland, CA
Dr. Claude E. Wilson - Pastor
- Minister of
Music
- Church
Musician
|
3/75 to 1/77
6/94 to 6/96 |
Special Projects and Other Related Positions
-
Organist,
Celestial Choir - Taylor Memorial Church. Toured with the choir
to Houston, Texas, Trinidad West Indies, Brooklyn, New York and
North Carolina.
-
Workshop
Presenter
Composition: BAMM, Seattle, WA - 1995
Musical Styling and Selection - NAACP/NANM, Oakland, CA - 1995
Songwriting and Copyright Law, New Hope Baptist Church - 1994
Published and produced eight collections of original music and
one recording of original music, "Use Me Your Way".
-
Program
Coordinator, Project HOPE Musicals (East Oakland Ministerial
Alliance), 1984 - 1989
-
Founded "With
Renewed Faith" choral group - 1988. Produced and arranged CD and
cassette of original work as performed by "With Renewed Faith",
project "Use Me Your Way" - released 6/94
-
Conducted basic
musicianship training for youth and adults;
Church of All Faiths - 1993
Elmhurst SDA Church - 1990
-
Accompanist,
Voices of Legacy, Mary Hill - Director, 1972 - 1983
-
Church
Musician, Choir Pianist - Evangelistic Crusade Musician - Market
Street SDA Church - 1967 - 1981
Education
Oakwood College -
Huntsville, Alabama - Business Administration and Music - 1976
Laney and Merritt Colleges - Oakland, CA - Various Music and General
Studies - 1983 - 1995
Contra Costa College - Richmond, CA - Supervision/Personnel
Management. Certificate - 1984 - 1987
Computers & Keyboards
IBM: WordPerfect
for Windows, LOTUS, dBASE III, Quicken, C*Cure750, Office 2000
Atari: Cubase, Cubase Score
Keyboard Workstations: Korg, Ensonique TS-10, TS-12
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