Meet the CYC Staff

Nina Revering

CYC Co-Director
Conspirare Children's Choir, Director

Ms. Revering's choral music experience began at an early age. While growing up in Brazil, she performed in the Coro Infantil do Teatro Municipal under the direction of Elsa Lakschevitz. After moving to Canada, she joined the renowned Toronto Children's Chorus, directed by Jean Ashworth-Bartle, and performed with noted directors Andrew Davis and Sir David Willcocks. Ms. Revering's musical training included six years of study in Toronto's Royal Conservatory of Music in baroque recorder as well as piano. Ms. Revering's educational background includes work at the Youth Performing Arts School in Louisville, Kentucky, and Boston University.

She studied baroque recorder with John Tyson of the New England Conservatory and performed with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus under conductors Seiji Ozawa, John Williams, and John Oliver.

Nina Revering has performed widely as a soloist and chorister throughout the region and around the country. Soloist at St. Mary's Cathedral from 1994-1997, she was also Victoria Bach Festival's New Young Artist in 1994. A member and frequent soloist of Conspirare since 1995, Ms. Revering is a featured soloist on both Grammy-nominated CDs, Requiem and Threshold of Night.

Ms. Revering has recently returned to the Bridge Point Elementary School Music Classroom in the Eanes District in Austin, having taught there from 1996-2003. A frequent clinician, guest conductor, and vocal adjudicator around the state of Texas, Nina Revering was one of eight participants selected for the International Symposium for Children's Choirs held in Toronto, Canada in May 2005. Professional affiliations include ACDA and TMEA. She is the founding director of the acclaimed Conspirare Children's Choir, now entering its fifth concert season in Austin, Texas.

Rick Gabrillo

CYC Co-Director
Conspirare Kantorei, Director

In addition to his work with the CYC as Administrator and Associate Director, Rick Gabrillo is the Children's Choir Director at St. Louis Catholic Church in Austin, Texas.

After attending the New England Conservatory of Music and Boston University, Rick Gabrillo completed his undergraduate and masters degrees in choral music education and choral conducting with Craig Hella Johnson at The University of Texas at Austin in 1999. He was the choral director at Clint Small Middle School in Austin ISD from 1999-2005.

During his time at Clint Small Middle School, Rick Gabrillo was selected as the 2003-2004 CSMS Teacher of the Year, and he was the finalist for the 2004 Austin ISD Middle School Teacher of the Year. From 2002 to 2005, he served as the Region 18 Middle School Vocal Coordinator and UIL Contest Chair, which served the greater Austin area. In 2005, the Clint Small Middle School Concert Choir was honored to perform for the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in San Antonio. In addition to his current work with Conspirare, he is also active as a singer, accompanist, clinician, and adjudicator throughout Texas.

Rick Gabrillo has also remained very active in church music as he has worked as the director of the adult choirs at both First English Lutheran Church and Central Presbyterian Church. He was also the Children's Choir Director at both Central Presbyterian Church, and most recently, at First Presbyterian Church.

He is a member of Texas Choral Directors Association, Texas Music Educators Association, and the American Choral Directors Association.

Chris Oelkers

CYC Staff Accompanist

Chris was born in Winnipeg, Canada, where he studied organ and harpsichord at the University of Manitoba. He served as organist for various churches until being appointed Organist and Choir Director for the Cathedral Parish of St. Mary, Winnipeg, in 1986. In 1992, Mr. Oelkers received the Dorothy Leidig Organ Scholarship from the University of Kansas, as well as the Music Scholarship from the St. Lawrence Catholic Campys Center at KU. He commenced organ studies with Michael Bauer and James Higdon, and served as Liturgical Music Intern at St. Lawrence Center from 1992-1998, while also serving as Director of Music for the First Congregational Church of Topeka, Kansas.

In June of 2007, Mr. Oelkers was the guest of the German organ builder Herbert Hey, during which time he toured many new installations and restorations in Bavaria and Liechtenstein, concluding his visit with a concert at the Catholic Parish Church of St. Bartholomew, Leutershausen, Germany. He has since been appointed American Representative and European coordinator of Hey Orgelbau.

Mr. Oelkers is active as a recitalist, and has given many performances throughout the US, Canada and Europe. He currently serves as organist and Associate Music Director at St. Louis Catholic Church, a position he has held since August of 2005. This is his first season as accompanist for CYC.

Dr. Maimy Fong

CYC Staff Accompanist and Opera Chorus Coordinator

Dr. Maimy Fong, pianist & vocal coach, earned a Bachelor's degree in piano with a concentration in vocal accompanying from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. She also completed Master's and Doctoral degrees in piano performance at the University of Texas at Austin School of Music. She has worked for the Des Moines Metro Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, and was the first pianist-coach in El Paso Opera's Artist-in-Residence Program. In Austin, she maintains an active schedule of playing chamber music, instrumental and voice recitals, teaching, and coaching.

 

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