Meet the CYC Staff

Nina Revering

CYC Artistic 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, 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. Ms. Revering has been a member of Conspirare since 1995 and was a soloist in the Grammy-nominated Requiem CD and will be a featured soloist in Conspirare's second CD entitled Threshold of Night, to be released in 2008.

Ms. Revering taught music in Eanes schools in the Austin area 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 fourth concert season in Austin, Texas.

Dana Patterson

CYC Assistant Director

Dana Patterson brings a diverse set of experiences to the role of assistant director of the Conspirare Youth Choirs. As a music educator Dana has taught at both the elementary and high school levels. Her unique approach to teaching helped earn the Mt. Lebanon School District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania a Top 100 National Music Curriculum rating. Additional credits include professional core member of The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh under Robert Page, director of The Bach Chorale Youth Chorus and assistant to the artistic director of The Bach Chorale, Lafayette, Indiana, and member of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir under Robert Porco. She also served as Director of Music Ministry for the First United Methodist Church, West Lafayette, Indiana. Originally raised on a Southern Indiana farm, she studied music education, conducting, piano and voice at the Indiana University School of Music, Bloomington, Indiana. She has since studied at Westminster Choir College, Princeton, New Jersey, and Duquesne University, Pittsburgh. She and her husband, Kevin, have a daughter, Janelle.

Rick Gabrillo

CYC Administrator and Assistant Director

In addition to his work with the CYC as Administrator and Assistant Director, Rick Gabrillo is the Music Teacher of the Cathedral School of Saint Mary's and the director of the Cathedral Boychoir.

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.