Mountain Community Chorus
DIRECTORS and ACCOMPANISTS
Terry Hooper, Director
Mr. Terry Hooper is a graduate of Young Harris College, Shorter University and the University of Georgia with a Masters in Music Education. He has done doctoral studies at Indiana University, (Bloomington), and the University of Georgia (Athens). He served as choral director at Gainesville High School (Gainesville, GA) where he directed the musicals, Showboat and Oklahoma.
Mr. Hooper has performed around the United States with a gospel music group where he sang and served as accompanist for the group. He served for 11 years at Young Harris College where he taught voice and piano, music appreciation and directed the Vocal Ensemble, which toured as a recruiting group for YHC. Mr. Hooper served as Minister of Music for 29 years at First Baptist Church of Blairsville (GA) where he developed the children’s choir program and an active Student Choir with performances across the USA, in addition to the Berliner Dome, Salzburg Dome, Notre Dame Cathedral, St. Anne’s Church (Israel), as well as performances in New York City, including St. Patrick’s Cathedral. He returned to serve as an Adjunct Instructor of Voice at Young Harris College in 2011 and continues to teach there.
Mr. Hooper presently serves as Minister of Music at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Hayesville, NC, teaches voice and piano at Rabun Gap Nacoochee School in Rabun Gap, Ga, and serves as an Adjunct Instructor of Voice at Truett-McConnell University in Cleveland, Ga. His students have placed at National Association of Teachers of Singing competitions and his high school students have been accepted at Roosevelt University, Berklee College of Music, Rollins College, University of Georgia, and many other universities across the country. Mr. Hooper is a member of The Centurymen, the Sons of Jubal, and has performed solos in Germany, Austria, Israel, Czech Republic, Russia, the Royal Albert Hall of London, England and in many other countries. He and his wife, Paula, have three adult children, one grandson, and live in Young Harris, Ga.
William Fox, Director Emeritus
Bill was born one of seven children in Ranger, NC. Later his parents relocated the family to Blairsville, GA, where he graduated from Union County High School. While a high school student, he heard the Young Harris College Choir perform a Christmas concert at the high school He decided then that he would "have to sing in this choir."
Fox attended Young Harris College from 1948-1950. At the end of his freshman year at YHC, then, President Walter Downs, sent the young Fox to the John C. Campbell Folk School to learn "folk dancing" so that he could teach it at YHC his sophomore year. Graduating from YHC, Fox attended Georgia Teachers College (now Georgia Southern) in Statesboro, GA, and in 1952 earned a B.S. in Music Education. In 1962, he earned his Master's Degree in Music Education. Other graduate work was completed at Indiana University, Florida State, University of Georgia, Eastman School of Music, and the Dalcroze School of Music, NYC.
At Young Harris College, Fox taught and served as the chair of the Fine Arts Department. He was head of the music department for 40 years. During his tenure, YHC was the first junior college in Georgia to offer an Associate of Fine Arts degree. While at YHC, he taught studio voice, choral ensemble, music history, music appreciation, art appreciation, ear training and music theory. Coinciding with his teaching, he served 55 years as the Director of Music at Sharp Memorial United Methodist College at Young Harris, Georgia.
In the early 70's, Fox sang with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus under the direction of Donald Neuen and Master Robert Shaw. In 1977, Fox began to sing with MCC and in 1985 took over direction of the group. He continued in the role as director of this fine singing group until Laura Stooksbury took over in 2012.
Suzanne West, Accompanist
Suzanne has studied piano and organ at Mars Hill College and Young Harris College. She is currently the staff accompanist at Young Harris College. Additionally she serves as Minister of Music at First United Methodist Church in Murphy where she directs numerous choirs and performing groups. She also leads the community hand bell group, the Valley River Ringers.
Cody Killian, Assistant Accompanist
Cody currently serves as Director of Music at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Hayesville. He also serves as pianist at Hayesville First United Methodist Church. In addition to performing, he maintains an active piano studio. He received his B.A. in Music from Young Harris College and a Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance from Converse College.
