LEAD MUSICIANS

Katherine Nelson-Tracey, Director

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Originally from North Dakota, Katherine Nelson-Tracey holds a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Music Education and a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of North Dakota. In 1998 she earned a second Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from George Mason University. Katherine teaches voice and piano in her private studio in Woodbridge, VA, and serves as an adjunct professor for the Woodbridge campus of Northern Virginia Community College, teaching voice and piano. She is the founding director of NDC through which NVCC students can earn ensemble credit. She is active in the American Choral Directors Association and has served as the Repertoire and Standards Chair for Community Choruses and 2-Year Colleges on the Virginia ACDA Cabinet over the past ten years. She sings with the National Philharmonic Chorale at Strathmore Music Center in MD. Katherine lives in Woodbridge with her husband, Bill, and is the proud parent of four children and grandparent of nine grandsons and two granddaughters.

Tom Meier, Assistant Director

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Originally from the suburbs of New York City, Tom has mostly lived in the suburbs of Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC, plus two winters in exile in Rome, NY. He holds a liberal arts degree from Haverford College with a major in music composition, and he spent his working years as a computer systems engineer and software consultant. He has directed a number of choral ensembles in the Washington area, including the Friday Morning Music Club Chorale's a cappella group, the Collegium Musicum, and barbershop choruses in Centreville, Loudoun County, and Fairfax, Virginia. He sings baritone in a barbershop quartet called Just Four Grins, with the Harmony Heritage Singers of Mt. Vernon, with his wife in their church choir, and of course with the New Dominion Choraliers, where he is also the Assistant Director. Tom and his wife have, collectively, four sons, four daughters-in-law, and nine grandchildren, scattered across North America from New Hampshire to California to Mexico, and Wisconsin.

Joe Swetnam, Lead Accompanist

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Joe is originally from Columbus, Ohio. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University; a Juris Doctorate from Capital University; and an L.LM. from The Judge Advocate General’s School in Charlottesville, Virginia. He served in the U.S. Army as a Judge Advocate, a career that included tours in Germany and Korea. He is currently a lawyer with Gross, Pring & Associates, and serves as a Board member and treasurer for Project Mend-a-House. He is the Director of Music at Bethel United Methodist Church and church organist. He provides music for various choirs at Bethel, along with weddings and funerals. He also provides music from time to time for senior citizens’ homes. He, his wife Terri, and their children came to the Woodbridge area in 1989.

Justin Patrick, Feature Performance Accompanist

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Originally from Shawboro in northeastern North Carolina, Justin holds a Bachelor's Degree, cum laude, from Elon University in Elon, North Carolina, where he majored in music performance. He has completed additional graduate and associate level course work in counseling and business at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Tidewater Community College, respectively, and is pursuing the Accounting Career Studies Certificate at Northern Virginia Community College. He has extensive experience as piano accompaniment, which includes accompanying choirs, vocal, and instrumental ensembles, in addition to playing for church services, weddings, and funerals.  In addition to his role with the New Dominion Choraliers, he serves as one of the pianists for the New Life Christian Church in Chantilly. Justin currently manages the Corporate Remittance Center operations for GEICO's auto and boat divisions. He has worked for GEICO since 2012.