Our History
Formed in February 2017 by residents of the Tellico Village area, our group began as a community choir/glee club open to all interested singers. Our small initial core group of nine grew to 40 members by February 27, 2017, when the first rehearsal was held.
Among initial interested residents was Dennis Loy, an experienced musician, teacher, vocal conductor and judge who had recently retired to Tellico Village from New York City. Mr. Loy came out of retirement as our volunteer director and he has remained in that position ever since. Shortly after being named director, Tellico Village Singers became an auditioned choir. Our first concert, with a patriotic theme, was held July 2017.
Originally an octet, Tellico Voices is an elite 20-person ensemble that performs with the Tellico Village Singers but also makes music within the community. Its smaller size produces intimate concerts and singing for special events in the surrounding communities.
Since our small beginnings in 2017, Tellico Village Singers has been performing to sold-out audiences annually.
Our Staff
Dennis Loy, Conductor, Tellico Village Singers
Jan Sampson, Vice President Tellico Village Singers
Barbara Schmitt, Accompanist, Tellico Village Singers
Our Director - Dennis Loy
Dennis Loy, with wife Kathy, retired to Tellico Village in 2016 after an effective high school career with later successful conducting experiences in prestigious national and international venues. His high school experience included success with Show Choirs, Men’s Choirs, Women’s Choirs, Madrigal Singers, Mixed General Choirs, and Select Choruses; he directed yearly musicals, cut a record with Delta Records, and served as a judge in both national and state contests.
Starting in 1981, he functioned as Executive Director and Conductor-in-Residence for a burgeoning New York City production company. In that role, Dennis helped the company bring in thousands of singers from across the US to perform at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall, and important music venues both in NYC and abroad. Dennis had his NYC debut conducting John Rutter’s Requiem. Additionally, he was Tour and Music Conductor with international touring choirs traveling to (among other destinations) Russia, Spain, and Italy. Dennis conducted and was Assistant Director at a yearly summer Greek Festival in Syros, Greece.
The late summer of 2016 witnessed Dennis’ retirement to Tellico Village where he successfully helped develop (and now directs) the Tellico Village Singers and Tellico Voices. He has worked in various capacities (including President) of the Tellico Community Players.
Vice President - Jan Simpson
Jan Sampson’s duties as Vice President are varied. First and foremost, she is assistant to the director. She coordinates record-keeping of purchases and is responsible for new singers’ applications and the audition process. Jan also functions as Concert Program Director, a complicated task involving multi-media production and direction during the ever-more complex Tellico Village Singers’ concerts. Since she handles all operational matters, her great organizational skill comes to the forefront.
She and husband Pat O’Malley retired to Tellico Village in March of 2015, and in 2017 Jan became one of the founding members of what is now known as Tellico Village Singers. She has been Vice-President ever since. Jan sang in her high school a cappella choir and has decades of experiences singing in church and community choirs, as her families moved around the country. One of her favorite quotes is: "When a person sings in a choir, that person prays twice. I feel that singing in our Tellico Village Singers produces a deep/resonating source of emotions that lifts my soul to great heights.”
Jan’s undergraduate and graduate degrees are in science, math, and gifted education. She taught grades 3 through college for over 35 years, so she has a deep love of learning. Jan taught CPR for the American Heart Association for over 40 years, and she volunteers for the Tellico Village Volunteer Fire Department and the Smoky Mountain Service Dog organization. In addition to her duties with the Singers, Jan lovingly cherishes two sons and six grandchildren.
Our Accompanist - Barbara Schmitt
Barbara Schmitt joined the Tellico Village Singers as an alto in 2017 and became accompanist for both the Tellico Village Singers and Tellico Voices in December 2018. In one of the most important musical volunteer positions in the primary organization, and with the increasingly difficult and complex choral music the choirs perform, her background as a church musician has integrally helped the singers thrive. Barbara thoroughly enjoys both her role and the friendships made in these remarkable groups of people.
Utilizing her musical education, she progressed in her life’s work as a church musician performing as organist and working with vocal and handbell choirs at several Lutheran churches in SD, IA, and TN. Since becoming accompanist for both Tellico Village groups, Barbara has enjoyed learning new kinds of secular choral music, performing with the University of Tennessee jazz band (twice!), learning to seamlessly switch between acoustic and electronic keyboards, and working closely with such an experienced director.
Retirement brought Barbara and husband Joe to Tellico Village. They are parents to three daughters with three sons-in-law and seven grandchildren.
CHARITIES
As a non-profit organization, Tellico Village Singers is committed to assisting other non-profits with their fund-raising efforts.