SMS receives guidance and feedback from a board of renowned local musicians. Current advisory board members include: Carol McCormick, Perla Warren, James Wheatley and Barbara Zettel.

Carol McCormick

Carol McCormick joined the Camelia Concert Chorale in 1984. She recounts that “the group name changed to the Sacramento Master Singers in 1984 on a night when I had missed rehearsal. It was rather odd to arrive at my next rehearsal to find out the name was entirely different!” Thus began her seven years as a leader of the SMS alto section and frequent soloist in SMS concerts.

Carol is a music educator with a Bachelor of Arts degree in vocal performance and a Master of Arts in education. Her studies focused on opera, but her first love has continued to be choral music. Carol’s numerous experiences as a soloist and choral singer include performances under Roger Wagner in the Southern California Honor Choir and under Seiji Okawa and Edo de Waart with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus.

Carol currently teaches second grade and is married with a teen-aged son. Carol’s many years as a choral singer, including her time with SMS, help her to provide insightful feedback and guidance as an Artistic Advisory Board Member.

Lynn Stevens

Lynn Stevens began her choral music career while a student at the University of Southern California. She sang professionally and toured internationally with the Ray Coniff Singers, singing in concert with the Norman Luboff Choir, and later performed and recorded with the Carpenters.

Lynn received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from the University of Southern California and began her teaching career in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Following a move back to her hometown of Sacramento, Lynn taught for 25 years in local elementary and middle schools.

While undertaking more advanced studies at California State University, Sacramento, Lynn founded the Sacramento Children’s Chorus and received her masters degree in choral conducting. In addition to her responsibilities as Artistic Director and Conductor with the Sacramento Childdren’s Chorus, Lynn teaches in the music education department at California State University, Sacramento.

Perla Warren

Born Perla L. Zulueta in Quezon City, Phillipines, and graduated from the University of the Phillipines Conservatory of Music in 1957, she journeyed to the United States for further music degrees at the Jordan Conservatory of Music, Butler University. Perla has been a choral teacher and conductor since 1960 and is actively sought as a conductor, clinician and adjudicator in jazz and concert choir festivals, and music conferences throughout the US. In the past three decades, she has conducted all-state honor choirs and managed many music conferences. Her awards include “Instructor of the Year” at American River College in 1984, “American River College Patron’s Chair” in 1989, “Outstanding Choral Director of California” in 1991, and the “Howard Swann Award” in 2001.

During her years in Sacramento, Perla conducted the American River College Chamber Singers and Jazz Choir who received numerous awards under her direction. In addition to her college choirs, she also acted as the interim Chorus Master of the Sacramento Symphony Orchestra in 1992 – 1993 and conducted SMS during Ralph Hughes sabbatical in 2003. She is much beloved among the Master Singers as many past and present singers have sung under her tutelage. Perla’s renowned expertise as a choral conductor makes her a valuable resource for SMS. 

James Wheatley

James Wheatley retired after 36 years of state government service. His idea of retirement, however, would exhaust most of us. James is currently both the President and Artistic Director of Celebration Arts. In addition to overall responsibility for the performing arts programs, he teaches dance, choreographs, composes music and directs the Celebration Chorale and is an integral leader of Celebration Arts’ children and teen programs.

James is also an actor and has appeared in major roles in a number of community theater productions. His credits include “I’m Not Rappaport”, “Lilies of the Field”, “The Blood Knot”, “Lost in the Stars”, “Ragtime” and numerous others. As a director he has been at the helm for many local productions including “Ain’t Misbehavin”, “Eden” and “Is the Color of Mississippi Mud”. James has also composed music for several plays and wrote both book and music for the musicals “We’re on Our Way” and “Stable in the Back”.

James is active as an arts advocate serving on several arts organization boards. Additionally, he has worked on committees and task groups for the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission. He serves as a volunteer consultant and advisor to many arts groups and individual artists. SMS has been fortunate to have James as not only an Artistic Advisory Board Member, but also a collaborative artist. He has choreographed for and danced in several concerts.

Barbara Zettel

Barbara Zettel grew up in a large, musically gifted family in Wisconsin and moved West over 35 years ago. Choral singing has been an integral part of her life. She has been a cantor, choir director, organist and church soloist. She played violin during high school and early college years. For the last 25 years, Barbara’s musical focus was vocal performance, mostly as an avocation. She graduated with a Bachelor of Music-Vocal Performance. Her singing career has included community college and church choirs. The most memorable achievements are the 14 years with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus with many recordings, and three of the Grammies that SFS earned. Barbara also performed over the years with San Francisco Choral Artists and the Sanford Dole Ensemble. She has always been an enthusiastic choral singer, and in every ensemble, volunteered her time and skills, from section leader, to committee posts, to performing in special small ensemble programs.

After moving to Sacramento, Barbara sang with CSUS University Chorus, was a Kendrick Ensemble soloist with the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra for Bernstein’s “West Side Story Suites” and found her niche a few years ago with the Sacramento Master Singers.  She now is an avid supporter and volunteer for SMS and is honored to share her breadth of choral experiences as a member of the Artistic Advisory Board. In her day job, Barbara is a family law paralegal.