Tina Harris
Assistant Director

Tina Harris is beginning her ninth year with SMS and her fourth season as assistant director. She also fulfills the duties of Outreach and Scholarship Coordinator for the group. In addition, Tina runs a voice and piano studio and teaches various music classes at area Junior colleges. She received a Bachelor in Voice and a Masters in Choral Conducting from CSU Sacramento, the later under the direction of Dr. Donald Kendrick, head of choral studies. A public school teacher for ten years, Tina taught choral music to all grade levels in the San Juan Unified School District. She was also the director of the Sacramento Chamber Singers, a small community chorus from 1992-95 and Director of Music at Elk Grove United Methodist Church for seven years. A life long love of musical theater has led her into music directing at many area theaters, from Garbeau’s Dinner Theater to Light Opera Theater of Sacramento. She has also developed a Repertoire of Musical Theater class at Sierra College that continues to grow in participants each semester.

Tina continues her own music education by studying voice periodically with Kathy Torche from Capitol Opera and Dr. Robin Fisher at CSUS. In 2003, she had the honor of participating in a weeklong vocal workshop with renowned voice instructor Richard Miller at Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio. She thanks her husband and daughter profusely for loaning her out to the SMS every Monday night (and more!).

Julie Jenness
Business Manager

Julie Jenness has sung soprano with SMS since 199?. Continuing in a fine SMS tradition of singer/managers she assumed the duties of Business Manager in 2004.  Julie is a graduate of Winona State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Teaching that includes degrees in both Elementary Education and Music Education. She taught 6th grade for 6 years teaching her students, among other things, management skills! She has also directed several upper elementary and middle school choirs. As choir director she gained valuable experience in managing concert preparation, parents and students.  All of which was good practice for her SMS Business Manager responsibilities.

Her music experience includes managing her own flute studio for 6 years, serving with the 59th Army Band during her 6 years of military service (she not only played the flute in the band but also sang as an “Andrew Sister”), singing since second grade and playing the flute since fourth grade. In addition to her SMS duties, she is the CEO of her household. If you call the SMS phone number you may hear her two young girls chattering and cooing in the background!

She says “Music has always been a huge part of my life! My favorite SMS moment was on our tour in Venezuela. We sang “Sigalagala” as we rode the Teleferico almost to the top of the Andes Mountains!”

Clifford Shockney
Accompanist

Cliff Shockney was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana and studied the piano beginning at an early age. While in high school, Cliff accompanied the boys’ glee club, sang in the choir, played piano solos in several talent shows, accompanied the boys’ octet (a prestigious choral group) and took organ lessons. Cliff earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Indiana University School of Music.  In addition to his piano studies, he sang as a member of the Singing Hoosiers and served as a church organist.

After graduating from I.U., Cliff accepted a civilian position with the Department of the Army, which eventually led to an assignment in El Paso, Texas.  While in Texas, he sang in a church choir, became the unofficial assistant organist and choir director and accompanied the choir on for choral concerts presented during the season.  He served as the keyboard artist with the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, was musical director for an Actors Equity production of The Sound of Music, and played piano in a jazz band.  And, last but not least, he also taught vocal music in the public schools. 

Relocating to California, Cliff served as a church organist in Sacramento for three years, sang with the Sacramento Chorale and then with SMS. He has performed as a piano soloist and accompanist with many talented musicians in a variety of settings.

Since becoming the accompanist to the Master Singers in the fall of 1999, Cliff has toured with the group to the America Cantat 2000 choral festival in Venezuela as well to South Carolina. Over the past two seasons, he has arranged five pieces for performance by the choir.  In May 2004, he and Richard Glazier thrilled the audience with Gershwin’s two-piano version of Rhapsody in Blue with the choir.