About Us: Personnel
Susan Pote, Founding Artistic Director
A graduate in Voice and Music Education of Texas Christian University, Mrs. Pote has taught elementary school music in Houston, Texas; Richardson, Texas; and Pensacola, Florida. Mrs. Pote is a member of the American Choral Directors Association and the Florida Music Educators Association. As a clinician, she has led many workshops for young singers in the United States and Canada. She has been the director of the Pensacola Children's Chorus since its inception and has overseen the organization's growth to over 350 children in six choirs. Mrs. Pote has conducted chorus members in concerts as well as prepared them for performances with other arts organizations in Northwest Florida, including the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Pensacola Opera, and the Choral Society of Pensacola. Mrs. Pote is a community recipient of the "Spirit of Women" Award, a national competition conducted by Sacred Heart Health System, and a two-time winner of the Arts Council of Northwest Florida's Muriel Shugart Award recognizing outstanding accomplishments in music.
Allen Pote, Founding Artistic Director
A nationally known composer of choral music and musicals, Mr. Pote travels extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and abroad as a conductor for festivals and workshops. He has received numerous commissions and has published over 300 choral works, including 14 musicals for youth and children, many of which have been premiered and recorded by the Pensacola Children's Chorus. Mr. Pote composed the score for "Seaplane," a stage musical about early aviation which has been presented in Pensacola, Florida; Hammondsport, New York; and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. He composed "And A Little Child Shall Lead Them," a work for full orchestra and children's voices which was commissioned by the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra. Also commissioned by the Pensacola Symphony was Mr. Pote's "Pensacola Overture" which was premiered as part of the City of Pensacola's tricentennial celebration in 1999. A former member of the National Board of Choristers Guild, Mr. Pote is a recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship and is a three-time winner of the Arts Council of Northwest Florida's Muriel Shugart Award recognizing outstanding accomplishments in music. He has also received an annual award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers for a number of years. For more information or to purchase Mr. Pote's original compositions, please visit www.hopepublishing.com
Together, Susan and Allen Pote were named the 1999 Cox/Bravo "Champion for the Arts" for Escambia County in recognition of their efforts as arts advocates and for making a difference in the lives of young people. In 1999, they were also awarded the Escambia/Santa Rosa Bar Association's Liberty Bell Award in recognition of their leadership in the community.
MaryAnn Stefancik, Certified Public Accountant/Bookkeeper
Mrs. Stefancik is a CPA who has worked on a contract basis with the Chorus for two years. She holds a Masters of Accountancy degree from the University of Mississippi and began her career in public accounting with Deloitte Touche in Dallas, Texas. She has worked in private industry as well serving as controller for a real estate management company and a graphic design firm. Most recently, she has provided accounting services to a variety of small businesses.
