Bio

Jennifer Hommez, Founder and Director of Ramapo Valley Youth Chorus –

Jennifer grew up in Winter Park, FL where she attended Rollins College.  While working on her Bachelor of Arts in Music, she performed with the Winter Park Bach Festival Choir as a choir member and soprano soloist.  She gave numerous recitals in and around the Winter Park area.  In 1997, Jennifer moved to New York City to attend The Manhattan School of Music where she received her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance in 2000.  Jennifer’s Master of Music recital was a program of music by women composers.  She has performed professionally as a soloist and choir member at The Riverside Church in New York City since 1997.  While at Riverside, Jennifer was The Riverside Church Children’s Choir Director for four years.  In this role, she organized and performed in concerts and composed and directed the annual Christmas pageant.  Jennifer completed a three year certificate in the Kodály teaching methodology at The Hartt School, University of Hartford in 2005 and completed her Level 3 Orff Schulwerk Certificate through University of the Arts at Villanova in 2017.  Jennifer has spent several years performing with the women’s a cappella vocal ensemble, Siréne in New York and New Jersey.  Throughout her performing endeavors Jennifer has remained a dedicated elementary general music teacher and choral director at Ridgeway Elementary School in White Plains, New York.  At Ridgeway, she teaches music to kindergarten through fifth grade students and directs a volunteer, fourth and fifth grade children’s choir of over one hundred voices.

Teaching Info

The young people who sing with the Ramapo Valley Youth Chorus celebrate many different styles, cultures and traditions of music.  Their performance repertoire varies from pop music to jazz, classical and musical theater.  This group of performers is committed to singing music which inspires joy and unity among themselves and their listeners.  Singers are given solo opportunities at a variety of events where they learn leadership skills and interact in community building experiences. By singing together these young people discover how creating music together can make a difference in their lives and in the world.