An interim director was hired last Wednesday for the University’s Gospel Choir. The Choir was without a director since late September when then-director Derek Campbell resigned.
Campbell resigned a few weeks after Campus Ministry eliminated funding for the choir’s assistant director-accompanist position, formerly held by Timothy Rice.
The process of hiring a new director was initiated when Gospel Choir President Camilla McFarlane (MSB ‘02) appealed to the University President’s Office and the Georgetown University Student Association for assistance after growing frustrated with a lack of help from Campus Ministry.
Kristina Heuser (CAS ‘03), assistant Gospel Choir chaplain, said that due to miscommunication with Director of Campus Ministry Adam Bunnell, OFM Conv., the members of the Gospel Choir were unsure if a new director would be hired.
According to Ronald J. Lignelli, Director of the Office of Performing Arts, he was asked by the President’s office to conduct a search for a new director. Lignelli said he interviewed two candidates last Tuesday, and then hired Liviticus Thomas as interim director on Wednesday.
Thomas is currently a music teacher at the D.C. Friendship-Edison Collegiate Academy and has previously worked with the Gospel Choir.
Lignelli said that Thomas will serve until the end of this semester, at which point a new interim director will be hired. Lignelli said he expects a formal search for a permanent director will take place at the end of this academic school year.
