Megan Huckabay Lapp,

Artistic Director

Megan Huckabay Lapp joined the YCCO staff as Director of the Debut choir in 2019 and assumed the role of Artistic Director in 2020 when Beth Basham retired. Her passion for building up young people through music has taken her around the globe. She brings a wealth of private piano and voice teaching experience to her work with YCCO. Megan has taught primary, secondary and collegiate students in the United States, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. In addition, she holds a Master of Music in Choral Conducting degree from the University of Washington (Seattle) and Bachelors degrees in Music and Education from the University of Victoria (Victoria, BC). She sings with Bend Camerata and has performed widely as a soloist of Baroque and Early Music.

AUDREY CLARK,

ASSOCIATE Director of spark and glow choirs

Audrey Clark is thrilled to be joining YCCO in Fall 2022 as the Singers School Director. Born and raised in Texas, Audrey is a lifelong musician. She taught elementary music and choir in Texas before moving to Bend in 2011, and is currently the EC-2nd grade music teacher at Trinity Lutheran School. Audrey is a classically trained soprano, and maintains a private voice studio. 

 Audrey earned her B.M. in Music Performance from Sam Houston State University. She is married to Christian Clark, director of Central Oregon Mastersingers, and they have three children, the youngest of which joins her in Singers School.

calah mcDUFFIE,

PREMIERE CHOIR & SPARK AND GLOW Accompanist

Calah McDuffie grew up in South Georgia as the daughter of a preacher. Her love of piano began with sitting beside the church pianist each Sunday and watching her play. She began studying piano at age 5, and subsequently performed and accompanied all over the southeast. Calah studied music education at Valdosta State University and received scholarships for multiple music festivals. She moved to Bend in 2021 and works full time for an engineering firm as well as giving piano lessons, accompanying for YCCO and the Cascade Chorale. 

DIANE THIELEN,

DEBUT CHOIR Accompanist

Diane Thielen’s love of piano began at the age of five. At age 12, she began playing the piano and organ for church services and vocal groups, a focus that has been a priority throughout her life and piano career. Diane earned a B.S. in Music from Arizona Christian University with an emphasis in piano performance. Having moved with her husband to central Oregon in 2016, she has been privileged to accompany the Central Oregon Mastersingers, Bend Camerata, Youth Choir of Central Oregon, the Sunriver Music Festival Young Artists Scholarship Program, and several high school and middle school choirs.

Chris Asher,

Executive Director

Chris Asher has served as the Executive Director for the Youth Choir of Central Oregon since 2003. Chris graduated from Oregon State University in Corvallis with a Bachelor of Science degree. She worked in her field of Foods and Nutrition before working for the airline industry where she found her love of travel. In addition to her Executive Director responsibilities, Chris also plans the YCCO international and domestic choir tours.

Choir Founder

betH BASHAm

Beth Basham founded the Youth Choir of Central Oregon in 1990 and retired in 2020. For thirty years she brought vision and an infectious enthusiasm for singing to the YCCO organization. Under her direction the choirs achieved state, national, and international recognition and acclaim. YCCO will be forever grateful for her tireless contribution to the lives of thousands of young people in Central Oregon.