Charlotte Choir School’s accomplished artistic staff are responsible for developing the program and curriculum that defines the Choir School experience. Trained in voice and instrumental performance, as well as music education, our staff are well equipped to ensure every chorister receives musical training meeting our high standards, no matter what level the singer may be at.
Artistic Staff
Elizabeth Lenti
Artistic Director
Elizabeth Lenti is Artistic Director of Charlotte Choir School. A native of Rochester, NY, Ms. Lenti is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Before joining the staff of Charlotte Choir School as Assistant Director in 2014, she was Associate Director of Music and Worship at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Cleveland, OH. Ms. Lenti has also served as a member of the organ faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music. She is active as a recitalist, having performed on concert series throughout the United States, and has played at regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists and the Association of Anglican Musicians.
Andrew Pester
Associate Director
A native of Dayton, OH, Dr. Andrew Pester is active as an organist, conductor, and composer who has performed across the United States and Europe, extensively in collaborative endeavors, including as organ soloist in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms and as continuo organist for Monteverdi’s Vespers (1610) with the renowned renaissance wind band, Piffaro. Prior to his appointment as Associate Director of Charlotte Choir School, Andrew was Associate Minister of Music at Morning Star Lutheran Church (Matthews, NC) and Associate Director of Music and Organist at Providence UMC (Charlotte, NC).
Administration
Davis A. Tapp
Executive Director
Davis A. Tapp is Executive Director of Charlotte Choir School. At Charlotte Choir School, Davis is responsible for strategic planning and governance matters with the Board of Directors, executing our mission, leading fundraising efforts, and sharing Charlotte Choir School’s story with the Charlotte community and beyond.
As an accomplished nonprofit executive, Davis brings significant leadership and fundraising experience to Charlotte Choir School. Prior to joining the Choir School, Davis was the primary major gifts officer for the Pi Kappa Phi Foundation in Charlotte. Working closely with their board and executive team, he was responsible for raising more than $2 million in planned and unrestricted gifts. Earlier in his career, he worked with young people at the Boy Scouts of America in Lumberton, N.C., serving as a senior district executive responsible for fundraising, recruitment, and program.
Davis is a graduate of Queens University of Charlotte and a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Outside of work, he’s personally interested in literature, cinema, sports, and theatre.
Hunter Rigsby
Program Coordinator
NC native, Ms. Hunter Rigsby, M.A. is Program Coordinator for Charlotte Choir School. Hunter obtained a Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke and a Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Winthrop University. While in college, she held the title of Performing Arts Coordinator for The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina to then move on to begin her career as a Theater Arts educator, directing and teaching students.
MasterSingers Assistants
Kevin Beyer
Kevin Beyer assists with the tenor section of the MasterSingers. He attended Wingate College, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music with an emphasis in Vocal Performance. A private voice instructor, he has also appeared in various stage productions including “1776” and “Smoke on the Mountain.” He is a member of the St. Peter’s Choir and the Evensong Choir.
John Hall
John Hall assists with the bass and tenor sections of the Master Singers, and serves as President of the Charlotte Choir School Board of Directors. He received his Bachelors of Science degree in psychology from the College of William and Mary in Virginia where he studied voice and saxophone in addition to performing in or vocal directing various musicals including Evita and The Canterbury Tales. He holds a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Louisville and provides clinical video telehealth for veterans with PTSD and serves as the LGBT Veteran Care Coordinator for the Salisbury VA Healthcare System. He has served as section leader and soloist for various local churches, synagogues, and community choruses.
Chip Mays
As a parishioner at St. Peter’s Episcopal, Chip Mays sings Evensong with the St. Peter’s Choir as well as volunteering with the Charlotte Choir School. A native of Upstate South Carolina, Chip holds a BS in biology from Furman University, Greenville, SC; a BA in music from Anderson College, Anderson, SC; and a Master of Church Music from Erskine Theological Seminary. Since 2016, Chip has worked as a pipe organ builder with Cornel Zimmer Organbuilders in Denver, NC. He also serves as Music Director and Organist at the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour in Rock Hill, SC.
