YCCS is seeking a new Artistic Director! Learn more about the position and how to apply here.

Dr. Katherine (“Kathy”) Kinsey

Dr. Katherine (“Kathy”) Kinsey was appointed Artistic Director and Conductor of the York County Choral Society on May 10, 2012 following co-founder Dr. David Lowry’s 31 years of musical leadership who retired in spring 2012. Dr. Kinsey served as Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Winthrop University (Rock Hill, S. C.) from 1997 – 2017. During that time she directed the Winthrop Chorale and the Winthrop Chamber Singers. In addition she taught both undergraduate and graduate conducting, oversaw and instructed courses related to the Master of Music in choral conducting program, and for 17 years she instructed secondary choral music education courses and oversaw student teachers. A resident of Charlotte, N. C. for over 30 years she holds a Master’s degree of Music Education from UNC-Greensboro and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of South Carolina where she studied with Dr. Larry Wyatt and Dr. Emanuel Alvarez. She also has been influenced professionally by the late Dr. Mary Nell Saunders (Charlotte Oratorio Singers), and the late Dr. Arpad Darazs (USC). She began her teaching career in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools where she taught middle and high school choral music for thirteen years prior to her appointment at Winthrop and simultaneously worked with the Community School of the Arts (Charlotte, NC) teaching voice, piano, and music theory for seven years.

Dr. Kinsey has served in numerous state offices for the SC American Choral Directors Association including that of state president and vice president (2007 – 2011). She frequently is invited to work with teachers within professional education in-service clinics, to serve as a clinician of state choral events, to direct musical theater productions, judge choral festivals, and she works annually as a consultant with high school/church choral music programs.

Dr. Kinsey considers her musical strengths to be periodic/stylistic interpretation and vocal blend. She is adamant about maintaining the strong musical and artistic traditions of the York County Choral Society. She recognizes the wealth of vocal talent in Rock Hill and the surrounding area and hopes to continually feature both established and young artists in annual YCCS performances. Ultimately, she encourages singers in our area who have a love of choral music and a need to perform quality music to join us in our performances of great choral works.

Please also see A Word from the Conductor

Zinorl Broñola, Directing Assistant and Accompanist

Zinorl Broñola – Mr. Broñola is currently an instructor/accompanist of various courses in Winthrop’s Dept. of Theatre and Dance, an accompanist for the Winthrop Chorale, and serves as the Director of Music at Epworth United Methodist Church in Rock Hill, SC. He earned an MM in piano performance (Winthrop University) and a BA in piano performance from the Bulgarian State Academy of Music. He is a native of Manila, Philippines, and throughout his young adult years has won prestigious awards and distinctions both nationally and internationally as a solo pianist. His achievements include winning first prize at the 1981 National Music Competitions for Young Artists and the 1990 International Piano Competition for Young Pianists held in Marsala, Sicily, Italy. Mr. Broñola also is the recipient of the 1990 Young Achievers’ Award in Music which was awarded to him by the National Commission on Culture and the i^rts in Manila, and he was featured as a guest artist on Philippine radio/television on many occasions. He was discovered by then-First Lady of the Philippines, Imelda Marcos, was invited frequently to perform at the presidential palace, and in 1982 he was invited to be part of her delegation (as a solo artist) to Russia, Morocco, and the United States. His other performances abroad include concerts in Bulgaria, Poland, and Italy, where he was featured both by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Embassy in Rome. After completing his master’s degree in 2005 at Winthrop, he has continually played an active part in the life of the university and the surrounding communities through performance in solo/collaborative music, accompanying statewide festivals (both in choral music and dance) and has directed/accompanied several musical theater productions at Winthrop University and for the Rock Hill Community Theater.