Ann M. McKinney

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - Newly appointed Executive Director of Joyful Noise, Inc., was Executive Director of the InterSchool Orchestras of New York from 1981 to 1995, served as Executive Director of the American Guild of Organists and as an ISO Trustee from 1995 to 1997, and returned to the ISO. She retired at the end of June, 2006. Mrs. McKinney holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science from Barnard College, Columbia University, and in cello performance from the Manhattan School of Music, also a Masters in Music Education from MSM. She taught cello privately from 1975 to 1985, and taught at the High School of Performing Arts in 1980-81.

Mrs. McKinney served as Co-President of the Dalcroze School of Music, and is a member of the Alumni Council of the Manhattan School of Music, the American Symphony Orchestra League's Youth Orchestra Division Board, and the New York City Arts-in-Education Roundtable. She is Vice President of the New Amsterdam Singers Board.

She comments, 'I have always had music in my life. The first song my father taught me, when I was three, was Schubert's "Hark, hark, the Lark!" I loved singing it, especially to family guests. After singing (choruses) and playing (violin, cello) through school and college, I have continued to play chamber music and to sing a wide variety of repertoire with the New Amsterdam Singers in New York, and renaissance music with the Tallis Scholars in England. I am delighted to be taking on the fun and the challenges Joyful Noise has offered me."