Elizabeth Woodhouse,
Founder and Artistic Director
Elizabeth Woodhouse is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Choral Collective of Newport County (RI), which includes the Newport County Youth Chorus and the Aquidneck Singers (teen and adult women's chorus). She has worked with community choirs for more than 15 years in Denver, CO, Columbus, OH, New Haven, CT and most recently in Brooklyn, NY with the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. During her career she has conducted ensembles of varying ages and abilities. Elizabeth has prepared ensembles for performances at Carnegie Hall and Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) as well as for a national PBS Kids Commercial.
A leader in the children's choir community, Elizabeth has been a guest lecturer at Salve Regina University, the University of Colorado - Boulder, The Ohio State University, and Western Connecticut State University. Elizabeth is a frequent adjudicator at choral festivals including WorldStrides, Fantastic Festivals and Music in the Parks as well as the Rhode Island Junior High Choir Festival and the New Hampshire Music Educators Association Large Group Festival. In March 2019 she was the Guest Conductor for the RI All-State Elementary Chorus. In 2022 Elizabeth served as the Guest Conductor of the St. Vrain Valley District (Colorado) Middle School Treble Honor Choir and the New Hampshire Music Educators Association and New York ACDA Elementary Honor Choirs.
Elizabeth is an adjunct professor at University of Rhode Island where she conducts the University Chorus. She also serves as a student teacher supervisor at Rhode Island College.
A 2019-2020 Jubilation Foundation Fellow, Elizabeth received a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting at The Ohio State University, where she was a University Fellow.
Elizabeth is the President of the RI chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA).
Elise Felker, NCYC co-teacher and Aquidneck Singers section leader, is a graduate from University of Rhode Island where she earned her BA in Music Education. She is the founder of Voces Excelsis, the treble chorus at the University of Rhode Island. She started her career teaching Middle School Chorus and General Music in the public schools. Along with teaching at CCNC, she co-teaches a music course at MCI-Norfolk in Massachusetts. She currently serves on the leadership team of the artists collective Voices21C in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2019, she interned at the Casterbridge Music Development Academy in White River, South Africa. While in South Africa, she also taught General Music at Mshadza Disability Center.
Kristin Lafferty, NCYC teacher, is a graduate from the University of Rhode Island where she received a BA in Music Education and graduated Magna Cum Laude. She currently teaches kindergarten through third grade music at Nayatt School in Barrington, RI. She also spends some of her time working with children 3-5 years old at URI’s Child Development Center. Kristin has been a sectional leader and cantor at St. Gregory the Great Church for the past four years. She is a staff member of Newport County Youth Chorus where she assists with the Middle School and Prep Chorus. Kristin is the founder and director of the new RI Community Chorus, “Better Together” that connects singers 14-22 years old.
Jan Navarro, CCNC Collaborative Pianist, recently moved to Aquidneck Island from Seattle, Washington. She has enjoyed a lifetime love of music that began at age 4. The daughter of generations of musicians and teachers, Jan grew up playing piano, flute, and singing in church and school. She went on to study piano performance and music education at Northern State University in South Dakota. Jan has been teaching for over 35 years. In that time, she has also accompanied countless soloists, choirs, and Musical Theater shows. Last year, she was the Director of Choirs at North Providence High School, where she also taught Piano and Guitar classes. Jan is very much looking forward to working with Elizabeth, and making beautiful music with the students of Newport County Youth Chorus!
NCYC Program Assistants
Meghan Cashmon, Thursday Middle School Ensemble
Loganne McKenna, Tuesday and Thursday Prep Chorus
Aquidneck Singers Section Leaders
Elise Felker, Soprano 1 section leader
Sophie Garman, Alto section leader