Ms. Tuttle graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Music Education in Choral Music and recently graduated from Florida State University with a Masters in Music Education. While there, she studied conducting with Dr. Andre Thomas and Dr. Kevin Fenton. She has taught at Oceanway Middle School as the choir director for the past five years and will continue this year teaching Beginning and Chamber Choir, Music Appreciation and Music Theater. She has also judged piano and voice for District and State Federation for the past five years. 

Ms. Tuttle has performed as a member of the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus and performs frequently as a soloist for Riverside Presbyterian Church. Having taught the Vocal Exploration Class and assisted with the choirs for the Jacksonville Children's Chorus wherever needed, Ms. Tuttle is looking forward to being a more involved in the Jacksonville Children's Chorus family as the new Treble Choir director.

Melissa Barnes served with Jacksonville Children's Chorus for several years prior to moving to Alabama in 2010.  She is thrilled to be returning to Jacksonville and to the JCC as a Training Choir Conductor. Melissa received her Vocal Performance degree with additional studies in music education from University of Mobile. She also studied at University of Southern Mississippi where she was a proud member of the Marching Pride.

Melissa brings over 25 years' experience in both performing and teaching all ages from preschool to adults. Her personal vocal performance experience includes leading roles in "Amahl and the Night Visitors," "H.M.S. Pinafore," "Mikado," Handel's "Messiah,"& John Rutter's "Requiem."  She enjoys performing but has found her passion in guiding children to discover and develop their talents and creativity. It is her desire to assist in developing a high-quality choral music program while teaching not only musical and cognitive skills, but social development, self-discipline, teamwork, and community involvement. Her desire is to teach her students by example to strive for excellence in everything they do.

Susanne Dailey is a musician with many years experience both teaching and performing music. She has served in both public and private schools in New Jersey, North Carolina and Massachusetts, taught general music and chorus at the elementary levels (K-6), and worked as Organist/Pianist at several churches. Mrs. Dailey received her Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N.J. and her Master's degree in Music Education from Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. She has trained in the Kodaly and Orff-Schulwerk methodologies and is committed to providing young students with the foundations of music reading and music making.  In addition, she is a certified Kindermusik Instructor with six years of experience teaching music to preschoolers.

Susanne is well respected as an educator and has been acclaimed for her special rapport with students as well as her fine musicianship.  She believes that music is critical in nurturing a child's cognitive, emotional, social and physical development and is dedicated to ensuring that each child experiences the joy, fun and learning which music brings to life! Susanne's husband, Darrin Dailey, is the Artistic and Executive Director of the Jacksonville Children's Chorus.  They have two daughters, Mary and Megan.

Tommy Shapard is beginning his fourth year of serving as Minister of Music and Worship at Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree (Vocal/Choral emphasis) from Baylor University in 1997, graduating Magna Cum Laude and receiving the School of Music's Annual Senior Award for Outstanding Music Educator.  Following a stint of graduate work in Ethnomusicology at The Florida State University, Tommy enrolled in Emory University's Candler School of Theology, where he received his Master of Divinity degree in 2004, completing a thesis on current Baptist worship practices.

Over a period of fifteen years, Tommy has served churches in Texas, Florida, and Georgia, where, among other responsibilities, he has directed children's and youth choirs. Tommy is a member of the AGO, Choristers Guild, and ACDA. Tommy is married to Rachel Gunter Shapard and together they have three children, Drew, Kate, and Mac.  

Jeffrey Clayton is now in his thirteenth year as Vocal Department Chair at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville, Florida.  He is extremely proud to be a member of a music faculty that in 2010 and 2012 was awarded the top prize as the National GRAMMY Signature School—the best high school music program in the United States!  In April of 2008 he was awarded the prestigious Gladys Prior Award for Career Excellence in Teaching.

His choirs, ensembles, and soloists have earned countless superior ratings at district and state festivals as well as performing for live television specials.  Clayton’s Concert Chorale has been heard as a feature choir numerous times with the Jacksonville Symphony.  His Chorale Women have performed for the Florida Chapter of the American Chorale Directors Association (ACDA) convention, the 2010 Southern Division Regional Conference in Memphis, and the 2011 ACDA National Conference in Chicago—the ultimate honor for this group.

Clayton received a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Samford University, a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from the Indiana University School of Music; and was awarded an Opera Fellowship for completion of his doctorate at Florida State University. 

From 2002-2005 he served as a conductor for the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus preparing the Concert Choir for Jacksonville Symphony’s productions of Carmen and La Boheme and for their annual Holiday Pops Concert Series.  Clayton was invited to be a feature conductor for the Music Educators National Conference’s World’s Largest Concert broadcast worldwide in the spring of 2005. 

Clayton is in demand as a clinician and adjudicator having recently conducted the 2011 Alabama All-State Women’s Choir and the 2012 SC ACDA Women’s Choir.

While in South Carolina, Lana taught choral music for fourteen years in public schools and is a former Teacher of the Year. She was a vocal coach with the Miss South Carolina Pageant. An avid Broadway / musical theater fan, Lana was Music Director at the Greenville (SC) Little Theater and at Centre-Stage SC. Lana has accompanied professionally at Furman University, Converse College, Presbyterian College, solo and ensemble, and All-State Chorus. Lana was the Artistic Director of the Greenville Chamber Singers, whose performances include Biltmore House Candlelight Christmas, The Greenville Symphony, The Mayor’s Tree Lighting, and other performances in North and South Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. Dr. Lana Stephens Pollard is a graduate of Presbyterian College with a Bachelor degree in Music Education in Choral Music and a Piano Performance minor. Lana earned her Masters in Music Education at the University of South Carolina School of Music, where she studied conducting and Kodaly with Dr. Arpad Darazs, an apprentice of Kodaly in his native Hungary. More recently, Lana completed a Doctorate in Worship Studies at the Robert E. Webber Institute of Worship Studies; her dissertation involved the writing of a children’s musical, Loyalty to Royalty: The Story of Ruth. Lana is also trained in Orff and Suzuki.

Lana has worked her entire career in the arts as choral director, vocal coach, organist, accompanist, church musician and freelance musician. Lana is currently the Music Director at First Christian Church and is married to Tim Pollard. Together they have three grown children (SC, NC, NY) and four grandchildren. Lana was drawn to the JCC for the beautiful tones and harmonies produced by the singers and their incredible discipline! Lana is delighted to be the new accompanist for the Treble Choir and to be a part of JCC.