Biography page

Lynda Alexander

Lynda Alexander started her career in church music at a very young age, singing in the choir, playing piano and organ. This developed into such a love that she majored in Church Music/Organ Performance at Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee. After graduating, Ms. Alexander headed west to attend Mills College for a Master's degree in Music Literature, all the while playing in various churches, was staff organist for Mills and taught in the Mills preparatory school of music. It was here that she met Tina Sundquist, who was her mentor for those years. Following this adventure, Ms. Alexander headed south for Stanford where she took the DMA route, while studying with Herb Nanney and Bill Marht, majoring in Early Music and Organ Performance.

As Director of Music at Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church Ms. A plans the entire music program, plays the organ and on occasion is seen emptying trash cans and moving pianos and directing the children's choirs and teaching organ lessons.

In her personal life, she has 2 sons, Chris and David and 2 beautiful step-daughters, Jenny and Laura and the world's smartest, cutest granddaughter, Karsen. Still living at home are her husband, Keith (often mistaken as her pageturner, pedal light changer, sound man and truly amazing guy) and 2 cats and a black toy poodle named Suzi-Q.

She is past Dean of San Jose AGO, currently involved on the Northern CA Board of Chorister's Guild. In her past life, she taught piano, Kindermusik, and has completed level one of both Orff and Kodaly.
In addition, Ms. Alexander has certified as a yoga instructor and offers a mini yoga class before Thursday choir rehearsal.

She has played in venues around the world, including the UK, Scotland, France, and Australia.

Irene Kwok

After gaining an MBA from Santa Clara University, Irene spent most of her early adult years in the corporate world, holding jobs in Marketing, Finance and Partner Management. However, several years ago, Irene felt a deep need to fulfill her desire to perform music. As a child, she did not wholly appreciate her piano lessons, but later realized its
value and while in college, continued to build on her first 7 years of foundation within the Royal School ofMusic. Building on that, and many years of experience singing in various churches, she decided to earn a
degree in the Master of Music from Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU), focusing in conducting. She selected conducting as it best utilized her different skill sets in keyboard, voice, music analysis and
leadership. She was privileged to study with Shulamit Hoffman (of Viva la Musica!), Daniel Hughes (of The Choral Project) and Margaret Kwamme. While at NDNU, she sang with the Chamber Singers under Ms. Hoffman, and currently sings with the Stanford Symphonic Chorus
under Dr. Stephen Sano. At NDNU, she was also privileged to study voice under Dr. Lee Strawn and continued taking private piano under several gifted instructors.

Over the past several years, Irene has conducted three choirs, one of young adults with Holy Light Episcopal Church, a youth choir at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church which she started and conducted for five years, and another choir of adults in preparation for her master’s recital. She has also offered her services as a pianist and played at the Holy Light Episcopal and St. Jude’s Episcopal churches regularly, and occasionally also subbing for the church organist. But her first instrument is the piano which she enjoys and teaches privately. She currently accompanies a choir at Crystal Children’s Choir in Cupertino, and previously accompanied the Harker School’s Bel Canto (a high school choir), St. Andrew’s Gloria Choir and occasionally also the St. Jude’s adult choir.

Irene currently also teaches music to youths K-5 in the Sunnyvale School District and has previously provided music enrichment to children with special needs at the Organization of Special Needs Families (OSF) for several years.

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