This interview is with my former high school teacher and one of my reasons for going into music education, listen for stories and powerful conversation.
Diane Covington served as Choral Director at Leesville Road High School in Raleigh, North Carolina for 19 years. During her tenure there, the Leesville Road Choral Department grew in numbers from 32 singers to its enrollment of 200 upon her retirement. Prior to moving to North Carolina, Mrs. Covington was the Choral Director at Fairview Middle School in Tallahassee, Florida enabling that program to grow in numbers from 30 to 250 in 5 years.
Her choirs participated in regional and national festivals where they consistently received Superior ratings. Mrs. Covington’s choirs performed at venues such as Riverside Church in New York City, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, the Basilica in Washington, DC, and Westminster Cathedral in London. They also performed for the North Carolina Music Educators Association conference and the North Carolina conference of the American Choral Directors Association. In 2011 her choir was one of two high school choirs from across the U.S. to be selected by the Weill Institute of Music to perform the Berlioz “Requiem” in Carnegie Hall. In February of 2012 the Leesville choir performed in the National President’s Day Choral Concert held at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
Mrs. Covington received her Bachelor of Music degree from Mars Hill College, and also received her National Board certification. She is a member of the National Association for Music Educators and the American Choral Directors Association. In 2011, Mrs. Covington was voted “Teacher of the Year” by the North Carolina High School Choral Directors of NCMEA. She is a mentor and consultant for North Carolina high school choral directors, and is frequently called upon to serve as conductor, consultant and adjudicator for county and state choral events across NC and VA. Mrs. Covington has also served as a Board Member for the North Carolina Master Chorale and where she served as the liason between the Master Chorale and local high school choral programs.
Married for 42 years to Dr. David L. Covington, Mrs. Covington resides in Raleigh, NC. The Covingtons have two children, and two granddaughters.
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Music by: Scott Holmes
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