Our People
ARTISTIC STAFF
Founder and Executive Director
Sam P. Vladovich is the Founder and Executive Director of Spiritful Voices Community Choir, Inc. Since 1999, Sam has brought his passion for music and teaching to the organization. Sam is a native of Washington, D.C., and is a member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the Oklahoma Choral Directors Association (OCDA) and The Fellowship of United Methodists In Music and Worship Arts (FUMMWA). A consummate educator, Sam has served on the faculties of Rose State College, Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Oklahoma State University in Oklahoma City, and Putnam City Schools. In 2009, Sam was a feature presenter on community choirs at the ACDA National Convention. He is a member of United Methodist Church of the Servant in Oklahoma City where he was active in the Celebration Choir for many years. He also served as the Director of Music Ministries at Quail Springs United Methodist church in northwest Oklahoma City where he conducted the adult choir, youth choir, and orchestra. He sang second tenor with the Oklahoma City Symphonic Choir, the Voices of Crossings Community Church, the 3,000-voice Mass Choir for Billy Graham's 2003 Crusade in Oklahoma City, and was one of 168 choir members chosen to sing at the dedication ceremony of the Oklahoma City National Memorial on April 19, 2000. Sam is also an award-winning photographer and an excellent chef, but undisputedly his favorite "job" is being dad to his 16-year-old daughter, Nichole, and husband to his soul mate, Carol Ann.
Music Director
Victor Wong was named music director of Spiritful Voices Community Choir in January 2010. Victor is a 30-year veteran of teaching middle school, high school, and collegiate choral groups. A National Board Certified Teacher in music, Victor recently retired from Oklahoma City Public Schools where he taught vocal music at Classen School of Advanced Studies. Victor is a member of the American Choral Directors Association and the Oklahoma Choral Directors Association, and earned a B.A. from Dartmouth, an M.Mus. in Choral Conducting from the University of Colorado, and an M.Ed. from the University of Central Oklahoma. In addition to his vast experience in education, Victor has also directed church choirs for the past 19 years, and currently serves as the Director of Music Ministries at Northwest Christian Church in Oklahoma City. Victor is an accomplished composer, arranger, pianist, and singer, as well.
Principal Accompanist
Judy Brookover became the principal accompanist for Spiritful Voices in January 2010. She is originally from Tulsa, and lived in Iowa for many years before returning to Oklahoma in 2006. While in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Judy served for 10 years as the accompanist for the Hometowners, a community chorus similar to Spiritful Voices. She also accompanied school choral groups in the Lewis Central Community School District, and served as the organist at First Congregational Church in Oakland, Iowa. Judy has sung alto with the Council Bluffs Community Chorus and the Muskogee Community Chorus.
Associate Accompanists
Leah Knipp joined the alto section of Spiritful Voices during our second season, and later became one of our associate accompanists. Before moving to Oklahoma in 1997, Ms. Knipp sang with the Flint Hills Chorus in Wamego, Kansas, and in various church ensemble groups in Manhattan, Kansas. She has accompanied church choirs, soloists and ensembles. Currently, she is a vocalist in the Praise Choir at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Edmond, where she also serves as a pianist for their Advent and Lent seasonal services.
Lynn Pahdoco joined the choir during its Fall 2002 Season, playing piano for our men's ensemble selection, "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" (from the motion picture, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"). Since that time, she has directed and accompanied our chorus as well as ensemble groups. Lynn also serves as the accompanist at North Side Christian Church in Oklahoma City, and is retired from her job as a legal assistant in the United States Attorney General's Office. Not satisfied with just "lounging around" after her retirement, Lynn currently works as a teller at Allegiance Federal Credit Union.
Jason Stinnett is a talented musician who started piano lessons at age 5, and continued them until he was 17. He won the National Piano Playing Audition at the local, district, and state levels three years in a row. He taught himself the organ at age 16. Jason started singing in public with his elementary school choir in fifth grade while also playing clarinet in the school band. He returned to choir during his sophomore year at high school, winning a spot as a keyboardist in his school’s award-winning show choir. Jason is currently working at a downtown Oklahoma City law firm while attending Southern Nazarene University in Bethany.
