DIRECTORS
Dr James Beaumier
Director
James Beaumier is in his 34th season as the Artistic Director of the Hartsville CommunityChorus. This is also his 35th year as Director of Music at Wesley United Methodist Church. Dr. Beaumier retired in 2019 from Hartsville High School after 34 years in education. At HHS he was department chair, a National Board Certified Teacher and International Baccalaureate instructor where his students had a 100% pass rate in music. His choirs at HHS received superior ratings in competitions in both singing and sight-reading. In his last year at HHS, his students scored within the top 10 high schools in South Carolina. Dr. Beaumier was also a 2018 and 2019 Grammy Teacher of the Year Quarter- inalist. He received a doctorate degree from the University of Southern California and also holds degrees from Western Washington University (MM) and the University of Washington (BME/BM).
Dr. Beaumier served as a music professor at Coker College for 15 years, attaining the rank of Associate Professor. At Coker, he helped create both the Musical Theater and the Bachelor of Music Education programs. He is past President and Governor of the South Carolina Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and has held leadership positions with the National Association for Music Educators.
Dr. Beaumier is an Examiner for the International Baccalaureate in Music, evaluating submissions from all over the world. He is the bonsai artist for Growing Hobby at the Pee Dee State Farmer’s Market, which sells succulents and other plants, gifts and bonsai.
Mary Elise Wallace
Children's Choir Director
Mary Elise Wallace is the Hartsville Children’s Chorale Director. Mrs. Wallace is a graduate of the South Carolina Governor’s School for Arts and Humanities and Coker College where she studied and received degrees in Music with an emphasis in Vocal performance. Mrs. Wallace plays the violin and has sung and toured at the Vatican and throughout Italy, and is currently Director of Music at Lamar UMC.
She is married to Rusty Wallace and they have three small boys, Gabriel, Elijah, Asher and a little girl Charlotte.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Joel Howle, Board Chairman
Amelia Little, Vice-Chair
Diane Wise, Secretary
Pearl Moore, Treasurer
Kristina Clay
Taryn Dunn
Sheila Haney
Cole Heatherly
Betsy Howle
Otis Lawhon
Kevin Walters
Nancy Williamson