Master Director
Claire Gardiner joined Vienna-Falls in 1984 and became director in October, 1993. She has a degree in Music Education from James Madison University and has extensive performance experience as a classical clarinetist and jazz saxophone player.
She taught music at Bishop O’Connell High School for five years before moving on to the Copyright Office where she was a Supervisory Registration Specialist in the Performing Arts Division. It’s one of the rare Federal Government jobs requiring a music degree! She retired in 2018 from her job in the Federal Government.
Claire has sung and competed in several quartets over the years, and currently is the bass in Vienna-Falls’ Uncut quartet, which took third place at the 2015 Region 14 Competition. One of her previous quartets, Metropolitan Transfer won the regional championship in 1989. She is also very active at the regional level, serving on the Education Faculty for Region 14. As a member of the faculty, she coaches choruses and quartets, and also teaches classes at regional workshops and meetings. She has coached abroad as well, working with choruses and quartets in England.
Vienna-Falls has won seven regional championships under Claire’s direction.
With what little free time she has, Claire pursues her other passions—photography, geocaching, and riding her Honda Gold Wing motorcycle.
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