About Us
The Don Thompson Chorale, Inc. was formed in 1995 by a nucleus of volunteer adult singers who had sung with director Don Thompson in the 1970s and ’80s in his auditioned group at the Florida Junior College Chorale (now Florida State College at Jacksonville). Their desire to share their musical gifts with others expanded into the current non-profit organization, but not until they could convince Mr. T to agree to be the director. After years of pleading with Thompson to direct an adult group, these singers finally convinced him to give it a try. He agreed, but only as long as all he had to do was lead the music and the members of the group would do everything else. As a result, for almost eight years, Thompson led the group in well over 70 concerts in Jacksonville and surrounding areas in venues from the Florida Theater and FSCJ’s Wilson Center and the Kent Campus theaters, Jacksonville Historical Society’s St. Andrews Church, the Cathedral-Basilica in St. Augustine, to churches and miscellaneous venues across the area. Thompson retired from the DTC after a busy 2003 summer season, was awarded the title Director Emeritus, and fulfilled his dream of moving back to his boyhood home in Georgia. He passed away in March 2017, after having suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease for several years.
Michael Dell, who had served as accompanist and Associate Director since the Spring 2000 season, became director upon Mr. T’s retirement. He served as the group’s director and accompanist, and greatly broadened the group’s repertoire until he left the Chorale after the fall 2009 season to create another choral group, The Heritage Singers, based at South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church, where Dell serves as organist/choirmaster.
In the following spring 2010 season, the DTC board decided to cultivate the idea of multiple “singing directors” with different members of the group sharing the role of Musical Director. Each brought their individual styles to the podium, keeping the Chorale’s rehearsals and performances rich with variety.
At the beginning of the Chorale’s 20th performance season in the fall of 2014, the group re-adopted a single director model with one of the singing directors, Jay Stuckey, serving in that role. Jay brought experience with both instrumental and choral music, along with a commitment to excellence. He served as the group’s single director through Spring 2016, after which he “retired from active service” due to his increased work schedule.
Throughout the summer of 2016, the DTC Board searched for a new director and discovered a passion for choral leadership in Hugh Patterson. After an audition session with the majority of chorale members, Hugh was asked to become the director for the 2016-2017 season. Under his direction, the Chorale completed the Spring 2017 season with a presentation of Fauré’s Requiem, accompanied by members of the Jacksonville Symphony, in memory of Don Thompson. The DTC enjoyed Patterson’s energy and enthusiastic directorship until COVID-19 called a halt to choral singing, and eventually took his life.
As the pandemic waned, singing groups started rehearsing and performing again, and Jay Stuckey offered to serve as the DTC’s interim director until a new director could be recruited. While Jay led the DTC in Valentine’s Day concerts, choral conducting student Adam Hooper sang with the group and became a candidate for the Chorale’s next conductor. Adam was accepted as the next DTC leader in Spring 2022 and served in that role for two years. He regretfully resigned after Spring 2024 due to increasing work and family responsibilities.
Currently the DTC is enjoying the talents of multiple conductors from within the group once again, as candidates are considered for a permanent musical leader. As always, the DTC strives to live up to its original Prime Directive: “To create beautiful choral music and share it with as many people as possible.”