GREENVILLE – Dwight Dockery, director of the Wesleyan Singers at North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount and academic advisor in the East Carolina University School of Music, is the new director of the Greenville Choral Society‘s Concert Choir.

He succeeds Dr. Jeffrey Ward, who has taken on increased administrative responsibilities in the ECU College of Fine Arts and Communication and ECU School of Music.

Dockery earned a bachelor’s degree in music theory and composition from Maryville College in Tennessee in 2005 and a master’s degree in choral conducting from ECU in 2008. He began working as an advisor at ECU in 2011 and became guest conductor of the Wesleyan Singers in January. He also has served as director of music at First Presbyterian Church, Smithfield, and director of music at St. James United Methodist Church, Tarboro. He has participated in the Atlanta Summer Conducting Institute and the Choral Conducting Institute at the Eastman School of Music.

In addition to choral conducting, Dockery also composes, arranges and orchestrates music. His compositions include pieces for instruments, solo voice and choir.

The Choral Society also recently elected new officers for 2014-15: Madge Gay Thompson of Winterville is president and Paula Mitra of Winterville is president-elect. Rose McMahon of Williamston has been re-elected secretary and Bill Hodges of Greenville has been re-elected treasurer. New board members for 2014-15 are Judith Barber and Joanna Johnson.

The Choral Society presented its 2014 Rhonda Fleming Scholarship to Johnathan Spell, who graduated from J.H. Rose High School in June and will attend ECU, with a planned major in music education. The $1,000 scholarship is presented to an outstanding high school senior who has participated in the Choral Society’s youth ensembles and intends to pursue a music degree in college.

The Greenville Choral Society, which started as the Greenville Community Chorus in 1969, is the largest community-based performing arts organization in eastern North Caroline and will mark its 45th season in 2014-15. The society has approximately 125 singers in four ensembles for adults, youth, and children and has as its primary goal providing fine choral music to residents of Pitt County and beyond. Membership in all ensembles is based on audition, and auditions will be scheduled in late August for adults and early September for children and youth.

For information on the Choral Society, call 252-353-5495 or go to greenvillechoralsociety.com.

Note: This press release has been provided by the Greenville Choral Society.