Staff Members | American Chamber Chorale

Marty Renner-Hughes

Assistant Conductor

Marty has been a member of the music faculty of St. Louis Community College at Forest Park for the past ten years. She previously taught vocal music on the high school level in the St. Louis area.

Ms. Hughes earned a BA in Music Education from St. Louis University, graduating Summa cum Laude. As a recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship, she studied at the Conservatoire Nationale de la France with Irene Sicot of the Paris Opera. Ms. Hughes was awarded a Nussbaum Fellowship by Washington University, where she received her Master’s Degree in Vocal Music Education.

Besides performing/directing music from the classical repertoire, Ms. Hughes has directed and/or performed in numerous musical comedy productions throughout the St. Louis area. She is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, The Missouri Music Educators Association, and the Voice Care Network. In addition, she is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Sigma Nu (the Jesuit Honor Society), and Pi Delta Phi (the French Honor Society).

Donna Pyron

Accompanist

Donna brings a varied musical background to the Chorale. Ms. Pyron graduated from the University of Missouri at Columbia, with a degree in Vocal Music Education.  She has taught in the Columbia Public School system and served as staff accompanist at Lindenwood University.

Currently, Ms. Pyron is staff accompanist for the music department at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL)  Opera Workshop productions, University Singers, and Vocal Point.   Ms. Pyron enjoys working as accompanist with Stephen Morton in his voice studio at UMSL in addition to their association in the American Chamber Chorale. She brings friendliness, energy and enthusiasm to the Chorale Community as she shares her musical talents.

Marsha Armentrout

Executive Director

Marsha holds a Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in voice from Southeast Missouri State University and a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Colorado State University. Her post graduate work includes twenty hours of music education from colleges and universities in Colorado, Illinois and Missouri.

Ms. Armentrout, a retired music educator, taught elementary music in the Pattonville School District in St. Louis, MO, and secondary choral music at Meramec Valley R-III School District in Pacific, MO for a combined twenty-seven years. In addition, for eighteen summers she worked at Geneva Glen Camps in Colorado where she gained extensive experience as Program Director, Administrative Assistant and Director of Music.