MEET OUR STAFF
CARLOS CASILLA-NOVA
Artistic Director and Senior Honors Choir Conductor
Carlos Casilla-Nova, a native of the Dominican Republic, graduated with a master’s degree in choral conducting from Louisiana State University, where he studied with Dr. John Dickson. Prior to that, he received his Bachelor of Music degree with a concentration in Piano and Vocal Performance from William Carey University in Hattiesburg, MS. Most recently, Carlos received the 2022 Outstanding Young Conductor Award from the American Choral Directors Association Pennsylvania. In addition to being an accomplished conductor, Carlos has appeared as a baritone/bass soloist in both musical theater and classical performances and has been a versatile church musician as well as a studio piano and voice instructor. Carlos currently serves as Upper School Music Teacher and Choral Director at The Park School of Baltimore in Baltimore, as well as Chorusmaster for the York Symphony Orchestra, and the Children and Community Repertoire and Resources Chair for the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.
RACHEL MORGAN
Junior Honors Choir Conductor
Rachel Morgan was named Conductor of the York County Junior Honors Choir in 2022. She is the Artistic Director of the Children’s Chorus of Maryland & School of Music, where she conducts three performing choirs and oversees a ten-level music literacy training program, early music classes, and summer music camps. She also conducts two auditioned choirs for the Children’s Chorus of Carroll County in MD. A school music teacher from 2005-2020, Rachel earned elite recognition as Teacher of the Year 2015 Finalist for Carroll County Public Schools. Other organizations with which she has held conducting and teaching contracts include Lamplight Artists, the National Christian Choir, Carroll Community College Theatre, and the Maryland Academy of Dance. She has also taught private music lessons and has served as a church musician. Rachel holds a Master of Music from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Music Education from the Conservatory of Music at Wheaton College. She earned Kodály Certification from the American Kodály Institute of Loyola University, and she has completed 40 additional graduate credits centered on world folk arts at McDaniel College. Rachel’s primary instrument is voice, but she also plays piano and djembe.
RANDY YODER
Founding Senior Honors Choir Director 1998-2020 (Retired) and Alumni Choir Director
Randy Yoder is a graduate of Susquehanna University with a Bachelor of Science degree in music education. At Westminster Choir College, he earned a Master of Music Degree in choral conducting, studying with Joseph Flummerfelt, and sang under the direction of Leonard Bernstein, James Levine and Pierre Boulez. At Berklee College of Music in Boston, he did additional studies in jazz. Following 35 years as the choral director at Northeastern and William Penn High Schools and teacher of piano and music theory, he is currently the Director of Music at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in York and adjunct professor of piano at York College. Randy is the founder and retired Director of the York County Senior Honors Choir and Concorde Vocal Ensemble. He has led choruses in ten concert tours of Europe and Great Britain, and his choirs have performed in Notre Dame in Paris, St. Mark’s in Venice, Canterbury Cathedral and the York Minster in England, the National Cathedral in Washington and Carnegie Hall in New York. Randy is a guest conductor for choral festivals, accompanist for numerous vocal recitals and has been awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for public television WITF-TV’s production of “Historic Pennsylvania”. Randy is a past President of the Pennsylvania American Choral Directors Association.
ROTH PREAP
Accompanist - Junior Honors Choir, Elementary Choir
Roth Preap, received a bachelor’s degree in Music Industry Recording Technology with a dual major in Music from York College of Pennsylvania. Roth began studying piano under Michal Buchanan while attending William Penn Senior High School and continued his studies at YCP under the direction of Kenneth Osowski and Gretchen Dekker.
Roth serves as the Executive Director of the York Art Association and has worked for several York County organizations including the York County Community Foundation, York Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the York Junior Symphony Orchestra. In 2022, Roth was inducted as an honoree for Central Penn Business Journal’s Forty under 40 and in 2023, received the Ignite Young Professional Award from York County Economic Alliance. Outside of his work with the York Art Association and the Honors Choirs, Roth is a senior consultant with Maneval Consulting.
JACOB FRASCH
Accompanist - Senior Honors Choir
Jacob Frasch received a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in piano performance from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University. He has performed extensively as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician across the United States, including at Merkin Hall in New York City and at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.; as well as on NPR’s Morning Edition and the New York Times website. Locally, he has appeared with the York Symphony Orchestra, the York Chamber Players, and the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra.
DONNA KNOTT
Founding Director 2002-2022 (Retired)
Secondary to family, Donna Knott’s passion for encouraging youth through the art of choral music has not waned during her many years of public school teaching, community choirs and church music. Mrs. Knott received the American Choral Directors Association of Pennsylvania, Eileen M. Hower Memorial Award for her proven record of commitment to developing voices, particularly at the middle school level; her high artistic standards; active involvement in ACDA; and her passionate, positive, energetic, and joyful approach to her work. Mrs. Knott is an active middle school festival conductor, clinician and adjudicator throughout Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey and Maryland. She is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) having served a six-year term on the Board. A Graduate of West Chester University (B.S. Music Education) and Penn State University (Master of Education), Mrs. Knott’s thesis focused on an extensive study of the developing male voice.