Let Your Voice Shine!
Lumina Youth Choirs
Combining over 50 years of award winning and nationally-recognized excellence in choral music education and artistry, Gulf Coast Youth Choirs and Tampa Bay Children's Chorus have come together to begin a new era of choral experiences for the young singers of Tampa Bay as Lumina Youth Choirs!
Lumina Youth Choirs officially debuted on July 1, 2015 as the most comprehensive choral music education organization in the Tampa Bay area for young men and women ages 6 - 18. Building on the unsurpassed legacy of the GCYC and TBCC organizations, Lumina offers developmentally sequenced choirs based on age, musical proficiency and vocal development optimizing this learning experience for each child while building community among our students.
Dr. Lynne Gackle
Gulf Coast Youth Choirs,
Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus
Dr. Gackle is the Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus of the Gulf Coast Youth Choirs, Inc., a community choral arts organization in Tampa, Florida which she began in 1993. She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Louisiana State University and her Master of Music Education as well as her Doctorate of Music Education from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.
Her choirs have performed at the State, Divisional and National Conventions of the American Choral Directors Association as well as the Music Educators National Conference Biennial Convention.
In the summer of 2009, Dr. Gackle moved to Waco, Texas to take up the position of Associate Professor of Choral Music at Baylor University. She leaves behind a strong organization with talented Choral Directors who will continue the level of excellence that Gulf Coast Youth Choirs has become known for.
Dr. Averill Summer
Tampa Bay Children’s Chorus, Founder
Averill Summer is the Founder of the Tampa Bay Children’s Chorus and a retired Associate Professor of Piano at the University of South Florida. Dr. Summer holds the Masters and Doctor of Music degrees from Indiana University. She is active as a clinician, lecturer, and recitalist, and has performed in the United States and Europe. Dr. Summer has served as guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for the American Choral Directors Association, Royal School of Church Music, Music Teacher’s National Association, and the Florida Music Educators Association, and is an Artist-Teacher in the Choral Music Experience Program.