About the Chorale
The Chesapeake Chorale began as the vision of founding President and Artistic Director, Kimberly Leggett. The Chorale’s mission of enhancing and sustaining school music programs benefits the community both culturally and financially. All proceeds collected from ticket sales are given to area schools to keep music programs alive and thriving. Since our founding in 1996, this non-profit, volunteer community choir has grown in size from 30 to 100 members and donated in excess of $275,000 in equipment and money for the improvement of school performance facilities and music programs.
Recent Press coverage of Chorale Donations to Schools - 2018
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Artistic Director — Dr. Cheryl Brown Davis was educated in the Richmond City and Chesterfield County Virginia Schools. In 1970 she received a Bachelor of Music Ed. degree from Madison College, in 1971 a Master of Music in vocal performance and choral conducting from The University of Michigan, and in 1990 a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Virginia. In 1972 Dr. Brown Davis began her teaching career in the Cheboygan, Michigan Public schools. She subsequently taught choral music at Ferguson High School in Newport News, in Rockingham County, Virginia, in Ann Arbor Michigan Public Schools, and for five years she taught at North Dakota State University. From 1998-2007, Dr. Brown taught vocal music in Albemarle County, Virginia. After her husband retired in 2007, Dr. Brown Davis returned to Newport News and taught at Riverside Elementary School until her retirement in 2011. Dr. Brown Davis has been a frequent guest conductor and vocal music adjudicator in district and state festivals for the past thirty-five years in Virginia, Michigan, and North Dakota. She continues to perform as a guest soprano soloist and choral conductor. She conducts the Annual Messiah “Sing-In” each December held at Kilmarnock United Methodist Church. She retired from teaching in June 2011 and lives in Heathsville with her husband, William Davis. She became Artistic Director of the Chesapeake Chorale in 2013.
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Accompanist -- Denise Cromer studied music education at Gardner-Webb University. A North Carolina native, Denise began her journey as a church musician at the age of 15 in western North Carolina. The wife of Pastor David Cromer of Corrottoman Baptist Church, Denise began serving as the Organist/Choir Director of Kilmarnock United Methodist Church in 2014. After 25 years as organist at Kings Grant Baptist Church in Virginia Beach, she is enjoying the exciting opportunity of working with the talented members of the KUMC Sanctuary Choir as well as providing organ and piano music for Worship. As organist of Kings Grant Baptist, her years on the bench allowed her to provide Worship leadership through congregational accompaniment as well as accompanying the Sanctuary Choir. Over the years she was also privileged to participate in many wonderful performances with the members of the Virginia Symphony, the Little Neck Churches Choral Festival, and various soloists.
