Meet the Hudson Valley Festival Choir Directors

The Hudson Valley Gospel Festival Choir Directors are a trio of women dedicated to gospel music and the Hudson Valley gospel community: Ciesta Little Quinn, Dinessa Hansen-Johnson, and Marva Clark.

Ciesta Little-Quinn is an adjunct professor in the Department of Black Studies at SUNY New Paltz and leads the SUNY New Paltz Gospel Choir. She has been featured in previous Hudson Valley Gospel Festival Zoom Presentations, speaking extensively on the history of Gospel Music, its luminaries, and their impact on the Gospel world in the Hudson Valley.

Dinessa Hansen-Johnson is a member of Sisters in Spirit who performed at the 2022 Hudson Valley Gospel Festival. Dinesa performed and directed in the previous Gospel Festivals presented by Arts Mid-Hudson.

Marva Clark, a resident of Poughkeepsie since 1963, was a music teacher in the Poughkeepsie school district and recently retired as a school administrator. Marva is locally renowned for her work in leading gospel choirs of all ages.

Elinor Levy, Folk Arts Program Manager for Arts Mid-Hudson, will moderate a discussion of their individual paths to gospel music and in leading the Hudson Valley Gospel Festival Choir. As the folk arts program manager for the last seven years, Elinor Levy, has worked with folk artists and tradition bearers to preserve and present the rich heritage of the Mid-Hudson Valley residents.

Virtual Event
Monday, September 11 at 7:00 p.m.