PETER ROBB · Founder / Artistic Director

Mr. Robb is the Executive Director of the Pacific International Children's Choir Festival which he founded in 1997. His involvement with choral music began at age six when he joined the San Francisco Boys Chorus.

A tireless advocate for music education and choral music in the schools, Robb created OFC’s Choral Program Partnership (CPP) in 2002. He is former chair for children’s choirs on the state board of the American Choral Directors Association.

Robb has directed choirs and taught in elementary, middle, high school, and university settings in addition to working with civic and professional choruses during 20 years as a choral director. He composes and publishes works for choir, musical theater, and film. He also works in recording studios as singer, keyboardist, voice-over artist, and producer. He is an active baritone soloist.

Robb studied music composition and English literature at Wheaton Conservatory, and earned a master's degree in choral conducting from the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance.

MATTHEW SVOBODA · Choir Director and Director of Operations

Mr. Svoboda joined Oregon Festival Choirs in 1999. He is Choir Director as well as Director of Operations for OFC and the Pacific International Children’s Choir Festival.

An Oregon native, Svoboda also teaches music classes and conducts the Chamber Choir at Lane Community College and serves as Director of Music at Central Presbyterian Church in Eugene. He served as Assistant Conductor of the Eugene Symphony Chorus from 2003-2005 and was invited to guest conduct for the Eugene Chamber Singers' 25th anniversary season in 2004. In 2003, he was selected as a Participant Conductor for the Oregon Bach Festival conducting masterclass with Helmuth Rilling. In 2002, he received a Conducting Fellowship to intern with the Auckland Philharmonia directed by Miguel Harth-Bedoya.

Svoboda earned a Bachelor of Music degree in composition at the University of Oregon in 1999 and master’s degrees in Choral Conducting (2003) and Composition (2004) at the UO, where he was awarded a graduate teaching fellowship in both departments and served as Assistant Conductor of the University Singers. His principal instructors at the UO have been Sharon Paul and Richard Clark (conducting); and Robert Kyr and David Crumb (composition).

JEANIE NEVEN · Training Choir Director & Recruitment Advisor

Jeanie Neven was appointed Director of the Training Division in 2004. She received Master's Degrees in Choral Conducting and Horn Performance at the University of Oregon. While at the UO, she directed the University Women's Chorus. In addition to her master's degrees, she pursued postgraduate studies in music history with an emphasis in Historical Performance Practice, studying the natural horn and harpsichord.

Currently, Jeanie Neven teaches band at Briggs Middle School and orchestra at Thurston High School in Springfield as well as directing the Chancel Choir at First Congregational Church in Eugene.

Jeanie has also served in other positions including Interim Guest Conductor for the Oregon Brass Society and the Mozart Players' Gala Concert Chorus.

JENNIFER d'FONSECA· Enrollment & Financial Coordinator

CONNIE BURDEN · Development Coordinator

SHERRI PHILLIPS· Volunteer Coordinator

Additional Artistic Team Members

HUNG-YUN CHU · Principal Accompanist

Ms. Chu earned a Bachelor of Music degree in piano from Soochow University in Taipei, Taiwan. She came to the U.S. in 1995 to study piano at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland, where she completed both a Master's Degree in piano and also completed the Performance Diploma program. In 2002, she was selected to compete in the International Rachmaninov Piano Competition.

In 2004, Mrs. Chu received her Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in piano performance with a supporting area in piano accompanying from the University of Oregon, where she was a student of Dean Kramer and held a graduate teaching fellowship as accompanist for the UO Choral Department.

In addition to accompanying OFC choirs, Mrs. Chu teaches and accompanies privately and works as accompanist for the UO Choral Department, Oregon Bach Festival Conducting Masterclass, Eugene Vocal Arts Ensemble, and Ebbert United Methodist Church in Springfield.

CAMILLA CARTER • Accompanist

Camilla Carter is a Eugene freelancecollaborative pianist who played frequently on the Oregon Mozart Players' "Chamber Music and Chocolate" series, at the University of Oregon and for the Eugene Opera. She played extensively in the San Francisco area before moving back to Oregon, including work with SF Girls Chorus, with whom she had toured to Hungary.
Mrs. Carter began accompanying in fifth grade for the school choir and continued with school and community productions. While a student at Stanford University, she played for over a hundred recitals in her four years there (while studying harp, not piano). Masterclasses with Elly Ameling, Margo Garrett, and Jean-Pierre Rampal were highlights during those years.

The last 10 years have been filled with the joys and demands of parenting with her piano technician husband, Rick, and homeschooling 2 children, Ariana and Anthony, both in the choir.