Faye (Delaney) McLanahan, Musical Director

Our Certified Director, Faye McClanahan, has been a member of Sweet Adelines for over 30 years and has served in a music staff position and as choreographer in three other choruses in both Florida and Massachusetts. She was the baritone in the Region 9, 2001 Championship Quartet, Escapade and has competed at the international level many times in both chorus and quartet. Former quartet, LaFiesta placed 10th in International Competition, awarding her an international medal. Faye is now enjoying performing with her new quartet, Magic.

As well as being a quartet singer, she currently sings baritone & serves on the Music Team in Jacksonville Harmony Chorus, and directs Song of the Coast Chorus. Faye served on the Region 9 Educational Faculty in a musical and visual capacity for many years. Her former quartet, Escapade, served Region 9 as Quartet Promotion Coordinators for seven years.

After a visit to the newly-formed Song of the Coast chorus as a Regional Faculty member, Faye became the group’s director in 2002. A busy life, a new husband and a long drive from Jacksonville caused her to take a hiatus in 2004 but she was ready, willing and able to resume when the director position opened again in June 2006.

When she returned to Song of the Coast, Faye saw the chorus as a mature, energetic group whose style and image shine through in music with a “big band era” feel. She looks forward to building around that image to create a wonderful, easy-listening repertoire for performances throughout the years.

Charlene Yazurlo, Associate Director

Charlene Yazurlo serves as Associate Director of Song of the Coast chorus. Charlene was raised in a musical family. She began studying piano at the age of four and harmonized with her two older sisters. Her musical expertise eventually brought her to the art of 4-part harmony, barbershop style, as a charter member of Vienna Falls Chorus in 1965. In 1969 she was co-founder of Circle Cities Chorus in Ft. Worth.

Charlene, an accomplished teacher and arranger for many years, joined Daytona's Famous Beach Chorus in 1987 and was soon enjoying her first experience as a director.

An approved arranger in the International Music Arrangers Program (IMAP) Charlene has taught Music Theory and Arranging at Regional meetings as a member of DMA faculty, and served as coordinator of the Region 9 Arranging Program. Charlene currently sings bass in the Firecrackers, and directs a comedy ensemble known as the Kooky Ukes. As Associate Director, she shares her arranging skills and incomparable ear with the chorus, reminding us that "excellence is not an accident."

Sue Reardon, Associate Director

Associate Director Sue Reardon is a recent “graduate” of Sweet Adelines’ Director Certification Program, an intensive educational course designed to train new musical leaders for our organization. As a Certified Director, she assists Faye with rehearsals, and directs a number of local performances.

In addition to Sweet Adelines’ training, Sue also has studied piano and guitar and has sung in choirs, glee clubs and musical theater most of her life – always the harmony part. She joined the Millstone Valley Chapter of Sweet Adelines in New Jersey in 1993 as a tenor, and switched to bass in 2000, just to see if she could and sang bass for 4 years. When she relocated to Florida in 2004, Sue found a home in Song of the Coast, her idea of the perfect blend of music and fun. When she learned that SOTC needed baritones, she figured, “why not?” and another bari was born.

Although she served as Baritone Section leader for several years, Sue rediscovered her tenor voice as part of Vocal Image quartet and now sings with SOTC's tenors. Sue’s first love is performing, whether in the chorus, in a quartet, or as an emcee, where she gets to release her “inner ham.” Her goal is to make musical excellence and enthusiasm contagious and convince everyone that the harmony parts really sing the melody.

Diane Johnson, Assistant Director

Diane Johnson is Assistant Director and Tenor Section Leader for the chorus. Diane is a retired music teacher and is blessed with almost perfect pitch. She began playing piano by ear when she was four years old by listening to the radio and matching pitches. Diane’s formal training began at age 6 with piano lessons at a Conservatory of Music. She continued her piano studies through college and also sang with her college a capella choir.

Diane earned a B.A. degree in Music Education and completed graduate work in Chorale Music. She taught elementary and secondary music for 15 years, served as an organist and choir director and also worked as a professional accompanist/keyboardist in Musical Theater.

Diane joined Song of the Coast in 2004. As she says, “I love the barbershop style of singing; it’s a contrast to my classical training, but just as challenging and rewarding.” Now that she’s retired, Diane has more time to sing lead in the Crazy 8s octet and tenor in The Edge quartet.

Diane is currently working on her Director certification through Sweet Adelines International and is looking forward to being a certified director.

Board of Directors

Song of the Coast's Board of Directors for the fiscal year 2009-2010 are pictured, from the left, Fran Stump (Recording Secretary), Renate Sherwin (Corresponding Secretary), Val Chubb (Vice President), Kay Bielick (Board Member), Mary Ellen Stanchfield (President), Joy Feulner (Board Member), Betsy Wilber (Treasurer) and Sandra Serdar (Board Member).