Staff

The Capital District Youth Chorale, formerly the SCCC Children’s Chorus, was founded in 1983 by Diane Warner. The singers are drawn from numerous school districts across 5 counties of the Greater Capital District. Entrance into, and advancement within CDYC, is based upon audition results, experience, and availability/flexibility.

Over 40 years, CDYC has appeared with more than 20 adult, college, school, and Community Children’s choirs and orchestras from

Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York, including Albany Pro Musica and the Albany Symphony Orchestra.


CDYC Staff

Diane Brennan Warner (dianewarner@cdyc.org)

CDYC Founder & Director Emeritus  (Retired 2023)

Diane B. Warner retired as the Director of Music for the Shenendehowa Central School District in Clifton Park, NY. Mrs. Warner previously taught in Scotia-Glenville, Schenectady City Schools and served as an adjunct instructor at Schenectady County Community College.

Mrs. Warner earned her B.Mus from Immaculata University in Pennsylvania where she was nominated to Pi Kappa Lambda (National Music Honor Society). She earned her MS in Music Education from the College of St. Rose and has done further graduate study at Westminster Choir College, Saratoga-Potsdam Choral Institute, and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

Mrs. Warner is a certified NYSSMA vocal and choral adjudicator and a frequent choral clinician and conductor of All-County and Area All State Choirs. She served as the NY ACDA Repertoire and Standards chair for high school choirs, as well as serving as the chair for NYSSMA's Women's Choir and Treble Choir Music Selection Committee and the Urban Education Committee. She is a certified NYSSMA vocal and choral adjudicator.

Mr. Warner has been affiliated with Albany Pro Musica, the Octavo Singers, Capital Hill Choral Society, Schenectady Light Opera Company, and the Etude Club. Her many awards include five nominations to Who's Who in America's Teachers, two General Electric Starr Awards, two Shenendehowa staff recognition awards, the Schenectady High School Government Teacher of the Year award, and the Schenectady City School District's Teacher of the Year Award.

Lynn Reynolds Makrin (lynnmakrin@cdyc.org)

CDYC Artistic Director


Lynn Reynolds Makrin, Artistic Director, is a choral music educator who has taught with CDYC since 2007. Mrs. Makrin is a graduate of Westminster Choir College in Princeton,  NJ; Rutgers University where she earned her Master of Music in Music Education; and The Kodály Institute at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. She is a certified Kodály Music Educator. Her education led her to study for a summer in Hungary at the Kecskemét Kodály Institute. Mrs. Makrin has worked with the Cantigas Women's Choir of Hoboken and the Voorhees Women's Choir of Rutgers University. 


Prior to college, however, she was raised in Schenectady, NY, and participated and studied in the choirs of Diane Warner at Linton High School. As a high school student she assisted with CDYC during their evening rehearsals and was in the choir as a singer at age 8.  Mrs. Makrin began her teaching career at the Mustard Seed School of Hoboken, NJ; The Hudson School of Hoboken, NJ; and the Little Red School House of lower Manhattan. She has served on the National Board of the Organization of American Kodály  Educators and is a lifetime member.  Mrs. Makrin is also a member of the American Choral Directors Association. Currently, Mrs. Makrin teaches elementary and choral music in the Gloversville Enlarged School District and formerly in the Greater Johnstown School District both in upstate New York. She serves on the leadership team of the Fulton County Music Educators Association as both participating educator and as treasurer. Mrs. Makrin is the recipient of a McCarthey-Dressman Education Foundation Teacher Development Grant for her collaborative work developing a Critical Friends Group between her public school districts. 


Mrs. Makrin serves as an Preaching Elder in the Reformed Church in America, and is a member of the First Reformed Church of Scotia, NY. Mrs. Makrin is an award winning quilter, a member of her local quilt guild, and an avid fan of sailboat racing. She lives in Niskayuna with her husband and two children who both sing with CDYC. 


Mrs. Makrin is honored to lead this incredible team into the next 40 years of beautiful singing with the students of the Capital District Youth Chorale.



Abigail McCann-Loomis  

CDYC Choral Music Educator

Abby McCann-Loomis is a graduate of the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, currently serving as the Choir Director at Johnstown High School. Abby also takes part in the school’s drama program as the musical director. Though singing is where her heart lives, Abby has enjoyed recently reconnecting with her instrumental side, playing both trumpet and saxophone. She owes to her students the reigniting of her passion for music and learning. As a former member of CDYC, Abby is so grateful for the opportunity to again be making music with the group that was so influential in her growth as a musician.  In addition to music, Abby enjoys reading and going on adventures with her husband, Tom, and her son Timothy (particularly to Grandma and Grandpa’s house!) 




Brenda L. Vredenburg

CDYC Accompanist

Brenda Vredenburg is a graduate of the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, where she majored in Music Education and Organ Performance. She was the recipient of the coveted Julia Crane Award in 1973.  She also holds a Master's Degree in Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Reading from SUNY Albany.  After 32 years of teaching in the Saratoga Springs City Schools, Mrs. Vredenburg retired in 2005 and then added 15 more years as a college supervisor for student teachers from the Crane School of Music.  She is a certified NYSSMA Adjudicator for instrumental ensembles, piano, guitar, harp and strings soloists. For over 50 years, Mrs. Vredenburg has enjoyed accompanying and making music with her husband, Jeff Vredenburg's choruses, his solo work as a cantor, several church choirs, community groups, school choruses, concerts, and both student and professional recitals in the Capital District and Southwest Florida. 

Mrs. Vredenburg is honored and looking forward to accompanying the Capital District Youth Chorale!

Maura Mesley

Assistant Choral Music Educator

Maura Mesley is currently attending Hudson Valley Community College where she is studying Psychology. This is her second year as member of staff for CDYC and she looks forward to building upon her skills as an Assistant Choral Music Educator. Though Maura studies Psychology she plans to start a career in Music Therapy upon graduation as she has a deep love for music and enjoys sharing it with others. When Maura isn’t singing or playing an instrument you can find her hiking, kayaking or spending time with family. 


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Ayla Goldman

CDYC Rehearsal Accompanist

Ayla Goldman participated in The Capital District Youth Chorale for six years and graduated in the Spring of 2024. Starting in 2022, Ayla taught and conducted multiple small student led choral ensembles during her time with CDYC. Most recently she worked as the musical director for a high school band. Ayla has been the accompanist for the Doane Stuart middle and high school chorus since the Fall of 2023. Ayla is currently studying Biology at Siena College. She is eager to continue to work with CDYC and help bring the joy of music to children. When she is not playing the piano or singing, you can find her spending time with her chickens, crocheting, and sewing, or on the contra dance floor.