Children's Festival Chorus of Pittsburgh

Elaine Goldsmith
Associate Conductor

Elaine Goldsmith is the director of the Talisman Choir of the Children’s Festival Chorus. A member of the artistic staff since 1990, she is an accomplished guest conductor for children’s choir festivals throughout Pennsylvania, and a former elementary music teacher in West Virginia and Texas. As a professional choral musician and soprano soloist, Mrs. Goldsmith performed with the late Robert Shaw in France and at New York’s Carnegie Hall. In Pittsburgh, she is the soprano soloist for the Bach Cantata Series in Heinz Chapel and sings with the Bellefield Singers, an a cappella ensemble of which she and her husband are founders.

Mrs. Goldsmith holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Ohio State University and a Master of Education degree in elementary school counseling from the University of Pittsburgh. She currently teaches elementary general music in the Fox Chapel Area School District.

Lisa Jaworowski
Assistant Conductor

Lisa Jaworowski directs the Troubadour Choir of the Children’s Festival Chorus. A choral music educator for 16 years, Lisa is employed by the Moon Area School District as an elementary vocal music teacher. She teaches K-5 vocal music and conducts a 5 th grade choir.

Lisa works very actively as a guest conductor for PMEA Elementary, Middle School and Jr. High district and honors festivals across the state and has chaired a variety of ACDA-PA choral events over the past 6 years. She has enjoyed presenting choral reading sessions for PMEA and ACDA state conferences.

Lisa actively sings at area churches as a soloist and works with the childrens’ music program at her own church.

Mrs. Jaworowski’s training includes undergraduate and graduate degrees from Duquesne University . She is an active member of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and the American Choral Directors’ Association, in which she currently serves as Southwest Region Chair.

Kristin Benham
Accompanist, Talisman and Troubadour Choir

Kristin Benham’s musical background includes studies with Mark Wait and Linda Jenks at the University of Colorado, and degrees in piano performance and church music from Bethel College ( Minnesota), where she studied with John Nordquist and Kenneth Huber.

Mrs. Benham has an active career as a church choir director and accompanist. She also maintains a private piano studio, in addition to home schooling her two children.

Bill Larson
Accompanist, Bel Canto Singers