Music Staff & Volunteers

Choral Director, organist and collaborative pianist Virginia Bolena enjoys the many dimensions of her full-time work as a church At Trinity, where she has served as Director of Music since 2013. She directs the Trinity Chorister Program of four choirs. Under her direction, the Senior Choristers (middle and high school choristers) have recently sung several concerts, collaborating with professional musicians to perform Rutter’s Mass of the Children, Dancing Day and Britten’s Ceremony of Carols. In July 2024, Senior Choristers joined the Adult Choir for a weeklong residencyat Wells Cathedral, UK, a first for the younger choristers. One of Virginia’s many joys as a choral director is challenging young choristers to reach beyond their comfort zones to learn music beyond what they believe they are capable of performing. 

Outside of Trinity, Virginia enjoys performing with other musicians, including at the Staunton Music Festival. She has performed for the Organ Historical Society, played organ recitals in such notable venues as Saint Thomas Church, New York City, Oxford Town Hall, United Kingdom and Interlochen Center for the Arts, Michigan. Virginia completed graduate work at East Carolina University, studying organ with Janette Fishell and choral conducting with Dan Bara. To balance her full life as a musician, she enjoys running, the outdoors, reading and spending time with her boys.

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Joel tinkered in his grandfather’s workshop, studied piano, and later organ.  Joel initially studied Engineering at Purdue University in Indiana, but later transferred to Calvin University in Michigan, where he completed a degree in Music Theory and Composition.  During this time, Joel’s passion for the organ was reignited and he went on to complete a Master’s in Organ Performance at Western Michigan University. 

In 2008, Joel moved to Canada, where he began working as an organ technician and organ builder.  Eventually owning his own firm, he maintained nearly a hundred organs in Southwestern Ontario, and built several small, mechanical-action organs.  It was his interest in these instruments that led Joel to Taylor & Boody Organbuilders in 2019, where he currently works in all aspects of the craft.

Throughout his career, Joel has remained active as a church musician, accompanist, recitalist, conductor and composer.  He is a Colleague of the American Institute of Organbuilders, an Associate of the American Guild of Organists, and a Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists.  Joel resides in Staunton with his wife, professional soprano Sheila Dietrich.

Constance Harrington grew up singing in children’s choirs in churches wherever her family lived, as her father was in the Army.  Those choirs were frequently led by her grandmother and her mother.  Joyous music was always playing in her home.  The Trinity choirs have continued the joy of making music together with friends and bringing this joy to children in our church family is where her heart is!  Kristin Reichert and Constance started co-leading the youngest choirs many years ago, and now it is just part of their lives.  Many of Trinity’s high school age singers have been singing in Trinity’s choirs since they were 5 years old!  

Constance has a BS and an MA in Art Education.  She taught art at the elementary and high school levels before she became a kindergarten teacher in the Augusta County Schools.  Following retirement, she trained to become a Musikgarten teacher, involving families and children from babies to 6-year-olds in music making.

Kristin Reichert has a BS in environmental science from the University of Mary Washington. She has worked with children and teens in various capacities, including as an organizer of youth activities and camps as a Peace Corps Volunteer, as a counselor at a year-round school camp, as a teacher at Stuart Hall School in Staunton, VA, and most recently as housemother at the St. Thomas Choir School Girl Chorister Course. Kristin fell in love with choral singing when she joined the Trinity Youth Choir as a high school student, and she has enjoyed singing in the Trinity Choir since graduating from college. She has taken great pleasure in bringing a similar experience to Trinity’s current group of young singers through her work with the Preparatory Choir and Senior Choristers, and she finds it exciting to see and hear them respond with enthusiasm and joy.

Kay Buchanan has been singing in choirs since joining the children’s choir of her home church in Indiana. Kay studied piano when growing up and loves to accompany rehearsals and services. When helping with youth choirs, she particularly enjoys seeing the excitement of the choristers when a piece they are working on comes together. Kay has a master’s degree in occupational therapy from Western Michigan University and has spent most of her professional career working as an occupational therapist.