Artistic Director

Wendi Dicken

Our artistic director, Wendi Dicken, returned to lead the choir into our 53rd year of making great choral music. Wendi directed our choir nearly 20 years ago and since then has been busy with music instruction (voice, piano, flute), conducting theatre productions, and directing large choirs and orchestras in New York City and Sweden.

Spanning more than five decades, Wendi Dicken’s music career began at the age of four with performances as Michael Darling in the musical, Peter Pan. Wendi has added over 100 musical and operatic roles since that time. She studied under the tutelage of Margaret Stiling (piano), Robert Cavally (flute), Joan Moynagh, Russell Hosler, and Bard Suverkrop (voice) in Cincinnati. Mentored in conducting by John Wabrick, Russ Hinkle, and Cynthia Gray, she went on to perform under the baton of Thomas Schippers and Margaret Hillis. As a composition student of Winfred Cummings at Miami University (OH), Ms. Dicken counts in her repertoire a piano concerto, several piano pieces, six patriotic works for choir (specifically arranged for Choral Arts Singers), and many pieces for children’s choir. She served as music director for Bethel, Salem and Wentzville United Methodist Churches in St. Louis, and led the Choral Arts Singers (Concert Arts Association) of St. Charles County in performances for the 90th anniversary of the Hawaiian State Library, at Carnegie Hall and at Kennedy Center (with renowned composers Dr. John Leavitt, and Sir John Rutter, CBE). Ms. Dicken served as Artistic Director of the Midwest Center for Creative Arts, making her conducting debut at Carnegie Hall in 2023.

Locally, she has conducted productions of Always…Patsy Cline, Little House on the Prairie, Little Women – the Musical, and 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for Act Two Theater, Midwest Center for Creative Arts and O’Fallon Theater Works. Most recently, Wendi has served as guest conductor/clinician of the New England Symphonic Ensemble in concert at Carnegie Hall, and the Stockholm Concert Orchestra with choirs from the United States and Canada in Sweden with Mid-America Productions.

“Wendi A. Dicken is recognized by Continental Who’s Who among Music Professionals. As Founder and Director of Imagination Destination Music, Wendi is an Educator, Singer, Musician, and Actress who also encompasses the roles of Writer, Composer, and Editor of music curriculum.“

Accompanist

Shelley Schlueter

Shelley Schlueter started taking piano lessons at the age of nine till about halfway through high school. While still living at home, Shelley often played at church with her Mom on the organ, or stepped in for the accompanist for her high school choir. Shelley even played for some weddings while still in high school. At Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, Shelley often played specials, accompanied others, and played for chapel as well as church.

Once married and settled in at her church, Shelley joined an ensemble there called Witness and was a part of that for several years. Years later, Shelley stumbled upon a new adventure…theater.

Over the next several years, Shelley worked with O’Fallon Theater Works, MCCA and most recently, Wentzville Christian Church, on many shows and musicals. Shelley also enjoys accompanying many high school students in the spring at Districts and for those who advance, State. Shelley is excited to be joining the St. Charles County Choral Arts Singers starting with our Fall 2025 season.