Biographies
Rachel Dickerson
Vocalist
RACHEL DICKERSON is elated to be performing with the talented singers of Cantus Youth Choirs. During the week, Ms. Dickerson does her best to soak up her new tasks as an administrative assistant for the Idaho Labor Bureau of Laboratories.
In her free time, she can be found playing competitive volleyball, reading a good book, or performing on stage.
Last year, Ms. Dickerson had the opportunity to work as an actor for the Idaho Shakespeare Festival in their Idaho Theater for Youth program. During those four months she toured across the state of Idaho, Oregon and Washington, performing in an original musical as well as recording the soundtrack.
Other performance credits include Deloris in Sister Act the musical, Janet in Rocky Horror Show, Eponine in Les Miserables, and the voice talent for the Albertsons on Broadway advertising campaign last year. She was also in The Ark with Keith McCauley and Michelle Pedersen, and was a former student of Brandi Cook at Kuna High School.
Over the next 10 years, Rachel hopes to acquire even more inspiring memories to share at her 20 year Kuna High School reunion, which will hopefully include having met the man of her dreams, enjoying a lovely career, and getting a few stamps in her passport.
Malinda DeBry
Fiddle
MALINDA DeBRY AND THE BOISE RIVER BAND is composed of Malinda (fiddle), her mother Tamie Fried (guitar), Dan Seibel (guitar/banjo) and Dave Ries (bass).
Malinda has been playing the fiddle since she was five. Her mother, Tamie Fried, has accompanied her on the guitar and together they’ve performed and competed at many events.
Malinda has won numerous competitions around the northwest including the Idaho State contest, Northwest Regionals, and contests in Wyoming, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and California. After placing in the top 5 year after year, in 2001, Malinda won 1st place in the young adult division at the National Oldtime Fiddler’s Contest in Weiser Idaho. She has also won Fanciest Fiddler and been a judge at several contests including Nationals.
While in high school, Malinda traveled to Nashville for the Grand Master’s fiddle contest. With no age divisions, Malinda competed against the top fiddlers including her teachers and mentors. There she placed 9th two years in a row at age 14 and 15. Malinda continues to compete, perform and teach and is currently living with her husband, Mark, and 5 children in Meridian.
David Ries has been playing bass since the early ‘70s, playing with bands in high school and college. He toured with the United Services Organization in 1976, and his studio work on commercial advertising has been heard on radios around the intermountain west for years. He has been playing with various bands in Boise for over 10 years. When not playing bass, he has a financial services and college planning practice with Allegis Financial Partners.
Dan Seibel’s musical journey began in the early ‘60’s when his parents started him in guitar lessons, and not long after, the Beatles invaded America. Dan has learned to love all styles of music, and over the decades has performed in rock, disco, country, folk and string bands, as well as pit orchestras for musicals. Currently retired from the medical field, Dan enjoys performing in senior living centers and the Idaho State Veterans Home, especially with The Boise River Band!
Krista Carroll
Mrs. Carroll’s passion for music was driven from a young age. She made her first singing debut at the age of 5 as a soloist in front of an audience of hundreds and loved every minute of it. This set the stage …
Brandi Cook
Brandi Cook has a bachelor’s degree in Choral Music Education from Utah State University. Following college she was hired at Kuna High School, near Boise Idaho, where she built a program and taught for 10 years …
Erika McCauley
Erika McCauley is founder and artistic director of Cantus Youth Choirs, a nonprofit community choir program for Idaho’s Treasure Valley youth. She is a talented individual with an unrivaled passion for working with young people …
Keith McCauley
Keith McCauley earned a BA in Marketing Communications with minors in Music Performance and Japanese from Brigham Young University in 2004. He works with Concordia, VoiceOver, and Fortis, and has been arranging …
Melody Paskett
Melody Paskett earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music, with Choral Education emphasis, and a minor in Japanese from Brigham Young University. Mrs. Paskett has enjoyed performing all of her life, dancing and singing from a young age …
Annie Roberts
Annie Roberts it excited to be a director with Cantus Youth Choirs where she served the first three seasons on the board of directors and helped launch VoiceOver with Keith McCauley. She began singing …