Faculty
Shannon Carter - Director
Shannon Carter is currently in his sixteenth year as a high school choir director in Texas. He graduated from Texas State University, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree.
Prior to opening Seven Lakes High School in 2005, Carter was the Assistant Choir Director at Cinco Ranch High School for three years. In addition to working in Katy ISD, he also taught at Klein Forest High School and Harlingen South High School. Choirs under his direction are consistent Sweepstakes Award winners at UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest, and have been named Best in Class and Overall Most Outstanding at festivals throughout the Southwest. In 2009, the Seven Lakes Chorale Women performed at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention.
Carter currently serves as President of TMEA Region 23. He is also honored to have served as an All-State Choir Section Leader. He is an active adjudicator and clinician throughout the State of Texas, and has multiple inclusions in Who's Who Among America's Teachers. In 2001, he received the Klein Forest High School Outstanding Teacher Award. His professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Choral Directors Association (TCDA), Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA), Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA), and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Christin Toerner - Assistant Choir Director
Laurelle Gowing - Voice Teacher
Soprano, Laurelle Gowing, is a graduate of RICE University s Shepherd School of Music and received a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance. She also earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Wheaton College Conservatory of Music.
Ms. Gowing's operatic roles include Noemie in "Cendrillon", Pamina in "The Magic Flute", Anna in "Intermezzo", Lady Billows in "Albert Herring", Suor Angelica in "Suor Angelica", Gretel in "Hansel and Gretel" and Contadine in "Gondoliers". Her partial roles include First Lady in "Die Zauberflöte", Konstanze in "Entfuhrung dem Serail", Contessa in "Le Nozze di Figaro", Donna Anna in "Don Giovanni" and Arabella in "Arabella".
Ms. Gowing was most recently the winner for Texas Young Artist Competition in 2007. She was also a finalist in the Metropolitan Opera district auditions in San Diego and also received the audience choice award in 2006. She was First place winner of Musical Merit of San Diego competition resulting in a full-tuition scholarship to Aspen Music Festival 2005 and 2006. Ms Gowing was a winner in the Aspen Festival Concerto Competition 2005, and was involved with the festival from 2005-2008.
Ms. Gowing is currently resides in Houston, TX where she performs regularly with Houston Grand Opera Chorus and various other singing groups, and has taught private voice lessons at Seven Lakes High School since 2005.
Ashly Evans - Voice Teacher
Dennis Arrowsmith - Voice Teacher
Dennis Arrowsmith currently performs in Houston Grand Opera's touring educational program, Opera to Go, as well as a chorister in mainstage productions. He appeared in many shows from high school in Atlanta, Georgia through college, including Jack in Into The Woods, Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Anthony in Sweeney Todd, Carl Olsen in Street Scene and Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro. He has also performed with Houston's new ensembles Opera Vista and Divergence Vocal Theater.
During the summers, Dennis has attended the Seagle Music Colony, the Aspen Music Festival and sang Giuseppe in The Gondoliers with the Houston Gilbert and Sullivan society. Dennis is also a scholarship singer and soloist with St. Thomas Episcopal Church. He completed undergraduate studies in vocal performance at Rice University under Kathleen Kaun.