ROBERT HOBBY, Adult Choral
Bob is an active performer, conductor, clinician, and dedicated church musician, who, as the son of a Lutheran pastor, began his vocation in church music at an early age, playing his first wedding in 4th grade and playing regular Sunday services during 5th grade. He is currently Director of Music at Trinity English Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, IN, where he has served as a parish musician since July, 1987. His responsibilities include playing for many of the worship services, overseeing a graded choral program and instrumental ensembles, and managing the concerts that the church offers. Among the numerous activities during his tenure, Trinity English has established a choral series with seventeen composers commissioned thus far, hosted conferences for several music organizations, produced four recordings, and expanded opportunities for music ministry.
Bob’s 250+ compositions for choirs, organ and instruments (mostly commissioned by churches and organizations across the country) are in print with publishers: Augsburg Fortress, Choristers Guild, Concordia, G. I. A., MorningStar Music, Northwestern, Pavane Co., and Warner Brothers. In 2015, Bob was honored to be asked to write two choral/orchestral compositions for the visit of Pope Francis in New York City; one for the vespers at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, one for the papal mass at Madison Square Gardens. An annotated bibliography of his choral works was the subject of a doctoral dissertation at Ball State University in 2008. Hobby’s music appears in hymnals of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and, more recently, in the hymnals of the Presbyterian and Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church bodies.
Bob received his bachelor’s degree in Church Music from Wittenberg University in 1985 and a master’s degree in Music (Organ Performance) from the University of Notre Dame in 1987. He received an honorary doctor of music degree from Wittenberg University at its 2014 spring commencement.
Bob and his wife, Jenny, are the proud parents of three daughters: Hannah, Lydia, and Elizabeth.
ANDREW JACOB, Organ/Keyboard/HymnFest
Andrew holds an active career as an organist and church musician. He currently serves as the Organist and Co-Director of Music at Augustana Lutheran Church in West St. Paul, MN, a congregation with a long history of excellence in the arts. Andy’s greatest joy at the organ comes when leading a worshiping congregation in song. He has led hymn festivals around the country in academic institutions and churches of various denominations and has been invited to coach hymn playing and improvisation techniques at continuing education conferences for organists and church musicians. In addition to his role at Augustana, Andy is the Music Director for St. Olaf College’s (Northfield, MN) internationally syndicated sacred music radio program, Sing for Joy. Each week, the 30-minute program airs sacred choral music following the scriptural lessons specified in the Revised Common Lectionary.
A multiple prize recipient, he is the winner of the 2019 Ruth and Paul Manz Scholarship Competition administered by the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, the 2020 American Guild of Organists’ Student Commissioning Project Grant, and the 2021 Richard VanScriver Church Music Scholarship in Organ through Metropolitan Music Ministries in Charlotte, NC.
Andy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from St. Olaf College and a Master of Music degree in organ performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) where he was a Kenan Organ Scholar. His primary teachers have included Dr. Catherine Rodland and James Bobb at St. Olaf and Dr. Timothy Olsen at UNCSA.
ED TOMPKINS, Handbells & Conference Co-Director
Active as a conductor and clinician, Ed recently accepted the position of Organist/Director of Music at St John in the Wilderness Episcopal, Flat Rock, NC after serving 21 years as Minister of Music at Morning Star Lutheran, Matthews, NC. At Morning Star, Ed led a full program of vocal and handbell choirs for all ages and instrumental ensembles. He previously served at River Road Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA. Ed has presented workshops and directed festival handbell choirs throughout the Southeast. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music and Religion from Duke University and his Masters of Sacred Music (Organ and Conducting) from Scarritt Graduate School, Nashville, TN. Ed has earned the CAGO: Colleague of American Guild of Organists & has served as the Handbell Coordinator & clinician at church music conferences at Montreat, Lake Junaluska, Lutheridge (NC), and Massanetta Springs (VA).
PASTOR VERN KINARD, Chaplain
A native of South Carolina, Pastor Kinard received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Newberry College in 2013. During his senior year of college and in the time before beginning seminary, he taught in the Newberry County School District. One of his favorite experiences while working in education was the half year experience teaching kindergarten. Pastor Kinard began seminary through Lenoir-Rhyne University at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS) in Columbia, SC in the summer of 2014. During the 2016/2017 school year, Vern completed his internship as Vicar at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Hickory where he met his future wife, Mandy. He received his MDiv from LTSS in 2018 and was ordained at Grace Chapel at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
Pastor Kinard served as pastor at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Tyro, NC from 2018-2020, and served the community as a volunteer firefighter and announcer for Varsity Baseball at West Davidson High School while in Tyro. In November 2020, Pastor Kinard was called to serve as Associate Pastor at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Mooresville, NC. While in Mooresville, he was the voice of Blue Devil baseball at Mooresville High School. In June of 2024, Vern was called “home” to serve as Pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran, Hickory.
Pastor Kinard is married to Mandy, a two-time graduate from Lenoir-Rhyne University and occupational therapist in the greater Hickory area. They live in Hickory with their one-year-old son and a Labrador Retriever mix, named Chloe.
KAREN IVES, Collaborative Keyboardist, Adult Choral
Karen is the Director of Music at St. Stephen Lutheran, Williamsburg, VA and the Accompanist for the Williamsburg Choral Guild. She regularly assists Augsburg Fortress Publishers with music clinic events around the US. She is past accompanist and keyboard clinician for Lutheridge Music Week and Massanetta Springs (Harrisonburg, VA). Karen has served Lutheran churches in South Carolina (Columbia area) and North Carolina (Arden). Karen earned the Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Wittenberg University (Springfield, OH,) and a Masters in Piano Performance from University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC). She earned a Vocal Performance degree at Columbia College and was the Faculty Staff accompanist for eighteen years and Columbia College and taught their pre-college program and class piano in the music department. Karen is a member of Association of Lutheran Church Musicians & American Guild of Organists.
KAROL KINARD KIMMELL, First-Camp Choir & Conference Co-Director
Karol retired from full-time church work in 2024 after serving most recently for 26 years as Director of Children & Youth Music, All Saints’ Episcopal, Atlanta where she developed a successful graded choir program for singers PreK-12th and ringers 4th-12th. Karol is Co-Director & faculty member for The Choristers Guild Institute, a 3-summer continuing education/certification program for directors of children’s choirs. An active clinician, conductor & presenter for seminars, children’s choir festivals and music camps, Karol has presented at Westminster Choir College’s 2018 Kemp Symposium, The Hymn Society 2024 National Convention, Shenandoah Summer Institute of Church Music, ACDA National Children’s Choir Conference, GA ACDA, and has conducted choirs at Lake Junaluska, Massenetta Springs, NC Elementary All-State, Virginia Baptist’s Elementary All-State, Coweeta County Elementary Chorus, First Plymouth Nebraska’s Abendmusic Children & Youth Festivals, Los Angeles & Orange County’s Choristers Guild Festivals, and will present at this summer’s 2025 national ALCM conference in Durham, NC. Karol was honored to conduct a combined children’s choir at the ELCA 2019 Churchwide Assembly in Milwaukee, WI. Before All Saints’, Karol was a preschool music teacher for 20+ years and served Lutheran, Presbyterian & Episcopal congregations as organist & choir director throughout the South. She served on the faculty for Young Lutherans Sing, 2005-2010 with Michael Burkhardt. Karol attended Wittenberg University & Lenoir-Rhyne University (BME/organ), studied voice at Mannes College, NYC and was a paid singer in the Riverside Church Choir, NYC.
CAROLINE TYREE, Flute Choir
Caroline serves as the Music Assistant at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Mooresville, NC, leading worship from the piano, teaching Beginning Bells, and leading the Ukulele Choir. When she is not serving in her church community, she enjoys crafting, reading, and teaching tricks to her cat, Taquito.
RICK KILGORE, Recorder Choir
Rick retired in 2023 to Suwanee, Georgia after serving as Director of Music in Lutheran churches for 40+ years. He directed Chancel Choirs, Praise Teams, Handbell Choirs, Recorder Consorts, and Youth Orchestras. He coordinated volunteer directors of children’s choirs and Gospel Choirs. Rick earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC and studied Sacred Music in the Masters program at Mercer University, Atlanta. His hobbies include travel, singing, ringing, and genealogical research.
