OUR PEOPLE
JAMES MAYO III
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, James has been an active member in the music community. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Music from Towson University in 2004, his Master of Arts in Secondary Teacher Education University of Phoenix in 2012, and his Master of Arts in Music from Morgan State University in 2015.
He has over 25 years of experience in the music world – starting as a church musician at the age of fourteen. His teaching career started in the Baltimore City Public School System at the former Winston Middle School. He has taught at the Hackley School (Tarrytown, New York), the Hun School of Princeton (Princeton, New Jersey), and Noble and Greenough School (Dedham, Massachusetts). At these schools, James held and executed many roles. He was the choral music director for both the middle and upper school divisions, the musical theater music director, a general music teacher, an advisor, a dorm parent, and the coordinator of the private music lessons program. James also has a private lesson studio in which he teaches private piano and voice lessons to beginning and intermediate students.
James has taught at the collegiate level as an adjunct faculty member at the Community College of Baltimore County – Essex. He is a certified music teacher
with the state of Maryland – having earned his Advanced Professional Certificate in 2013, the most advanced certificate awarded to a teacher in the state. During the summer, James works at Camp Dudley, Inc., which is the oldest, continuously operating boys’ camp in America, where he has been the director of music for over 10 years.
James has traveled to Europe on two different choir tours – one in high school with the Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church of Asheville, North Carolina (1997) and with the Furman Singers (Furman University in 2000). He was featured as a soloist for both choir tours. The excursions led to the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic.
James cherishes his time with students. He devotes his life and energy to the well being and education of students as others have done for him. You can often find him preparing and practicing music for the ensembles, practicing a song for an upcoming event, assisting students with their needs, or watching movies in the comfort of his home. James loves to cook, sing, play piano, surf the internet for current events and trends in music and culture, spend time with his best friends, and enjoy great cuisine!
JUNGHOON PARK
ACCOMPANIST
Junghoon (John) Park, a young musician who has enjoyed commendable appearances with a multifaceted and illustrative experience both as a soloist and collaborative artist, is a graduate of University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Junghoon has studied with Drs. Kristina Suter, Alon Goldstein, and Audrey Andrist to obtain a vast knowledge of repertoire and chamber music concert experience, delighting the audience with many solo recitals in Maryland.
He has participated in prestigious music festivals and competitions such as National Music Festival, Wonderlic Competition, Liszt-Garrison Competition, and International Keyboard Institute Festival.
Junghoon has recently been awarded a Special Honors award from 2016 Paderewski Competition in Hartford, CT, and have participated in Premio Scriabin Competition in Grosseto, Italy and 2017 International Chopin Competition in Hartford, CT, as well as being selected as the top 12 live performers in New York Piano Festival and Competition in July 2017.
Junghoon has been selected as the 2018 Rising Star for his stirring rendition of Earl Wild’s “Etude No. 4”, based on the George Gershwin standard “Embraceable You”.
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REV. HELEN B. MAYO
ADVISOR
Reverend Helen B. Mayo is a native of Pinetops, North Carolina. She and her former husband James Jr. moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1965. They have four wonderful children, Timothy, Sharon, Vivian and James, III.
Reverend Mayo was educated in the Edgecombe County Public School System and is a graduate of George Washington Carver High School in Pinetops, North Carolina.
She has obtained her post-masters certificate, masters' and bachelor degrees from: Morgan State University (MD) -B.A. Religious Studies, Coppin State University (MD), M.S. Education, Graduate Certificate in Administration & Supervision from Johns Hopkins University (MD), and her M.A. in Church Ministry through the Ecumenical Institute of St. Mary’s Seminary and University.
She accepted Christ as Lord and Savior in 1981 at Cornerstone Christian Community Church and remained at Cornerstone until 1987. She then transferred her membership to Gillis Memorial Christian Community Church. Reverend Mayo was ordained in 1989 by The United Council of Christian Community Churches.
Reverend Mayo began her work career at Arlan’s Department Store in Baltimore. She has since worked at Lion Brother’s Corporation in Owings Mills, Maryland and the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Department before beginning her work career in the Baltimore City Public School System. She retired from the Baltimore City Public School System in 2010.
At Gillis Memorial Christian Community Church Reverend Mayo serves as an Associate Minister, Worship Leader, instructor of New Members Class, President of Senior Ministry and Assistant Bible Study Instructor for the Leathea Jackson Biddle Prayer Group and Bible Study Class.
She serves as a facilitator for workshops for the United Council of Christian Community Churches and as an Instructor for the United Council M.I.T Institute. She also serves as the Council Evangelist for the United Council of Christian Community Churches working to enhance their ministry through teaching, workshops, and providing preaching opportunities for ordained ministers. She is also a member of the Baptist Minister’s Conference.
