Directors/Staff

SAMANTHA ROBILLIARD - HS CHOIR

Samantha Robilliard is a graduate of the University of South Dakota where she received her Bachelor of Music Education.   In her fifteen years of teaching she has taught high school vocal music at Webster City, Rock Valley, and Johnston.  She is currently in her first year at Pella Community Schools.  

Throughout her career all programs under her direction have maintained a reputation for excellence.  Her concert choirs have consistently received division I ratings at IHSMA State Large Group Contest and her show choirs have received numerous first place finishes across the Midwest.  Choirs under her direction have been invited to perform at the Luther College Dorian Choral Invitational and alongside the top choral ensemble from Iowa State University.  In the last five years, 97 of her students have been selected for the Iowa All-State Chorus.  Samantha has been a guest conductor for honor choirs, 2020 Opus conductor, adjudicated numerous festivals throughout Iowa, and is an instructor at the Wartburg All-State Camp.   In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Jeff, and their children, Halle, Nate and Maddie.

JOSEPH TANGEN - MS CHOIR

Joseph Tangen is in his 20th year of teaching at Pella Community Schools, where he is the Pella Middle School Vocal Music Director. He directs the Sixth, Seventh, & Eighth grade choirs, PELLAdrenaline (Middle School Show Choir), Boys’ Choir, Girls’ Choir, and provides vocal lessons for about 160 choral students per week. Under his direction, the program has grown from 100 students to over 250 students in his first five years of teaching. The program currently involves 300 students in grades 6th, 7th, and 8th. Tangen has been active with OPUS for several years chairing the OPUS 7-8 Boys Honor Choir for 2011-2012 and the Chair of the OPUS Honor Choir Festival 2015-2017. As a participating director, he has had at least one student accepted every year since he started teaching in 2002. Since 2013 Tangen has served as the Repertoire and Standards Chair for Jr. High/Middle School with the Iowa Choral Directors Association. He is often called upon to adjudicate for the Iowa High School Music Association. He has directed and continues to be invited to direct several choral festivals across the state. Mr. Tangen is an alum of Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa; where he earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree in 2002, and recipient of the Outstanding Bachelor of Music Education Award, which is presented to one student per department. Tangen was a NATS finalist as a vocalist in 2000. In the community, Tangen directs the Pella Children’s Choir, which is an outreach choir of the Iowa Youth Chorus; and he directs the adult choir at Peace Lutheran Church. In the spring, he coaches Pella High School Girls’ golf team and in the summer, plays French Horn in Pella City Band and is often a featured vocalist. Personally, Joseph, his wife Bethany, and children, Thomas (15) Tabetha (12), and Theodore (3) reside in Pella. Mr. Tangen enjoys golfing, traveling, and spending time with family.

Accompanist

Barbara Boertje DeVries