Dr. Wooten & Mr. Nielsen

Dr. Janet S. Wooten serves as the Director of Choral Activities at Richmond Hill High School in Richmond Hill, Georgia. Under her leadership, the choral program has grown into five performing ensembles, providing students with a comprehensive and engaging choral experience while earning consistent Superior ratings at the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) Large Group Performance Evaluation.

With more than 25 years of experience in music education, Dr. Wooten has taught at both the elementary and secondary levels and has served as a church accompanist, worship musician, and private voice instructor. Her ensembles have performed throughout the United States and Europe, including Florence, Venice, and Rome, Italy, with a memorable performance in the Vatican. She has also conducted the Fauré Requiem at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. In 2024, the Richmond Hill High School Women's Chorus was honored to perform a featured spotlight selection at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Most recently, the Advanced Chorus toured Salzburg and Vienna, Austria, and the RHHS Choral Program is scheduled to return to Carnegie Hall in the summer of 2027 to participate in a national choral festival.

Dr. Wooten earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Shorter University, a Master of Music degree in Vocal Pedagogy from Texas Woman's University, and a Doctor of Music Education degree from Liberty University. She is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).

Dr. Wooten resides in historic Savannah, Georgia, with her husband, Jody; together they are proud parents of three children: James, Jaci, and Joseph. 

Mr. Paul Nielsen serves as Assistant Choral Director at Richmond Hill High School. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Georgia Southern University, where he was active as both a choral musician and opera performer.

While at Georgia Southern, Mr. Nielsen performed with the Southern Chorale and appeared in university opera productions, including La Bohème and Sweeney Todd. A baritone, he has been featured as a soloist with the Statesboro Orchestra and in university recital and voice festival gala performances and has received recognition in regional and national vocal competitions through the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Mr. Nielsen has also served as a staff chorister for several churches in coastal Georgia, including First United Methodist Church in Statesboro and the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. At Richmond Hill High School, he is committed to helping students develop strong musicianship and musical literacy while fostering a supportive choral community.