Gaye McClure Dishner is in her seventeenth year as a music educator in Arkansas, and in her eleventh year as Choral Director at Ramsey Jr. High School in Fort Smith. A native of Pine Bluff, she is a 1986 graduate of the University of Central Arkansas. In December of 2005, she completed the degree of Master of Education in School Counseling and Leadership at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville.

Under her leadership at Ramsey, choir enrollment has grown from around 80 students to its present enrollment of nearly 250 students. Ramsey Choirs consistently receive Superior ratings in concert and sight reading performances at the West Central ArkCDA Choral Festivals. In 2003, the Advanced Male Chorus and the Select Girls participated in the Music in the Parks Festival in St. Louis, where the Male Chorus was awarded “Best in Class” and the Select Girls were awarded “Best in Class” and “Best Overall Choir”. In 2005, both these choirs were awarded “Best in Class” at the DC Festival/Lone Star Showcase of Music in Dallas.

In 1999, Ramsey Choirs were invited to perform at the Arkansas All-State Music Conference in Pine Bluff. The Ramsey Select Girls Chorus was selected to perform at the Southwest Division Convention of the American Choral Directors Association in Houston in 2002. The Select Girls will have this honor once again as they perform for SWACDA in St. Louis in March, 2006.

Prior to her position at Ramsey, Gaye served as Assistant Choral Director at White Hall Jr. High School in Pine Bluff, and then taught elementary music in the Fort Smith Public Schools for five years. She has had the privilege of serving her region as region chairperson since 2001. Gaye has also served as the Repertoire and Standards Chair for the Arkansas chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. She has served as adjudicator and clinician in several regions in Arkansas, as well as in Mississippi and Florida. Mrs. Dishner has served as accompanist for reading sessions at both divisional and national ACDA conventions, region choirs, and for the Arkansas All-State Choirs.

In 2000, Gaye was honored by her peers in the West Central Region, who chose her as Jr. High Choral Director of the Year. That honor was bestowed on her again in 2002 and 2005. Her name has been included on several occasions in Who’s Who Among America’s Best Teachers.

Gaye is married to husband, Derek, and is the proud mom of two children. Sydney is 14, and a member of the Select Girls Chorus, and Spencer is 11 years old.