About Us
Established in the spring of 2009 by Rachel Carlson, the Six Degree Singers is a vibrant community choir of 35 young adult performers dedicated to making quality music, both for the benefit of themselves and the surrounding community. The Six Degree Singers have performed for many events in the DC metro area, including the Silver Spring Loy Krathong Thai Festival and the Chesapeake-Potomac Invitational Bonspiel, an annual curling event. We hold semi-annual free choral concerts at local churches and community centers where we ask for free-will donations to help support our organization. In addition to these events, the Six Degree Singers intend to spread their love of music around the surrounding community at events as varied as ball games, ethnic festivals, and retirement communities. Our choir is made up of young professional adults from all races, creeds and walks of life. Because of this, we put an emphasis on singing a varied repertoire of secular choral music, including contemporary, renaissance, world, folk, and jazz.
Rachel Carlson (Music Director) is an active conductor and soprano based in the Washington, DC area. She performs with the Tucson Chamber Artists, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Conspirare, Vox Humana, Washington Bach Consort, Washington Master Chorale, and Washington Revels. In addition to founding the Six Degree Singers, she maintains a private voice studio in Silver Spring, MD. Rachel holds Bachelor’s degrees in both vocal performance and music education from the University of Maryland, as well as a Master’s degree in choral conducting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dusty Francis (Assistant Music Director) is a conductor, bass-baritone and music educator residing in the Washington, DC area. Currently in his second year of studies at the University of Maryland pursuing a master's degree in choral conducting, Francis serves as the director of the University of Maryland Men's Chorus and the director of the Adult Choir of the United Christian Parish in Reston, Virginia. Francis can be heard singing as a member of the University of Maryland Chamber Singers, the Washington Master Chorale and as an occasional member of the Washington National Cathedral's Gentleman of the Choirs. Before moving to Washington, Francis taught at St. Xavier High School and attended Xavier University in Cincinnati, where he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education.
