Founder: Dr. S. Carroll Buchanan
After more than 50 years of forming choirs, Dr. S. Carroll Buchanan and his wife, Carol, moved to Sarasota from New York City in 1992. In 2001, he brought together a volunteer group of multicultural singers and founded the Gulf Coast Community Choir to support charitable organizations in the community. In April 2025, the choir celebrated its 25th anniversary.
For more than a quarter of a century, the Gulf Coast Community Choir has been a joyful expression of unity through song. Founded on the belief that music has the power to heal, inspire, and connect, our choir brings together passionate singers with one shared goal: to use our voices for good.
Each season, our members rehearse, learn, and share in the joy of music. Our repertoire spans gospel, classical, and contemporary works, offering audiences performances that uplift and unite.
Whether you are an experienced vocalist, a supporter of the arts, or someone who simply loves hearing voices joined in song, you are part of our story. The Gulf Coast Community Choir invites you to join us, to sing, to listen, and to celebrate the enduring spirit of community that lives in every note we perform.
“Eclectic and diverse, just like the music we sing,” is how Karen describes the choir. As she skillfully and patiently guides the group through rehearsals and performances, she often recalls the GCCC founding director, Dr. Caroll Buchanan’s, reminder: “When it comes to music and perfecting our craft, the biggest room in any house is the room for improvement.”
Karen has sung with numerous choral groups and is proud to be one of the choir’s founding members. She stepped into the role of GCCC director in 2019. A graduate of Florida State University and the University of South Florida, Karen comes from a musical family and has performed on both flute and piano throughout the community.
With over 27 years of experience as an educator in the Sarasota County Public School System, Karen is equally dedicated to teaching and music. She is happily married to Mr. Sena Amengor, and in their spare time, they enjoy traveling, reading, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends.
“Music is truly a universal language,” says Karen. What she finds most rewarding about her 25 years with the choir are “the opportunities to connect with others through our domestic and international experiences.”
Holly has been a music educator for over 30 years in the school system, and music-making was no longer part of her daily routine. She is currently the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Coordinator at Brookside Middle School. What she enjoys most about accompanying the choir is the opportunity to keep playing.
Holly’s musicality, attention to detail, and ability to adapt to both the director and the choir provide invaluable support that enhances rehearsals and performances. She also treasures the shared love of music among GCCC choir members and the camaraderie that comes with being part of the group.
Holly deeply appreciates music’s role in praising God and expressing joy and gratitude, noting that the New Testament speaks of singing hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs. She believes that “music has the power to encourage and uplift” and considers it a true blessing in her life. A native of Sarasota, Holly earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education from Florida State University. She and her husband, Jay, are proud parents of two adult sons.
James Lawrence, President
Corene Richardson, Vice President
C. Stephen Wicker, Treasurer
Evelyn Miller, Recording Secretary
Karen Chester-Amengor, Choir Director
Yvonne Brown
Jennifer Joseph
Peggy Ward
Dr. Sonya Bethel*
Michelle Carroll
Dr. Shavon Clark-Harris*
Clare Davis
Sarah Davis
Sharon Graham
Jennifer Joseph
Barbara Katz
Pattie Lanier
Ginger Markham
Delores McFarland
Corene Richardson
Fran Taylor*
Yvonne Brown
Rose Dennis
Evelyn Miller
Marcia Page
Shelia Atkins
Dr. James Houston*
Randall Morgan
Bernette Powell
Dr. Ray Taylor*
Peggy Ward
Judith Williams
Joe Agostine
James Lawrence
Dr. Randall Morgan*
C. Stephen Wicker
Henry Friedl
Tom Powell