About Us

About Anima

Anima is a world class youth choral organization, founded in 1964, which is internationally renowned for the quality of choral education and performance it provides. Formerly the Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus, Anima welcomes young people from Kindergarten through High School in various ensemble programs.

Anima /AH-Nee-Mah/ Is The Latin Word For Breath, Life, Soul, Spirit.

The joy of singing, fun, friendship, skill mastery, sharing, self-expression, professionalism, discovery, learning, teamwork, self-assessment, outstanding opportunities.

Interested in learning more?

Anima welcomes young people from Kindergarten through High School in various ensemble programs.

Learn About Our Programs

Our Team

Charles Sundquist Artistic Director

Dr. Charles Sundquist was named Artistic Director of Anima – Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus in 2018. Dr. Sundquist relocated to the Chicago area from New Jersey where he was Director of Choirs at Mountain Lakes High School and Princeton High School.

Full Bio

Dr. Sundquist’s passion to provide musical and cultural exchanges to his students is evident in his past collaborations. He has prepared his choirs for performances of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion at the Schauspielhaus in Berlin in collaboration with the G. F. Händel school, Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms with the Kostroma Symphony, outside of Moscow, Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky at the Princeton University Chapel, Poulenc’s Gloria, Mozart’s Requiem with Metropolitan Opera soloists Paul Plishka and Sharon Sweet, a collaboration with the St. Charles University Orchestra in Prague, St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London, and many solo concerts in Dresden, Weimar, Stockholm, Vienna, Budapest, Montréal, and the White House and Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. In 1997, the Princeton High School Choir performed in Moscow with the Moscow Conservatory’s Children’s Choir as part of Moscow’s 800th Anniversary celebration. His choirs have also been featured at ACDA conventions.

Dr. Sundquist, a native of Duluth, Minnesota, received his Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Organ Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music, where he was a student of David Craighead. He was awarded the Prix d’Excellence from the Conservatoire de Région de Ruiel-Malmaison in France while a student of Marie-Claire Alain. Also in Paris, he was Associate Choirmaster and Organist at the American Episcopal Cathedral, accompanist for the Paris Ballet School and coach/accompanist for members of the Paris Opera Chorus. Dr. Sundquist’s coaches have included Gwendolyn Koldovsky, Robert Spillman and Samuel Sanders for piano, and the vocal studios of Jan DeGaetanni, Marcia Baldwin, John Malloy and Udo Reinemann.

Lori Boyer Assistant Music Director

Mrs. Lori Boyer brings energy, passion, and twenty years of experience in choral conducting, music education and vocal performance to her work as Assistant Music Director of Anima – Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus. Mrs. Boyer is the conductor of the Treble Chorus, Treble Plus and Concert Chorus, and also teaches students through Anima’s DREAM Initiative. Mrs. Boyer began singing when she was the age of the KidSingers, and enjoys sharing her love of singing and choral music with students of all ages!

Full Bio

Prior to her work with Anima, Mrs. Boyer led a successful high school choral program leading six choral ensembles who regularly performed throughout the Chicagoland area and on tours to locations such as St. Louis, Washington D.C., and New York City. She has also taught elementary and middle school choir and general music, and served as clinician and adjudicator for elementary, middle, and high school choral and solo/ensemble festivals.

Mrs. Boyer holds degrees in Voice Performance (Valparaiso University) and Music Education (Concordia University Chicago), which inform her commitment to preparing students to sing quality choral repertoire with healthy vocal production for a lifetime of artistry and joy in music-making. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Music degree (emphasis in choral conducting and vocal performance) at Concordia University Chicago, and has sung professionally as a soloist and choir member with various ensembles in Chicagoland, including Aestas Consort (Chicago), American Kantorei (St. Louis), St. Charles Singers, and Light Opera Works (Evanston). She is currently an active freelancer in the Chicago area and maintains a studio of private voice students.

Mrs. Boyer is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the National Association for Music Educators (NAFME), and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).

Sally Hepler KidSingers Instructor

Sally Hepler teaches general music, choir, and drama at Hall Elementary School in Aurora, IL and loves every second of it. She holds a Masters of Music Education from Vandercook College of Music and a Bachelors of Music Education from Indiana Wesleyan University. Born and raised an Ohio State Buckeye, Mrs. Hepler now resides in Woodridge, Illinois with her wonderful husband. She has had the pleasure of performing in numerous plays, musicals and operas, as well as singing in various collegiate choirs.

William Buhr Bill Principal Accompanist Anima singers glen ellyn chorus

William Buhr Principal Accompanist

Enjoying a national reputation as an accompanist, chamber musician, adjudicator and clinician, William Buhr’s work as a collaborative pianist has taken him to performing engagements in over thirty countries on six continents. Holding degrees from the University of Illinois and DePaul University, Mr. Buhr is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and holds membership in many other professional organizations. He has enjoyed an association with Anima – Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus since 1984.

Daniel Segner Treble Chorus Accompanist

Mr. Segner currently holds the position of Director of Music at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. He was the Principal Organist for First United Methodist Church at Chicago Temple in the city, and he is a faculty member at Music Makers of Western Springs where he teachers piano, voice and organ. Recent performances in Chicago have included the Elliot Chapel, Loyola University, and Paul Manz Organ Recital Series. As a collaborator, Mr. Segner has performed with Chorus Angelorum Civitas (Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chamber group), and with the Valparaiso University and La Porte Symphony Orchestras. He was awarded the Ronald F. Reidenbach Prize in Church Music, the Signature Artist Award, and was a finalist in the Schweitzer Young Professional Organ Competition. Having earned his Bachelor of Music in Church Music/Organ Performance under Dr. Lorraine Brugh, Mr. Segner is a graduate of Valparaiso University.

Jeremy Zimmer Concert Chorus Accompanist

Carolyn Kunzler Operations & Finance Manager

Ms. Kunzler joins Anima with an extensive background in finance. She has a BA in Child Psychology as well as a minor in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Northern Illinois University. She started her professional career in banking before becoming a CPS Specialist for four years in Austin, Texas. She returned to Illinois and began re-pursuing her finance background. She was the Business Manager for Montini Catholic High School in Lombard for seven years. Most recently she has been working as a trade expert for CPG companies such as Hillshire Brands and Reynolds Consumer Products to name a few. She has two grown children, Kylie and Daniel. Her daughter graduated from SEMO University with a degree in classical music and is currently singing for U.S. Army in North Carolina. Her son is currently working in the restoration business and resides in Illinois. She is excited about combining her love of music, children and finance to assist Anima in reaching its financial and operational goals.

“Anima /AH-Nee-Mah/
Is The Latin Word For Breath, Life, Soul, Spirit.”