Rick Fortney Founder/Executive Director/Voice and Piano InstructorFounder and Executive Director of TrueNorth Cultural Arts, established in 1999. At TrueNorth, Mr. Fortney conducts the TrueNorth Chorale and Chamber Orchestra, serves as Musical Director for its theatre productions, and serves as TrueNorth’s Artistic Director in theatre, music, visual arts and dance. His professional singing resume includes performances with New York Choral Artists, Musica Sacra, Trevor Pinnock’s Classical Band Chorus, The New York Concert Singers, The Juilliard Singers, The National Chorale, The David Dussing Singers, and featured Soloist within the Calvary Baptist Chamber Concert Series. Theatrically he was Spirit McCoy in the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s in Beckley, West Virginia outdoor theatre; worked with American Entertainment, singing at Convention Shows, State Fairs and Cruise Ships for a number of years; and was in the opera chorus for three seasons with Director Peter Sellers. Rick is in The Canterbury Singers, USA with which he has sung several choral residencies at Cathedrals throughout England. Mr. Fortney received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts Degrees from Bowling Green State University. Rick has served as Director of Worship / Minister of Music at Bay Presbyterian Church, Director of Music at St. Barnabas Episcopal, Heritage Presbyterian, and currently St. Paul Lutheran in Amherst, Ohio. Rick and his wife Joan live in Avon Lake with their “Mighty Four!”, Luna & Ellie, and Sophie & Clyde! Bill Shaffer Piano InstructorWilliam C. Shaffer is proud to be a Cleveland native. He is a free lance organist, pianist, accompanist and music director in the greater Cleveland area. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance from Baldwin Wallace University, and a Masters of Music Degree in Collaborative Piano from The Cleveland Institute of Music. William has enjoyed an extensive performing career, playing at all major venues in the greater Cleveland area, including Severance Hall with the Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland State University, Kent State University, the University of Akron, Baldwin Wallace University, Cleveland Institute of Music, and several others. He enjoys accompanying as well as solo playing, and has had opportunities to perform with the Chicago Symphony, Blossom Festival Orchestra, the White House, and three international tours. As an organist, William has an extensive career as a church musician too. He started at a small independent church in Mentor, OH, where he learned as an elementary school student how to play both piano and organ for services. From his college days, he became the interim and eventual Music Director at Old Stone (Presbyterian) Church on Public Square in downtown Cleveland. Since then he has been at Westlake Christian Church (Disciple of Christ) and Bethany English Lutheran Church as organist and choir director. William also spent four years as organist/cantor at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland. Other places of worship William has been privileged to play for include St. Emeric Catholic Church, St. Bartholomew Catholic Church, St. Angela Merici Church and Temple Emanu El in Orange Village. William is an experienced piano teacher. His philosophy is to encourage each student to achieve their goals by teaching everyone to their strengths. With over twenty years of teaching experience at such places as Solon Center for the Arts, Lake Ridge Academy, Avon School of Music and Baldwin Wallace University, William is thrilled to bring his knowledge and experience to TrueNorth.
