Suvi Mirka is a choral director at Gordon Russell Middle School in Gresham-Barlow School District. She received her undergraduate degree from George Fox University in Music Education, and then pursued her Masters at Portland State University. Suvi is the OMEA All state treble choir manager, and has greatly enjoyed working to help our students have a wonderful experience at All State. She is an active member of OMEA District 2 where she serves as the choir chair and festival coordinator. Suvi sings in the Portland community at a number of different churches and alongside some singer songwriter friends. This will be her eighth year as Director of choirs at Gordon Russell Middle School and in Gresham-Barlow School District. At Gordon Russell she teaches 2 sections of 6th grade choir, Intermediate choir, Concert Choir (Advanced), Jazz choir (select students in advanced choir), and leadership. When Ms Mirka is not involved in her musical endeavors, you will find her tearing up the pickleball courts, enjoying Portland's best coffee, spending time with her cat Joe, and listening to live music.
Amber earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Portland State University in 2001 and a Master of Education in 2005. Most recently, she completed a Masters Degree in Choral Conducting from Simpson College in 2023. Her teaching career has focused on choral music education in the Portland area, working with school and church choirs ranging from elementary through adult. In addition to her work with TCC, she also teaches at Sam Barlow High School and with the Pacific Youth Choir. Choirs she worked with have performed at events throughout the Northwest, including both OMEA and ACDA conferences. She regularly adjudicates music events in Washington and Oregon and serves as a clinician for honor choirs and retreat settings. Amber and her husband reside in Gresham, Oregon.
