Our Great Plains Voices Team
Our Directors
Josephine Moellenbeck
Director GPV Sprouts
Josephine feels incredibly privileged to join the Great Plains Voices team as the conductor of the Sprouts choir. An enthusiastic and lifelong choral singer, she is deeply passionate about fostering a love of music and promoting healthy vocal habits for life.
Josephine graduated with a Bachelor of Music in 2015 and subsequently began teaching private voice lessons throughout the Westman region. Today, she works as a Grade 4 teacher in Brandon and regularly spends her summers adjudicating and conducting at various choir camps.
Her own musical journey began in kindergarten with Kodály training, sparking a lifelong dedication to choral music and vocal performance. She continues to active engagement in the choral community as a current member of Konektis.
Josephine is thrilled to introduce the youngest members of our community to the joy of singing, providing them with a wonderful foundation to become lifelong choristers and musicians.
Janelle Wilts
Director GPV Meridian
Janelle Wilts is thrilled to join Great Plains Voices as conductor of the GPV Meridian Choir. A passionate music educator and choral musician, Janelle brings energy, creativity, and a deep love of community music-making to the organization.
Janelle holds both a Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education from Brandon University, specializing in instrumental music education. Over the past 18 years, she has inspired young musicians through band, choir, and elementary music programs in both the Louis Riel and Brandon School Divisions. She currently teaches as a music specialist at École Harrison in Brandon, where she directs 5 choirs from gr. 1-8.
Interested in the connections between music and community, Janelle is a strong believer in lifelong music-making. Her past choral conducting experience includes the Brandon Conservatory Concert Choir, and the St. Augustine Community Voices Choir. Janelle sings with the acclaimed choir Konektis, most recently performing at the 2026 Podium Choral Conference in Victoria.
Janelle is excited to help lead the next generation of singers with Great Plains Voices, continuing a proud tradition of musical excellence in Westman.
Marla Fontaine
Director GPV Thrive
Marla Fontaine is a proud graduate of Brandon University, where she earned a
Bachelor of Music Specialist degree (Choral, Instrumental and General), a
Bachelor of Education, and a Master of Performance in Choral Conducting.
Throughout her career, she has taught music and choir to students of all ages,
both in Winnipeg and Brandon. Currently, Marla is the choral specialist at École secondaire Neelin High School, where she leads a concert choir, chamber choir, and vocal jazz ensemble, and teaches drama and musical theatre.
One of Marla’s biggest passions is working with people to create community and beauty through music. In her spare time, she co-conducts and sings in the adult choir, “Konektis”. She enjoys making music with her friends, through small group gigging and musical theatre productions. Marla has had many exciting opportunities as a guest conductor and has particularly enjoyed working with the Western, Eastern and Central Manitoba Youth Choirs as well as the Provincial Honour Choir (now MB Sings). She values music advocacy and professional development and is a past president of the Manitoba Music Educators’ Association. Marla is a lucky mom to her two adult children, Miles and Gracie. In her spare time, she enjoys running, skiing, swimming, camping and traveling.
Marla had the opportunity to direct all three Brandon Conservatory Chorale youth choirs. She is honoured and excited to now be a part of the Great Plains Voices team where she will be conducting Great Plains Voices Thrive!
Deanna Ginn
Director GPV Deep Roots
Deanna Ginn is a passionate and inspiring conductor whose impact on Manitoba’s choral community spans decades. She is honoured to be the founding conductor of Prairie Blend, the acclaimed low-voice ensemble now entering its 25th season. Deanna also served for several years as conductor of Bel Canto, a community choir affiliated with Brandon University, and is thrilled to be the inaugural conductor of Deep Roots at Great Plains Voices.
Deanna’s prairie roots run deep. Raised in the village of Dominion City, Manitoba, she developed an early passion for bringing people together through music. She holds a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Education from Brandon University and has worked extensively with choirs throughout the region in high school, church, and community settings. As part of her commitment to choral education, she has also served as a sessional instructor in Music Education at Brandon University and continues to pursue professional growth through conferences, workshops, and masterclasses.
Throughout her career, Deanna’s work as a conductor, clinician, and vocal instructor has inspired singers of all ages and experience levels. She enjoys collaborating on high school and community theater productions as a vocal director. As a performer, Deanna was an original member of das Femmes, has sung with Konektis, and continues her love of choral singing with Novos Treble Voices.
Beyond her work in music, Deanna is a dedicated classroom educator and Early Years literacy specialist. She and her family are deeply rooted in Brandon, where she enjoys a busy life with her husband and three children.
Known for her warmth, leadership, and musical artistry, Deanna believes deeply in the community-building power of music and in helping people find their voices. She is continually inspired by the ways in which choral music becomes something far greater than the sum of its parts.
Collaborative Artists
Davis Placatka
GPV Sprouts & Meridian
Kate Gray
GPV Thrive