Phyllis W. Anderson, a former Paine College choir director, has returned to the stage as the new director of the Augusta Chorale.

"Augusta is a wonderful place for music. I have enjoyed so many aspects of the music community in Augusta - the opera, the ballet, the symphony, the arts festival, just all the art opportunities," said Dr. Anderson, 53, who has lived in Augusta since 1978. "I'm glad to have a second opportunity to be a part of that."

Music has always been a part of her life, she said.

"My father was a singer, and my mother was a singer," the director explained. "She had a great love for singing. She was over the (children's) choir at our church. She needed a musician to play for them, so she sent several of us to take piano lessons."

Soon, she was playing the piano at family songfests.

"We always sung in our home. It was just a joy," she said. "Even when I go back home to visit my brothers and sister, we still gather around the piano and sing."

In middle school, she began studying the violin and participated in the orchestra until she graduated from high school.

Her training continued in musical programs at Norfolk State University, Ohio State University and the University of Georgia.

While pursuing her master's degree at Ohio State, she received a letter from Paine College inviting her to Augusta to interview for director of the choir.

She accepted the invitation, but not because she wanted to be a director.

"The reason I came to Georgia for the interview was to be able to tell my people in Virginia that I had come to Georgia," she said, laughing. During the interview, she felt a connection and decided to take the job. "I've never regretted taking the position."

In her time as director, the Paine College choir became popular, she said.

"The citizens of Augusta would come to my concerts an hour ahead of time to get a seat," she said. "They (my family) would come down here, too. It was a big family event."

After 13 years with the choir, Dr. Anderson decided to step down.

"People had thought that I had made a bad decision. I had just finished my doctorate degree at the University of Georgia, was choir director and had just earned tenure as an associate professor of music at Paine," she said. "But I had always wanted to be a mother, so I stepped off the podium to focus on motherhood and being a mommy."

She remained active in the community by serving as conductor for the Richmond County All-County Chorus and working in Columbia County's public schools.

Then, late last year, she realized how much she missed performing.

"I had the desire to conduct again and to have that joy of being in a choral group again," she said. "Another part of it was that my son had never seen me conduct. He has the tapes, the pictures and has heard people talk about it, but he wants to see me conduct and see how I function as a performer."

She hopes that the chorale will be a unifying element for the community, she said.

"One thing the articles used to say about my choirs at Paine College was that it was a wonderful way to bring the black and white citizens of Augusta together. That's always worthwhile to do," she said. "If the music is great, it should be loved and shared by all."

She also hopes to see more young people at the performances.

"I want to be the catalyst for bringing the children to the arts and to enjoy the arts in the community," she said. "I want the children in this area to know the joy of music."

Her first performance with the Augusta Chorale will be its Christmas Concert at 4 p.m. Dec. 9 at Paine College's Gilbert-Lambuth Chapel.

Reach Nikasha Dicks at (706) 823-3336 or nikasha.dicks@augustachronicle.com.