Our Music Leadership

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A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Dr. Bolton earned a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from Ouachita Baptist University and a Master of Music and Doctor of Philosophy in musicology from the University of North Texas. 

His long professional career includes college and seminary teaching, church ministry, and professional solo performances in operatic roles and with symphony orchestras. 

He was professor of music at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas from 1973 to 1989. While teaching at Ouachita his Chamber Singers were selected by audition to represent the state of Arkansas at the Bicentennial in 1976. In 1979 they were one of eight US choirs selected to tour Europe and sing with a Bach Festival Chorus accompanied by the renowned English Chamber Orchestra. In 1988 he spent several months abroad in Italy while on sabbatical, studying at, and performing with the Sessione Senese per la Musica e l’Arte.

From 1989 to 1996 he served as fulltime minister of music at Little Rock’s First Baptist Church, directing eight performances of The Living Christmas Tree each year.

In 1996 his educational and ministerial roles were combined when he accepted the position of Professor of Church Music at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. In 2000 he was named Dean of the School of Church Music and Worship, retiring in 2012 and moving to Hot Springs, Arkansas to be near family.

In retirement he has taught voice as well as music and worship classes at Ouachita Baptist University and Champion Christian College. He has served as Minister of Music at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church since 2015 and has been the musical director of The Village Chorale since 2018.

His career as choral director began in 1969 and continues today. He has directed choirs of all ages, including children’s choirs, youth choirs, adult church choirs, university choirs, seminary choirs, and now an auditioned community choir. Having been a voice teacher for half a century, his approach to choral directing stresses correct, unified vocal production combined with careful attention to musical nuances, resulting in a choral art that communicates not only to the ears of an audience, but to their collective hearts and minds.  

Elsen Portugal is a pianist, an ethnodoxologist, and a professor currently serving at Champion Christian College as Vice-President of Academic Affairs.  He has a PhD in ethnodoxology from B. H. Carroll Theological Institute, master’s degrees in Piano Performance and Missions, as well as a Bachelor’s in Piano Pedagogy. Since the 1980s he has served as Minister of Music, as missionary in Germany, Costa Rica, and Brazil, as well as professor and collaborative pianist.  Since 2010 his focus has been the application of local (indigenous) music and arts in worship and other intercultural communications.  He and his wife Michelle have 4 children and 8 grandchildren and live in Hot Springs, AR.  Personal site: http://elsenportugal.wixsite.com/arts-in-mission

My Village vocal music adventure began with the purchase of a Chorale Concert ticket from neighbor Nyla Morgan. That’s when the fun began...

• Cedar Mountain Singers 2011-2015;
  Currently singing with:
  Hot Springs Music Festival Chorus 2014; The Village Chorale 2016; 
• Cantate, a women’s group comprising Hot Springs SAI Alumnae Chapter members; 
• 2018; Threshold Singers of Hot Springs, bedside singing, 2019.

 In the words of my favorite warmup, “I love to sing!”  Offices held: 

• HSMF Volunteer Coordinator 2015 to present The Village Chorale Vice President 2018-2020
• Costume Chairperson/Stage Design 2017 to present
• Co Chair 2020 to present
  SAI HS Alumnae Chapter VP Programs/Membership

Rob joined The Village Chorale in the Spring of 2017 just in time for the celebration of their 20th anniversary. 

He sang bass with the Community of Joy Choir, The Joy Boys and Lutheran Christmas Cantate after retiring to the Village.

Singing music began in parochial school Christmas programs. He also took piano lessons for several years and played trombone in high school and college marching and concert bands.

 Alto I Linda Campbell moved to the Village in 2019 with her husband, Jim. Singing has been a part of her life since she was very young -- her mom said she sang before she talked. Church choir, school choir, ensemble and solo work dominated her time. She sang with the Lewisville Civic Chorus in the Dallas area. Linda also studied voice for two years and sang in an a Capella choir. Linda is the Chorale board member responsible for publicity. She practices acupuncture here in the Village.

Pamela is thrilled to be serving in her first year on the Village Chorale Board. 

She joined the Chorale in 2019 after moving to Hot Springs Village  from Ft Worth Tx. Pamela is a member of the Hot Springs Village Players and has been named the Producer of their Fall musical “Camelot”.  She is a member of the Village Church of Christ. Pamela has sung in many choruses and specialty groups over the years. She is particularly happy to sing with such a talented and dedicated group of performers in the Village Chorale. 

Jim is a baritone singer who has been with the Chorale since spring 1998. Jim has been singing in choirs and performed solos since childhood. He was a soloist and ensemble singer with the Purdue University Varsity Glee Club from 1956 to 1960. He was inducted into the Glee Club Hall of Fame in 1960. Since college he has sung in church choirs and gospel quartets as well as extensive Christian solo experience. He has appeared in a number of HSV Players musical productions as soloist and ensemble singer. He was the first president of The Village Chorale Board of Directors.  

Nancy Wilkins, alto II, and her husband moved from Illinois to Hot Springs Village in October 2014. She has aways loved to sing and enjoys all kinds of music from classical and opera to rock and country. “As a child I used to play my records over and over until I had memorized a song, which had my poor mother tearing her hair out!” Nancy has mostly sung in church choirs and is still a cantor in her church. “I have sung in ensembles and did spend a while singing with a small country western band in my younger years. My aunt introduced me to musicals and I loved being in the high school musicals during my time in a Capella choir. I am so pleased to be a part of The Village Chorale and genuinely enjoy the complexity of the music, along with performing with a large group.”