Cynthia DeDakis began her career teaching music in public schools in New York and Wisconsin. While getting her Masters in Choral Conducting, studying with Robert Fountain at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she became Music Director at St Andrew’s Episcopal Church, thus beginning a career of over forty years serving Episcopal parishes in Wisconsin, Virginia, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and an interim in Vermont. A hallmark of her work has been establishing and growing chorister programs using the model and practices of the Royal School of Church Music. At St. John’s, Lafayette Square, she started the Chorister Academy, bringing together underserved boys and girls from many neighborhoods for music education, karate lessons(!), pizza, and family fellowship. During her time in Atlanta, Cindy was Associate Choirmaster at the Cathedral of St. Philip (her three children were among her choristers), Music Director of the Atlanta Schola Cantorum, and a member of the professional ensemble, The Britten Choir. She has directed choir festivals in several states and served as interim director of Choral Music at Emory University.

After many years of service to the RSCM, including several years as its first woman president, the organization awarded her its highest honor. She has been a member of AAM since 1997, and previously served AAM as a director-at-large.