History of the Trinity Music Academy

Founded in 1990, Trinity Music Academy began as an outreach program of Trinity United Methodist Church in Troy, North Carolina. The original mission was to provide music instruction for Montgomery County youth in piano, organ, brass, woodwind, percussion, voice, and Kindermusik, emphasizing training organists, pianists, and music directors in classical and Christian music.

During the first year, the academy had about 55 students and immediately impacted the community. Under Executive Director William Jones and his wife, Mylinda Dockery, the academy achieved success in all areas of this mission in the first year of operation. Ms. Dockery was also the lead instructor in piano, organ, and Kindermusik.

The vision of the academy is that no student should be denied lessons because of financial needs. Following this vision, the Trinity Music Academy Board of Directors created a Scholarship Fund and appointed a Scholarship Committee. The scholarship program has been a driving force in building the academy, with about one-third of the students receiving full or partial scholarships.

In 1994 Mr. Jones left to begin study toward his doctorate at the University of Kentucky, and Mylinda Dockery became the executive director. In 1995 Ms. Dockery left to join her husband in Lexington, Kentucky. Their leadership, vision, and hard work during those early years formed the basis for the academy’s future success.

After an extensive search for a new executive director, the board of directors found Jon Durkovic. Mr. Durkovic received his Master’s in Organ Performance from the University of Alabama. The academy continued to grow under his direction, and enrollment grew to more than 125 students. The concert series grew in importance, with four or five concerts per year. When Leon and Nancy Capel donated a Walker pipe organ to Trinity Church, Mr. Durkovic was responsible for the installation.

When a family situation made it necessary for the Durkovics to move to Georgia in 1998, the academy once again began searching for a new executive director. The search led to Dr. Paul Chandley, who was hired in August of 1998. Dr. Chandley is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and received his doctoral degree from the Kansas City Conservatory.

Dr. Chandley brought a new dimension to the academy with his experience as a performer, accompanist, and teacher in New York City and Europe. He immediately began bringing gifted artists to perform in the Academy Concert Series. These artists, along with Dr. Chandley, gave many outstanding performances during his first year at Trinity.

Through one of Dr. Chandley’s contacts, the academy was able to bring the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus to Montgomery County. A company of 165 arrived in November 2000 and presented two heartwarming, inspiring concerts. Both sold out with standing room only.

Trinity Music Academy began getting statewide attention with coverage of its events in magazines and educational TV programs. While the concert series started as a way to raise money for scholarships, the academy came to see these events as a way to inspire and teach its students and the community.

The Kyiv concert had a unique way of influencing the growth and direction of the academy. One of the members of the Kyiv group was a brilliant young pianist and composer, Sophia Pavlenko. Dr. Chandley fell madly in love with her and, after a one-year international courtship, they were married at Trinity Methodist Church in November 2001.

With Sophia Pavlenko Chandley, the academy gained a gifted composer, teacher, and performer. A child prodigy from a family of talented musicians, Sophia was performing internationally in her early teens. Her appearances here and across the state have brought great acclaim. When Sophia and Paul present their Two Pianos concerts, the genius in both is evident.

While the academy continues to operate as an outreach program of Trinity United Methodist Church, it draws support from other churches and communities. Its directors come from different denominations, and its student base includes students from Montgomery, Moore, Stanly, and Randolph County. In 2018 the academy served more than 250 students.

Trinity Music Academy provides a service to our youth in this region that is unique in North Carolina. Under Dr. Chandley’s visionary leadership and with the support of the Academy Board, we expect continued success for Trinity Music Academy.