Charles Thomas Hayes is the Music Director of the Rogers Park Singers. He holds music degrees from Cornell College of Iowa, the University of Iowa and has done additional graduate work at Roosevelt University and The Catholic University of America. A Chicago native and a product of Chicago Public Schools, he was on the staff of the highly acclaimed Chicago Children’s Choir for more than a decade. After attending Chatham Fields Evangelical Lutheran Church for over 20 years as a child, Charles served as Director of Music at Chatham Fields Church for nearly 25 years and currently serves as a music consultant and guest musician.

Charles’ teaching career spanned four decades both at the high school and college level, including music education in Chicago Public Schools, Proviso East High School, Oak Park and River Forest High School, Luther High School South, Morgan and Coppin State Universities in Baltimore, Roosevelt University’s College of Performing Arts, College of Lake County, and Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He is currently Coordinator of Choral, Vocal and Piano Studies at Simmons College of Kentucky and accompanist for Beverly Morgan Park Community Choir in Chicago.

Since 2012 he has served as Music Director of the Chicago Music Association’s (CMA), branch one, and was a member of the National Association of Negro Musicians from 2013-17. He served as Chorus Master and accompanist for 3 years at South Shore Opera Company of Chicago, was Music Director for Greater Chicagoland Opera Guild, and on the conducting staff of Classic Act Choral Ensemble. Charles is the Artistic Founding Director of Chatham Choral Ensemble, artists-in-residence at University Church.