Dr. Diane White-Clayton
Composer - Soprano - Choral Director - Clinician
Speaker - Pianist - Minister
Biography
A native of Washington, DC, Diane L. White-Clayton holds a Ph.D. and MA in Music Composition from the University of California at Santa Barbara and BA in music from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri with emphases in Composition, Voice, and Piano. As a Rotary Scholar, she studied classical piano at the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris performing solo Gospel concerts throughout Europe as an Ambassador of Goodwill.
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Affectionately known as “Dr. Dee”, Diane travels extensively
as a vocalist, pianist, composer, conductor, workshop
clinician, and speaker. She has held numerous positions at
universities, colleges and churches across the country
including Artistic Director with the Washington Performing
Arts Society; Artist-in-Residence and Assistant Director of
African-American Student Development at Appalachian
State University; Artist-in-Residence at Westmont College;
Composer-in-Residence at Indiana University of Pennsylvania;
Scholar-in-Residence at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa;
faculty member at Loyola Marymount University; and Choral
Conductor at the New Christ Memorial Church under legendary
Gospel great, Pastor Andraé Crouch. For thirteen years, she was
Choral Conductor at the 6,000-member Faithful Central Bible Church
in Inglewood, California under the headship of internationally
esteemed, Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer, where she founded the
Sacred Praise Chorale.
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Dr. Dee works as a Teaching Artist at the Disney Imagination Campus in Anaheim, California. Possessing a three-and-a-half octave range, Diane weaves her high operatic soprano voice with her soulful gospel roots in her self-produced recordings. As a composer, her works have been performed at such venues as the John F. Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, with multiple commissions including the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Chorus Austin, the Negro Spiritual Scholarship Foundation and the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience. Her most popular work, entitled “Clap Praise,” has been featured across the globe. Whether arrangements of African, Korean or African-American folk songs, her atonal classical works, or her inspirational sacred or gospel songs, Dr. Dee’s compositions and performances demonstrate a mélange of the power of gospel music, the technique of classical music and the colors of jazz.
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An inspirational speaker and author, Dr. Dee combines an inviting genuineness with humor, eloquence and faith. As a conductor, she brings power, presence and praise, always uplifting and encouraging those she leads. Although she travels extensively throughout the United States and abroad as a workshop clinician, guest conductor, vocalist, pianist, and speaker, Dr. Dee is also member of the faculty of the University of California, Los Angeles. She co-owns BYTHAX, a publishing and booking company through which she founded the BYTHAX Ensemble, a professional, musically-diverse vocal ensemble; and she is the former Artistic Director of the famed Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers.
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Diane is the author of “Journey to the Altar,” a book and workbook to inspire and encourage single women who are waiting for that special love, where she openly shares her own story. Diane resides in Southern California with her beloved husband, best friend and business partner, former recording and touring Motown R&B percussionist, Joe Clayton, Sr.
