The CONCORA Singers performing Bach's Motets
Sopranos
Patricia Benjamin Doyle, soprano, has sung in CONCORA since 2004. She received her B.A. in French from Pennsylvania State University, served in the Peace Corps in Africa, and holds a M.A. in Communication Disorders/Speech Science from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She is an assistant professor and speech pathologist specializing in the rehabilitation of performing voices (singers and actors) at UConn Health in Farmington. She is a member of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA), the Pan American Vocology Association (PAVA), and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). She enjoyed numerous years of professional solo and choral singing in Philadelphia, Boulder, and Boston prior to moving to Connecticut in 2003.
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Louise Fauteux, soprano, enjoys a diversified career in the arts devoted to education and performance. Highlights of her career include a solo role in Peer Gynt with the New York Philharmonic and a tour of Venice with DiCapo Opera, and leading opera roles in The Magic Flute, Hansel and Gretel, and Dido and Aeneas. 2022 marks her debut at Carnegie Hall with Handel’s Messiah. Locally she is often featured with Con Brio, Alchemy, the Worcester Chorus, and the New Haven Chorale. Ms. Fauteux received her master’s degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College. She is a resident artist for the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford and music instructor for the Connecticut Technical High Schools. She welcomes visitors to her website: www.louisefauteux.com
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Jennifer Ferrand-Kelly, soprano, is pleased to be singing with CONCORA for her 17th season. She performs regularly with VOCE and has appeared with the Hartford Chorale and the Greater Middletown Chorale and its chamber ensemble Alchemy. Recent solo appearances include Bach’s Mass in B Minor with the Worcester Chorus. She can be heard on recordings including In Delightful Company: Choral Works by Charles Fussell with CONCORA, and Sure on the Shining Night, Music of the Spheres, and Blessing: The Music of Paul Mealor with VOCE. Jennifer completed an undergraduate degree in vocal performance at the State University of New York at Geneseo and is currently a psychologist working for Hartford HealthCare. She lives in Glastonbury with her husband and two children. Back to the singers list
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Soprano Jennifer Lamson, has been described by the New London paper, The Day, as having "a crystalline voice, pure and unadorned." Jennifer can be found on recordings such as The Voice of the Archangel with Archangel Voices, What Child Is This? with Chorus Angelicus and Gaudeamus, as well as Voce Live, Sure on this Shining Night, and Music of the Spheres with VOCE. Jennifer is a current and founding member of VOCE as well as section leader at Immanuel Congregational Church. Jennifer has also worked under such composers and conductors as Morten Lauridsen, Ola Gjielo, Paul Mealor, Paul Halley, Steven Sametz, Charles Bruffy, and Paul Salamunovich. Jennifer is a music educator in Wallingford, CT.
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Altos
Katie Hart, mezzo-soprano, has sung with CONCORA since 2013 and is delighted to be back for another season. Katie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance from the Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College and has studied with Dr. Robert Natter and Steven Scheschareg. In addition to CONCORA, Katie has performed as a soloist with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Hartford Chorale, and Greater Middletown Chorale. When not singing, Katie can be found in the garden or in the kitchen making a wonderful mess with her young daughter. Back to the singers list
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Mezzo-soprano Pamela Frigo Johnson is originally from Wisconsin where her first singing experience was as a member of her family’s nine-voice choir singing sacred classical music for Catholic Masses. Pam received her Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from Lawrence University’s Conservatory of Music. She has been a featured soloist with the Hartford Symphony, the Manchester Symphony and Chorus, the Farmington Valley Symphony, the Middletown Chorale and the Battell Orchestra. She sings alto in the professional quartet of Mishkan Israel in Hamden and is a member of Voce. Back to the singers list
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Margaret Tyler has been a soloist with countless ensembles in the U.S. and Europe. She is currently in seven professional choirs and has been featured on many recordings. For the premiere of Meneely-Kyder’s Letter From Italy, 1944, Margaret was chosen to portray “Dorothea” and is featured in the opera documentary, narrated by Meryl Streep. She created “The Goddess Diana” in the premiere of Montgomery’s opera-oratorio Callisto. She has brought to life roles such as “Filippyevna” in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, “Mercedes” in Bizet’s Carmen, “Marcellina” in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, “Marthe Schwerlein” in Gounod’s Faust, and “Kate Pinkerton” in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. Margaret is a vocal coach and voice teacher, and lead singer at Calvary Church in Stonington, Connecticut. Back to the singers list
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Ellen Gilson Voth is an active conductor and a published, regularly commissioned composer. Currently Artistic Director of the Farmington Valley Chorale, she has served as Artistic Director of Novi Cantori and conductor of the Pioneer Valley Symphony Chorus, as well as music faculty at Western CT State University, Westfield State University, Western New England University, Gordon College and Ithaca College. A widely published composer, her choral premieres and commissions (including CONCORA, 2017) extend nationwide, and her works in opera and art song have garnered national attention as well. She is a regular guest conductor, clinician, performing pianist, and organist. Voth also serves as Vice Chair of Choral Arts New England, a grant-awarding agency. Her doctorate (DMA) is from The Hartt School, University of Hartford. www.ellengilsonvoth.net Back to the singers list
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Tenors
Tenor Kirk Bobkowski, a Worcester Massachusetts native, graduated from Keene State College with a Bachelor of Music in Performance and Education and did his Masters work at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He has worked with many ensembles including The Worcester Chorus, Worcester State Chorale, Keene Chorale, Masterwork Chorus, Gardner Singers, and Quincy Choral Society. His recent opera roles include Tamino (The Magic Flute), Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore), Ferrando (Così fan tutte), and Frederic (The Pirates of Penzance). Kirk is on roster with CONCORA and Vellichor. He is currently the Choir Director at Chocksett Middle School and leads an afternoon vocal studio at Wachusett High School.
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Mark Child, tenor, joined CONCORA in 2009. He has sung with the Hartford Chorale and CONCORA-To-Go, CONCORA’s educational outreach quartet. He served on CONCORA’s board of directors for three terms beginning in 2012. He holds a Master of Liturgical Music degree from Hartt College of Music as well as a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Bucknell University. In addition to his activities as a singer, he also serves as Director of Music Ministries and organist for Grace Episcopal Church in Windsor, Connecticut.
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Mark Mummert, tenor, is Cantor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Worcester, MA and Assistant Director/Accompanist for the Worcester Chorus. He serves on the voice faculty at Hanover Conservatory. He was the 2015 Distinguished Visiting Cantor at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg and Director of Worship at Houston’s Christ the King Lutheran Church, the home of Bach Society Houston (2008-2015). He was the Seminary Musician at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (1990-2008). Mark is a composer of the first musical setting of Holy Communion in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006). As a professional singer, he has performed for the Lincoln Center Mostly Mozart Festival, Worcester Chorus, Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia, the Bach Choir Houston, Houston Chamber Choir, CONCORA, and St. John’s Schola Cantorum. He studies voice with Jane Shivick. Artistic management for Mark is provided by Seven Eight Artists. Back to the singers list
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Jack Anthony Pott is a highly respected conductor, soloist, voice teacher, and clinician, and has been a featured tenor soloist with many ensembles in Connecticut. In addition to singing with CONCORA, he is a featured soloist on albums of the music of Morten Lauridsen and Paul Mealor, by the Hartford-based professional choir, Voce, for which he serves as Principal Tenor. Having been a member of the voice faculty for both Central Connecticut State University and the Hartt School Community Division, he now teaches privately. He is currently the Director of Music & Arts at Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford, and the Interim Music Director for the Hartford Chorale. Jack resides in South Windsor, CT, with his wife, two children, and two dogs. Back to the singers list
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Basses
Stephan P. Barnicle, a founding member of CONCORA, taught choruses, orchestra and music technology in Connecticut from 1970 – 2004, served as Director of Music Ministry at St. Patrick Church, Fayetteville, NC from 2004 a 2013, and is now Director of Music at First Congregational Church of Paxton, MA. Mr. Barnicle has appeared as guest soloist and conductor throughout the U.S., and he is a published author, poet, arranger and award winning composer. He was named Connecticut Music Educator of the Year for 1995; he was awarded the University of Connecticut’s “Excellence in High School Teaching” award; and was honored on national television on the “Disney Channel’s the American Teacher Awards,” and he is listed in Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World.
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Bass Jonathan Clune earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Latin from Yale where he also studied music theory and composition. In New York City, he sang with Cappella Nova, an acclaimed early music ensemble led by Richard Taruskin. Jon arranged many popular and folk song settings for a street quartet where he met his wife, CONCORA mezzo-soprano Sarah Potter. He has served as soloist and section leader for Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford and South Congregational Church in New Britain, and currently performs with Voce.
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Andrey Stolyarov, baritone, is excited to be singing with CONCORA for his sixth season. Andrey is a Russian-born American composer, conductor, singer, and educator. As a composer, he has received national and international recognition for his works. Andrey is an adjunct professor of music theory at The Hartt School and Capital Community College, and is the Minister of Music at Gilead Congregational Church in Hebron, Connecticut. He is an active professional singer, currently performing with CONCORA, Voce, and the Composers Choir. Andrey is published under Darushkii Publishing and NoteNova Publishing. More information can be found at http://www.andreystolyarov.com/, and you can find his music at https://youtube.com/darushkii as well as https://andreystolyarov.bandcamp.com/
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Edward Tyler, baritone, a native of Auburn, New York, received his Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Connecticut, and his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Crane School of Music. He recently retired from Manchester High School after teaching Choral Music, Theory, and Theatre for thirty-three years. Ed is the Artistic Director of The Master Singers of Worcester, a community choir based in both Worcester and Manchester. He is a clinician, adjudicator, and a published composer with over seventy works and two music textbooks to his name. In 2019, Ed was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Connecticut chapter of the American Choral Directors' Association. He can now be found in the kitchen or on the golf course. Back to the singers list
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