CONCORA Singers in Handel's Messiah 2022
Sopranos
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Anne Collin, soprano, holds a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from Manhattanville College and a graduate degree in Music Education from Boston University. An elementary general music teacher in Greenwich Public Schools, she is an active performer in several community theater groups. Past favorite roles include “Maria” in The Sound of Music (Castle Craig Players), “Young Little Edie” in Grey Gardens (Newington Mainstage), and “Lily” in The Secret Garden (Rocky Hill Community Theater). When not in the classroom or onstage, Anne can occasionally be found in the pit, having music directed Godspell for Phoenix Theater in New Britain, and Cinderella, Jr. and A Christmas Carol for New Britain Youth Theater. She thanks her wonderful family and friends for their love and support.
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Soprano Nancy Hemstreet Eaton says singing is like being “caught up with other people in a moment of grace” (credit Garrison Keillor). She has loved to sing since she was a small child and has never stopped, continuing today in CONCORA and the Choir of St. John’s Church, West Hartford. Special thrills were performances in England’s Canterbury Cathedral and at Chartres Cathedral in France. She has degrees in music from Goucher College and Yale University, where she studied voice with Shirley Meier. As an organist-choir director, she served several area churches. When not traveling across oceans, she enjoys spending time in Kennebunk Beach, Maine, with family and friends. Back to the singers list
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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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Erica Maas Shippee, BM voice, The Hartt School, MM Early Music, The Longy School of Bard College, is a soloist, choral singer, voice & piano teacher, and is the Founder of Market Square Music Academy in Newington. Erica sings professionally with Voices of Concinnity, CONCORA, and the Schola Cantorum of Saint Joseph's Cathedral. Erica has appeared as a soloist with the Oriana Consort, Vermont Music Festival, Manchester Symphony, CONCORA, The Master Singers of Worcester, Music at the Red Door and the Hartt Opera Theater. She has been lucky to sing on choral tours to the UK, Vienna, Budapest and the National Cathedral in Washington DC. When not singing, she enjoys golfing with her husband, gardening, and road trips to National Parks. Back to the singers list
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Soprano Christine Fote Macaluso holds a Bachelors and a Master’s Degree in Music Education from Central Connecticut State University. While at CCSU, she was a member of the prestigious University Singers and had the honor to perform under the direction of Dr. Pamela J. Perry. Christine teaches general music and chorus for Glastonbury Public Schools where she frequently hosts student teachers from both the HARTT School and CCSU. She has studied voice with Barbara Pierce and Joanne Scattergood. When not singing, she can most likely be found somewhere in Disney World or planning her next trip with her very supportive husband and their three children. Back to the singers list
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Altos
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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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Kelley Elizabeth Kelly, mezzo-soprano, finds great joy in geekdom, martinis, and singing with CONCORA. A church singer since she could first hold a hymnal open, she believes singing is praying twice and is currently holding down the fort as a cantor at Hartford’s beautiful Christ Church Cathedral. Much to her parents’ everlasting chagrin (they wanted an economist), Kelley earned a bachelors in music from Smith College, which she followed with graduate work in fine art photography at RIT, a certification to teach Zentangle, and a commitment to be herself. She lives in Newington with her husband, three feisty teenagers, and an even feistier cat.
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Mezzo-soprano Cynthia Mellon joined CONCORA in 2001. Her formal training took place at the Cleveland Institute of Music and University of Connecticut. Cynthia has performed with The Cleveland Orchestra, Robert Page Singers, the Hartford Symphony, Connecticut Opera, New Britain Opera, Opera Theatre of Connecticut, and as a frequent choral soloist. She is currently alto soloist and section leader at South Church in New Britain and has sung in the High Holy Days ensemble at Beth Israel in West Hartford since 2001. Cynthia has two daughters and two granddaughters. A certified veterinary technician by day, she helps her very supportive husband care for their eighteen pets back home. In her spare time, Cynthia paints, and she and her husband Rick love to kayak, bike, and garden. Back to the singers list
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Debi Newirth, mezzo-soprano, attended the Hartt College of Music, where she majored in Opera Theater and Vocal Performance, where director Jack Zei once said she had been given “una voce d'oro." She performed as an AGMA choral artist with Connecticut Opera in eight productions during and following college. A Robert E. Smith award winner in the COA Scholarship competition, Debi has been performing in both choral and solo settings since she was seven years old--most recently with the chamber ensemble Alchemy. Debi has also appeared with the GMChorale, the VOCE core concert choir, and previously participated in CONCORA summer symposiums. After waiting several years for audition opportunities to arise, she is thrilled to be joining the CONCORA roster.
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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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Tenors
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Travis Benoit, tenor, from Worcester, MA received his Master of Music Degree from Manhattan School of Music in spring of 2020. Previous credits include Joseph Haydn’s The Creation (Uriel) with Providence Singers, The Passion According to Saint Luke (The Evangelist), Composer William David Cooper’s New Work, The Pirates of Penzance (Frederic) with The Valley light Opera Company, and Die Zauberflöte (Tamino) with Nahant Music Festival as a vocal apprentice. A concert soloist and recitalist throughout New England, he was selected to sing in Thomas Hampson Masterclass hosted by MSM in 2019. His current ensembles include CONCORA, EnsembleNYC, Providence Singers, Worcester Chorus, Vox Futura. Travis is adjunct vocal faculty with Phillips Academy in Andover as well as Choral Ensemble assistant at Endicott College in Beverly, MA. Back to the singers list
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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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Tenor Anthony Joseph Kane has been happily singing with CONCORA since 2003. A full-time general music teacher in Cheshire, Connecticut, he is also Assistant Cantor at Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Church in New Britain, and has been a section leader with the Hartford Chorale and Saint Joseph’s Cathedral Choir. Tony has been a guest singer with the South Church Chancel Choir and First Lutheran Church Choir in New Britain. Civically active, he currently serves on the Board of Education in the City of New Britain, where he lives with his wife, Mariette, and their two children.
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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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Peter Perkins has sung baritone and tenor for CONCORA since 1985. He currently teaches high school and middle school choral music in Litchfield and is music director for the music theater productions. From 1993 to 2009 he was the Director of Music at the Westminster School in Simsbury and started his career at Tremper High School in Wisconsin. Mr. Perkins holds a Bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s degree in choral conducting from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is a section leader for Crescendo and has been a soloist and section leader for area churches, the Hartford Chorale, and the Eastern Orthodox recording choir Archangel Voices. Back to the singers list
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Basses
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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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Paul Dexter, Bass, was raised in a family of professional musicians. He has applied his love of choral singing since Cherub Choir days in the last millennium. Paul has always been active in community and church choirs and has sung under the batons of Seiji Ozawa, Michel Tilson Thomas, Helmut Rilling, Robert Page and other world-class conductors. Paul regularly tours with the Bel Canto Chorus of Milwaukee and the Worcester Chorus, with whom he has sung for 18 years. He is a retired Technical Recruiter and when not singing, he is an avid model railroader. Back to the singers list |
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Bass-baritone Patrick Nay participates as a dramatic coloratura soloist and ensemble member throughout New England, and has been a resident of Connecticut since 2017. He currently participates in Voce, CONCORA, Joyful Noise's Gaudeamus, and is a regular section leader at St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church in Hartford. Most recent solo performances includes Brahms' Requiem, Handel's Messiah, Bach's Weimar Cantatas, and Mozart's Die Zauberflöte.
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Paul Dexter, bass, is a teacher, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist whose passion is to heal the world with music. He holds a B.M. in Classical Vocal Performance from Western Connecticut State University. Alexander has been performing with CONCORA since 2013. As a passionate teacher, conductor, and musical leader, Alexander also holds many posts. He is an avid teacher of voice, guitar, and piano. Alexander is also a passionate songwriter and producer. In April 2021, his composition “Shame” was chosen by Carnegie Hall to be featured in the “In Response” music festival which presented artistic reflections of COVID 2020. Alexander is also the musical director of the New Haven-based Soul/R&B ensemble Fernanda and The Ephemeral. Back to the singers list |