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Vocal Roster — Winter 2011
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Mary-Ellin Brooks, mezzo-soprano, has loved music since she was a child and sang show tunes – loudly – in her parents’ basement. A long-time choral performer and enthusiast, Mary-Ellin has served on the boards of choral groups in New Mexico (including Polyphony) and California. In 2003, she and her fellow members of the California Bach Society joined the world-renowned Kronos Quartet in the San Francisco premiere of minimalist composer Terry Riley’s Sun Rings. Over the years, Mary-Ellin has developed a versatile style, and is at home singing classical, jazz, pop, and musical theater repertoire. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from MIT, with a minor in music. Mary-Ellin serves as executive director of Quintessence: Choral Artists of the Southwest, and hosts weekend mornings, including Sunday’s “The Sacred Hours,” on Classical 95.5 KHFM. She was invited to join Polyphony in 2009, and is delighted and grateful to be part of this outstanding group of musicians. |
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Brianne Conner holds a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Baylor University and a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance with a minor in Behavioral Science from East Texas Baptist University. In addition to Polyphony, Brianne is currently a soprano section leader at The Cathedral of St John, having also sung locally with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra Chorus. Her choral experiences have taken her to England, Italy, South Korea, and China, as well as throughout the United States to participate in choral festivals and performances. She currently works for the Department of Health in the Developmental Disabilities Supports Division. Her favorite past time is making music with her two beautiful children and wonderful husband. |
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Monika Cosson is a classical singer and voice teacher. She studied voice performance at Loyola University College of Music and Fine Arts in New Orleans, La. She has appeared with the New Orleans Opera, Gulf Coast Opera, and Santa Fe Opera, and she has toured and recorded with the Gregg Smith Singers in New York and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. She performs regularly with the Canticum Novum Chamber Orchestra & Chorus, Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico, and the Santa Fe Community Orchestra. Cosson has taught voice to students ages 13 to adult through Studio di Bel Canto, for which she is artistic director. Her teaching philosophy centers around making voice performance enjoyable for singers of all abilities and, most importantly, instilling a love of music in her students. In March, Ms. Cosson will perform the role of La Badessa in Puccini's Suor Angelica with Opera South West in Albuquerque. |
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Devon Hays's musical debut began at the age of three, when (as her grandmother tells it) she began to sing to anyone who would listen. She kept this musical germ alive through a string of school and church choirs. She sings soprano in The Cathedral of St. John Choir and is honored to have received an invitation to sing with Polyphony of New Mexico. She spends her free time reading, writing, and hiking as much as possible. |
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Trish Henning, alto, has sung in choirs since middle school. On the faculty at UNM—in the Physics and Astronomy department—she has sung with the University's women's ensemble, Las Cantantes, and more recently with the Concert Choir, under the direction of Honorary Board member of PVNM, Bradley Ellingboe. She performed for several years in the a capella Renaissance group, Quodlibet. Before moving to Albuquerque in 1993, she sang in two ensembles in The Netherlands. Her experience with women's choirs started with her singing in the Wellesley College Choir. She currently studies voice with Jacqueline Zander-Wall. At UNM, she conducts research on galaxies using radio telescopes around the world, and teaches various astronomy courses, as well as the Musical Acoustics physics class. Her doctorate is from the University of Maryland, in astronomy, and she finds music to be the perfect balance for a life in science. This is her second season with Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico. |
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Rebecca Helbom, soprano, was born and raised in Västerås, Sweden. She moved to Albuquerque in August 2008, and is currently a student at the University of New Mexico, pursuing a major in vocal performance under the direction of Jacqueline Zander-Wall. She also plays on the UNM Women’s Golf Team, and the Swedish National Golf Team. Furthermore Miss Hellbom sings in the Cathedral Choir of St John, and in Las Cantantes (The UNM Women’s ensemble), both directed by Dr. Maxine Thevenot. She has travelled with the Cathedral Choir to England where they sang at St Paul’s Cathedral and Southwark Cathedral in London, and York Minster in York. This June (2012) she will go on tour with both Las Cantantes and the Cathedral Choir to NYC. After college she would like to attend graduate school, and in the future join an opera company. With the UNM Opera Studio Rebecca has performed the roles of Dorabella from Così fan tutte, Marcellina from Le nozze di Figaro, and Donna Anna from Don Giovanni. Besides opera, she loves baroque music. Rebecca is excited and looking forward to another season with Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico. |
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Soprano Jenna Kloeppel sings her first season with Polyphony this winter. Jenna graduated from The George Washington University in 2008 with a degree in Psychology and Art History. During her time as an undergraduate, she performed with George Washington University Singers, Chamber Choir, Sirens A Cappella, and regularly participated in opera scenes, with roles such as the Second Lady in Mozart’s Magic Flute and Celie in Pasatieri’s Signor Deluso. Jenna was a featured soloist in both University Singers and Chamber Choir, and in 2004 performed at the Kennedy Center with the latter group. Jenna is currently working towards a M.A. in Art History at UNM, and is delighted to be performing with Polyphony. |
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Alyssa Landahl is a transplant from the Boston, Mass. area and is enjoying immersing herself in the New Mexico music scene. In New Mexico she has sung with the UNM Chorus, Las Cantantes, Quintessence, and is currently a member of The Cathedral of St. John Choir and Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico. In Boston she sang with the Back Bay Chorale (inc. conductors Julian Wachner, Scott Jarrett, and Jim Olesen), the Berkshire Choral Festival, the Boston Pops Holiday Chorus (conductor Bruce Hangen), and the Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus. In her "free time" she has been a high school history teacher and the operations manager for the Back Bay Chorale. She and her husband, Andrew, are parents of a 4-year old son, William, who proudly sings "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and the "Star Spangled Banner" every night before bed — CD to be released soon. |
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Yasmeen Lookman is pursuing a Bachelor of Music Education and Vocal Performance at the University of New Mexico under the vocal coaching of Sam Shepperson. This is her second year singing with The Cathedral of John’s Choir, the UNM Jazz Choir, and the UNM Women’s Ensemble, Las Cantantes. This is also her second year interning with the UNM Children’s Chorus. She is delighted to be singing her first concert with Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico. Yasmeen will be performing the role of Cherubino from Le Nozze di Figaro with the UNM Opera Studio in November 2011 and will be touring with Las Cantantes and The Cathedral of St. John Choir in June 2012 to New York City. Yasmeen has been passionate about music all of her life and will continue along this path towards a career in music. |
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Renée Motteler is a Grammy ® Award winning member of the Los Angeles Chamber Singers & Cappella, who received the award for Best Small Ensemble in 2006 for the album Padilla: Sun of Justice. She moved to Albuquerque from Southern California and serves as the alto section leader for The Cathedral of St. John Choir. Renée received her Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies with a concentration in vocal performance from California State University, Long Beach in 2006. Renée has performed all over the world with jazz choirs and as a soloist at the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Ozone Jazz Festival, Neuchatel Jazz Festival, IAJE, Cuesta College Jazz Festival, and the Berkeley Jazz Festival, among others. In California, she was the cantor, alto section leader, and assistant conductor at St. Cyprian Catholic Church in Long Beach for 15 years. Renée has been a classroom teacher from elementary up through college age students, teaching vocal jazz, beginning music, choir, band, orchestra, and private voice lessons. She was also a lead/back up singer with the rock groups Gregg Young and the 2nd Street Band and the Gypsy Beggars. Renée has appeared in television commercials and has worked in the studio recording demo tapes for composers of classical, show tunes, jazz, and rock music, as well as recording jingles used commercially. Renée is a returning member of Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico. |
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Danielle Myers began her musical career in children’s choir at her church by participating in numerous little children’s musicals. She was heavily involved in the choir program at Cibola High School for three years. Danielle is currently attending UNM for a degree in Music Education with a vocal concentration. She has been singing in the UNM women's ensemble, Las Cantantes for three years. Danielle can be heard in two recordings on the Raven CD label, Dream a Little Dream and Missa Campanella. This marks her third season with Polyphony. |
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Jennifer Perez, soprano, will graduate in May of 2011 with a Bachelor's Degree in Music with a concentration on vocal performance from the University of New Mexico. She has performed lead roles with the Sante Fe Opera Community Outreach programs and at UNM's Opera productions, including Letitia in Samuel Barber's The Old Maid and the Thief; Dangerous Liaisons – scenes from various operas which included Giulietta in Jacques Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann. A soloist in the 2010 ACDA Denver conference and former member of UNM's concert choir, she has often been selected as a soprano soloist including Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass and Mozart's Requiem for the Festival Internazionale della Cultura Bergamo in Bergamo, Italy. A soprano section leader at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Jennifer is the featured soprano soloist in Britten's A Ceremony of Carols included on Polyphony's debut CD, Winter: an evocation. This marks her second season with Polyphony. |
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Mika Proctor, soprano, is a native of New Mexico. She received her Bachelor’s degree in music from Eastern New Mexico University and her Master’s in Education from Wayland Baptist University. She received her Kodály certification from the New Mexico Kodály Institute. She currently teaches music in Rio Rancho, grades K–5. Mika serves as Vice President of General Music for the New Mexico Music Educators Association (NMMEA). She is also the founder and President of the New Mexico Kodály chapter, Enchanted Educators of Kodály (EEK). She was recently chosen to receive the John M. Batcheller Award for Excellence in Teaching Elementary Music from NMMEA. Mika enjoys teaching music and directing children's choirs. She also enjoys singing and playing keyboard for Paragon Church in Rio Rancho. She resides in Albuquerque with her husband Corey and their three daughters, Abigail, Mallory and Reagan. |
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Johanna Sindelar, soprano, is one of the founding members of Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico. She currently sings with The Cathedral of St. John Choir and has also sung with Canticum Novum, Cantat, and the Sangre de Christo Chorale. Johanna has been singing and playing violin since childhood and particularly enjoys renaissance and baroque music. She is also a violinist in the Turquoise Trail Trio, which has performed at various Santa Fe and Albuquerque venues. Johanna holds degrees in English and Psychology and lives off-grid near Madrid, NM with her husband Allan, three teenagers and an assortment of dogs, cats and ferrets. Johanna is excited to be singing with this ensemble. |
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Sarah Weiler, mezzo-soprano, has performed solo and chorus work with the Desert Chorale, Canticum Novum, Pro Musica, and the Santa Fe Symphony and Chorus. Recent solo performances include Bach's Cantata 106 with Canticum Novum, Vivaldi’s Gloria and selections from Beethoven’s Mass in C with the Santa Fe Symphony and Chorus. Other performances include Durufle’s Requiem, Vivaldi’s Dixit Dominus, and John Corigliano’s Fern Hill. In addition to her singing career, Sarah currently works in development for the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and received a masters degree in Arts Administration from Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati. |
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Meredith Wilder, soprano, is attending the University of New Mexico for a Bachelor of Arts in Music. She sang with the UNM women's choir Las Cantantes and the UNM Concert Choir in the first four years of her undergrad. Currently she sings with Quintessence, The Cathedral of St. John Choir, and is a returning member of Polyphony. Active in music education as well as composition, Meredith is passionate about the music scene in New Mexico and feels blessed to work with so many talented musicians. |
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