Creating our own culture in the woods of New Hampshire
members
Cheryll Andrews (alto) was a founding member of the Attleboro, MA group "Oure Pleasure Ltd" in 1983, a small theatrical, madrigal based group which has recently celebrated is 25th season. After moving to New Hampshire, she sang with Great Waters Music Festival, New Hampshire Music Festival and Amare Cantare. She also spent two years as an alto in the seven person contemporary a cappella group Tuckerman's at 9. She spent three years as the alto section leader and soloist at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Concord, and then three more as the soloist at the Christian Scientist Church in Plymouth. Cheryll has several years of formal voice training and has been singing with NHMC since the beginning in 2003. She works in advertising at Citadel Broadcasting, New Hampshire representing WOKQ/WPKQ and The Shark, is married and has an adult daughter. Favorite songs sung with NHMC: "Mid-Winter Songs", M. Lauridsen; ALL of the spirituals; "How Can I Keep from Singing", arr. B. Ellingboe
Brian Clancy (tenor) sang in college with the Yale Glee Club and afterward with the choir at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, outside his native Philadelphia. He also enjoyed six years with the Philadelphia Singers Chorale, resident chorus of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and after moving to New Hampshire he sang with the Handel Society at Dartmouth College before joining the Master Chorale. Brian holds a Ph.D. in architectural history from Rutgers University, and he currently teaches art history at Colby-Sawyer College in New London. He lives in Lebanon with his wife Amy and daughter Katie.
Jenny Cooper (alto) is the choral music teacher at Gould Academy in Bethel, ME, where she lives. She holds a B.A. from Plymouth State University in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy, where she studied with Eva Nagorka, Janice Edwards, and Kathleen Arecchi. At Plymouth she sang with PSU Chamber Singers, University Chorale, and was the student assistant to Dan Perkins. Jenny taught at Phillips Exeter Academy in 2008-2009 and the Putney School Summer Program in 2007, and she was choir director at Church of the Holy Spirit, Plymouth, NH in 2007-2008. Before coming to Plymouth she studied with soprano Jane Cormier, founder of Lakes Region Opera Company, and Carmen Balthrop at the Heifetz International Music Institute. Jenny is a New Hampshire native, originally from Wolfeboro, NH, where she was a member of and regular soloist for Clearlakes Chorale. She treasures her time spent singing and laughing with all members of NHMC and looks forward to a fantastic season!
Mike Corey (bass) , a former member of such early '70s Plymouth State College
singing groups as the Polyphonic Choir, the Madrigal Singers, the Notables, and the Graftones, views his membership in the Master Chorale as his greatest musical challenge. He is currently the choir director at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Derry, a long-time member of the Manchester Choral Society, and singer and manager of the a cappella quartet Madrigale. Mike, who lives in Chester, works for McCracken Financial Solutions as a Customer Support Representative. His daughter Jillian just received a Master of Education degree from Plymouth State University. Favorite songs sung with NHMC: "Remember Me", S. Chatman; "Sure on this Shining Night", M. Lauridsen; "Kylä vuotti uutta kuuta", J. Vendervelde; St. John Passion, J.S. Bach. Other favorites: "They that go down to the seas in ships", H. Sumsion; "O Vos Omnes", P. Casals; "A Child's Christmas in Wales", M. Harris; "This is My Word", Pepper Choplin
Lynn Paulsen Cox (alto) is beginning a second term with the Master Chorale. She holds a B.A. in Music from Plymouth State College of long ago, where she studied voice with Kathleen Arecchi and was the soloist for the Christian Science Church with friend and mentor, organist Dr. Robert Swift. She spent five years with the madrigal group Amare Cantare on the Seacoast. A move to Boston to work in the Tufts University Music Library led to several years of singing with the Tufts Early Music Ensemble, which performed with period instruments from all over Boston. Lynn returned to New Hampshire to earn an M.Ed. in reading from the University of New Hampshire, and to raise a family. Now living in Andover, she works at Proctor Academy as a Learning Specialist. Besides singing, her great loves are sea kayaking, nordic skiing, and time with her family: husband Jim and two young boys, Ben and Will.
Gwen Dunn (alto) sang with NHMC during its inaugural season 2003-04. She has been a member of many different auditioned groups in Ohio, Utah, and most recently Connecticut, where she was a member of the Hartford Chorale, Con Brio, and CONCORA. From 1980 to 2000 she sang with the Dartmouth Handel Society and The Concertato Singers, comprised of Dartmouth students, faculty members and singers from the community at large. Gwen, a retired teacher, lives in New London with her husband Steve, but whenever possible they are on their sailboat on the Penobscot Bay, in Maine.
Favorite songs sung with NHMC: "4 Shakespeare Songs", J. Mäntyjärvi; "Walden Pond", D. Argento; "Sure on this Shining Night", M. Lauridsen. Other favorites: "Dirait-on", "Ave Maria", M. Lauridsen; "Water Night", "Sleep", "She Weeps Over Rahoon", E. Whitacre; "Da Pacem Domine", "Magnificat", "Nunc Dimittis", The Beatitudes, Arvo Pärt; "Agnus Dei"(Elgar/a cappella arrangement), D. Giardiniere
Mircea Geana (baritone) is the choir director at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Claremont, NH. Passionate about music and theology from an early age in his native country, Romania, he decided to study them abroad as well. Mircea holds a Master of Divinity degree from St. Vladimir's Seminary in New York, and a Master of Music Education degree from The Boston Conservatory. His musical background includes performances in piano, voice, and choir conducting. While in seminary, he was part of the Chorale, a small a cappella ensemble that toured in Florida, Southern California and the midwest. Apart from his choir conducting job, Mircea teaches private lessons in piano, voice, music theory and violin in Sunapee where he lives with his wife, Sarah, and their daughter, Sofia.
Joseph Heise (baritone) is excited to continue with the NHMC this season. Joe also sings bass with the Concord Chorale, the NH Music Festival Chorus and the Philadelphia Singers Chorale (resident chorus of the Philadelphia Orchestra). Past choral groups have included the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia and Princeton Pro-Musica. Joe is organist and choir accompanist for the Moultonborough United Methodist Church and has previously been organist and choir director for the Hillsborough Reformed Church in Millstone, NJ and St. James Roman Catholic Church in Pennington, NJ. He’s also an assistant accompanist and Board of Directors member with the Concord Chorale. He owns a 2-manual, transposing harpsichord (built by Philip Tyre) on which he enjoys playing Renaissance and Baroque repertoire.
When not busy with music, Joe is adjunct professor of mathematics at New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, NH. His undergraduate studies were in mathematics and physics at Georgetown University and he was a Ph.D. candidate in mathematics at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Previous professional work included system design & programming, statistical & decision analysis and model building for such diverse firms as Mobil Oil (Environmental, Health, Safety & Toxicology), Lockheed Missiles and Space (Missile Systems Division), Intel Corp. (corporate component planning system), Johnson & Higgins (actuarial, insurance and employee benefits) and Stanford Research International (decision analysis). With 30 years experience as a NAUI/PADI certified scuba diver, Joe and 2 partners formed New England Environmental Diving Services, LLC in 2008. They are very busy removing invasive variable milfoil from New Hampshire’s lakes and rivers. In his spare time (what’s that?), Joe loves to play chess and kayak with his husky/border collie dog, Kramer, on board. Joe and his equally musical wife, Mary Edith, live in Campton
Sandra Howard (soprano) is a Maine native and joins the New Hampshire Master Chorale this season. She serves as assistant professor of music at Keene State College where she teaches courses in music education, choral methods, teaching music to children, and supervises student teachers. She taught choral and general music in Conway, New Hampshire for five years and most recently taught undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance. She earned a bachelor of music education and master’s degree in voice performance from the University of Maine in Orono and a Ph.D. in music education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Sandra enjoys the mountains and rivers of the northeast with her husband Brent and chocolate lab Sadie.
Julie Huss (alto) lives in Chester and is an arts/entertainment reporter at the Derry News. A Pennsylvania native, she grew up singing and playing the piano and alto saxophone in various choruses and instrumental groups. She earned a degree in English/journalism from Bloomsburg University but spent more time singing; less time writing! She sang with the Bloomsburg Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers and had the opportunity to tour Europe and participate in several choral festivals and competitions. She sings in the church choir at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Derry and is an active church soloist. She also sings with the Manchester Choral Society, and is part of a quartet, Madrigale. Her favorite thing to do, in addition to singing, is to spend time with her children, Jon, 25, and Katie, 19. Favorite songs sung with NHMC: "Sure on this Shining Night", M. Lauridsen; "What if I never Speed?", "Flow My Tears", "Say Love if Ever Thou Didst Find", J. Dowland; "Remember Me", S. Chatman
Kate Jones (soprano) moved to Andover, NH from Vermont where she spent three years teaching math, writing, and language tutorials at the Greenwood School, a small private boarding middle school for boys with dyslexia, under the tutelage of Bruce Rosow. She currently works at Proctor Academy as a Learning Specialist and proud dorm parent. Before pursuing her career working with LD students, Kate studied voice with Kris Johnson at the Canterbury School singing soprano in the Canterbury Chorale and Octet. She went on to earn her B.A. in Philosophy from Muhlenberg College, where she was a heptathlete in track and field, and sang for two years with the Muhlenberg College Choir. Kate and her husband Adam, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Vanuatu, developed the Connect Program, an organization that brings youth on Community Service Learning trips all across North America. These service trips not only benefit those the children are helping, but foster self reflection, mutual responsibility, and a commitment to community. Recent trips have brought them to New Orleans, the Grand Canyon, Tijuana and Mexicali Mexico, Alaska, and a Navajo community in the Four Corners region. During her free time Kate enjoys spending time at home with her husband Adam, dog Jake, and their three cats.
Tim Keyl (tenor) is pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Nashua, NH. He has served as an occasional soloist and recitalist for the past twenty-five years, specializing in sacred music. He holds a B.A. in Music and Theology from Valparaiso University (voice concentration; Indiana) and a M.L.M. (Master of Liturgical Music) from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He has studied with Marcia Lewis (Valparaiso University), Clifton Ware (University of Minnesota), and Jane White (Catholic University). He has written a variety of articles on Worship and Liturgical Music, and has served as a workshop presenter at national and regional conferences. In the past years he has served as Worship Coordinator for the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Lutheran Social Services in New England. He enjoys cooking and baking, and sharing life with his wife Kari, and children Gabriel and Bethany.
Blake Leister (tenor) is truly excited to join the NH Master Chorale. Blake holds a M.M. in music education from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and a B.M. in music education from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst). Blake is the choral director at West Running Brook Middle School in Derry, NH where he also teaches musical theatre classes and directs a select choir and drama club. He is actively involved in southern New Hampshire’s theatre community, musically directing numerous shows at St. Anselm College, S.P.A.T.S., Majestic Theatre, Actorsingers, MAD Company, and Kids Coop Theatre. He has also performed with the Manchester Choral Society, the Acting Loft, and the Metropolitan Wind Symphony. Blake grew up in southeastern Pennsylvania but has contentedly lived in Manchester, NH for the past 7 years.
Harmony Markey (soprano) is a Choral and General Music Educator at Moultonborough Academy. She holds the degree Bachelor of the Arts in K-12 Music Education with a vocal concentration. She has sung most recently with the Steamboat Springs Chorale (Colorado), and the Hardwick Community Choir. She performs regularly with her brother Dan in coffee shops throughout the area. Favorite songs sung with NHMC: "Walden Pond", D. Argento; "Taivas on Sininen", arr. C. Collins; "Sure on this Shining Night", M. Lauridsen
Meg Forbush Menkov (alto) has a B.A. in math and English from Williams College. She has been at various times a math teacher, a computer programmer/analyst, and a candle decorater, but currently is a stay at home mom with her three kids in Hanover, NH. She sang for a number of years with Manchester Choral Society under the direction of Lisa Wolff, and more recently with Soli Deo Gloria of Alameda, CA.
Favorite songs sung with NHMC: "J'entends le moulin", arr. D. Patriquin; "hope, faith, life, love", E. Whitacre; "Sure on this Shining Night", M. Lauridsen
Andrew Morrissey (baritone) is a recent graduate from Plymouth State University, with a BA in Music. He was the choral fellow for Dr. Dan Perkins his senior year, and sang with both Chorale and Chamber Singers during his time there. He has worked as a collaborative pianist and as a music director for various semi-professional, university, and community theatre companies in New Hampshire. In summer 2008 he toured with the Friendship Chorus of New Hampshire to Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, and Montenegro as an accompanist, and he was music director for the New Harmony project in Indiana. This past summer he was the music director for the Summer Theatre in Meredith Village, with a season that included Forever Plaid, Grease, Sound of Music and Oklahoma. He is thrilled to be a part of this magnificent choral group and looks forward to the season!
Beverly Newton (alto) originally from Vermont, has lived in Plymouth, New Hampshire since 1980. Bev holds a Master of Education degree (1979) from the University of Vermont and a Bachelor of Science degree (1974) from Plymouth State College. She is currently Manager at the Innisfree Bookshop in Meredith, NH and from 1981 to 1993 was Director of Women’s Services and lectured in Women’s Studies at Plymouth State College. Bev’s choral experience includes singing with the Plymouth Congregational Church Choir (1985 to present), Manchester Choral Society and Concord Chorale. She has traveled with the New Hampshire Friendship Chorus to Eastern Europe (2000), South Korea and Vietnam (2002) and Brazil (2004). Singing with the New Hampshire Master Chorale is the high point of her many years of making music with friends and colleagues. Favorite songs sung with NHMC: "Sure on this Shining Night", M. Lauridsen; "Peace Like a River", arr. R. Staheli; "Death Shall Not Destroy My Comfort", arr. M. Wilberg. Other favorites: Lux Aeterna and "O Magnum Mysterium", M. Lauridsen
Kathy Sherlock-Green (soprano) is thrilled to be embarking on her seventh season with the New Hampshire Master Chorale. She is a music educator and currently the Choral Music Director at the Norwich Congregational Church in Norwich, VT. She lives in Hanover, NH with her husband Dick and their daughter Eleanor and son Sasha.
Kathy holds a BME degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln where she was a voice major. As an undergraduate she sang with the University Singers, serving as Choir President in her senior year, and sang roles in the UNL opera program. She has done graduate work at the Dalcroze School of Music (NYC), Longy School of Music (Cambridge, MA), Plymouth State University and Dartmouth College.
Since moving to the Upper Valley over twenty years ago Kathy has performed with Opera North, White River Theatre Festival, The Parish Players and the Thetford Chamber Singers.
Kathy has appreciated the unique opportunities that NHMC has provided her which above all has included the chance to sing interesting and challenging choral music with a group of diverse and wonderful musicians. She was also fortunate enough to be a part of the ensemble which toured Peru in 2007.
John Spring (bass) studied music at the University of NH and Plymouth State University. He has studied voice under Janice Edwards, trumpet under Daniel Nolan, and conducting under Dr. Perkins. He has sung with Amare Cantare, The Seasonal Singers, and the Concord Community Players. He was the past music director at St. Paul’s Church in Concord, NH after being the trumpet/bass soloist for many years prior. In addition to the Master Chorale, John sings with the Granite State Opera, NH Music Festival, Manchester Choral Society, and The Crown’s Delight madrigal group. He is the music director at St. Andrews church in Manchester NH, and he conducts a high school chorus in Pembroke, NH. John has been happily married to his wife, Lisa, for over twenty years. He has two daughters, Jillian and Emily, whom he adores, and who love to sing almost as much as their Dad.
Connie Steiner (soprano) is hopelessly addicted to choral singing. Having moved to New Hampshire from Philadelphia, she always looks forward to the joy and challenge of performing the wide variety of music presented by this ensemble. She earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in voice performance from Temple University. After high school graduation, she toured Europe with the Centennial Madrigal Singers. During her college career as a member of the Temple University singers, she participated in numerous performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, both at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia and Carnegie Hall. For many years Connie enjoyed singing with the Wayne Oratorio Society – a music ministry of the Wayne Presbyterian Church outside of Philadelphia. She also sings with the Masterworks chorus at the Great Waters Music Festival. When she is not singing, Connie avoids getting traffic tickets on Route 49 as she commutes to her job as the Accounting Manager at the Rochester Shoe Tree Company in Ashland. The joy of singing is a family affair and Connie joins her parents, Rob & Carol Stewart, singing with the Plymouth Congregational Church choir. She is the mother of two children, Shannon & Kevan, and resides in Thornton with her son and 13 rescued parrots.
Kendra Treadwell (soprano) lives in Rollinsford, NH. She is currently working towards her Bachelors of Science degree in Music Education at Plymouth State University. She currently works at Customer Contact Solutions (CCS) in Portsmouth, as a mail and document processor. She has been singing since birth; however, she formally studied at the Bell Center for the Arts in Dover, NH, with David Deardorff during high school and with Janice Edwards at Plymouth State University. In 2001, she received the honor of the National Choral Award. As well as singing, Kendra enjoys all forms of the arts, including tap dance, musical theatre, and playing her secondary instrument, the euphonium. From 2001-2002 Kendra traveled to Angers, France as a Rotary youth exchange student. There she played euphonium with Orchestre du Lycée David d’Angers, and performed on tour throughout Eastern Europe. At Plymouth State University Kendra performed in Symphonic Band, College Chorale, Contemporary Dance Ensemble, and Chamber Singers. After leaving school in May 2007 she held the position of Interim Director of “Voices of Air”, an all-female select choir, for the duration of the fall and winter. Since she has been singing with Dan Perkins, she has enjoyed many solo opportunities, her favorite being the Santore piece “Fanfare for the House of God” at the National Cathedral in Washington DC. Current favorite song with NHMC: “Night Pieces”, J.A.C. Redford. Her plans for the future include: completing her BS by 2010; continuing her education towards a Master’s in vocal pedagogy, teaching public elementary music, and opening her own private studio for underprivileged students.
Kirk Young (bass) is the Director of Music at Winnisquam Regional High School. He holds a Bachelor of Music (Music Education) degree from the University of Maine at Orono and is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Instrumental Music Education from Plymouth State University. He is an active choral arranger, vocal coach and choral clinician, having given lectures and master classes in a cappella singing all over the United States, Canada, England, Ireland and Germany for the Barbershop Harmony Society. Kirk also serves as the Choir Manager for the Lakes Region Music Festival in New Hampshire, serves the NHMEA on the All-State Choir committee, sings with the Granite Statesmen chorus from Nashua, and lives in Tilton, New Hampshire with his wife, Heather and their two sons, Conner and Eric.