2008-09 Melodia Singer bios

Bernadette C. Aguirre is a native Californian whose choral experience began in 1992 with the San Francisco Girls Chorus. After completing the Chorus School Bernadette laureated and sang with its professional ensembles, Chorissima and Virtuose. She has sung in multiple choirs throughout high school and college, and plays the piano. Currently she is a part of the Sales and Partnerships division of NYC & Company where she works on marketing New York City. Bernadette lives in the East Village with her husband.

Naila Aziz is a native of Baku, Azerbaijan. She graduated Music College and later received honors in Musical Theatre from the State University of Culture and Art. Naila has sung in music competitions and festivals, appeared on international TV in Russia, Armenia, Georgia, and Turkey, and recorded the duet Bayati,, now an oft-played classic hit on TV and radio. She was a prizewinner of the Moscow TV show Comrade Song. In Baku she won a prize as composer of the best song. In NYC Naila performed in Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Dicapo Opera Theatre, Donnell Library Center, Washington Square United Methodist Church, Saint Peter’s Church, Brooklyn Lyceum, Music for Montauk, Carnegie Hall in Weill Recital Hall.

Gabi Barton originally trained as an oboist and pianist in Scarsdale, NY, but she became a choral music convert while singing with the Wellesley College Choir and Chamber Singers for 4 amazing years.  She graduated in 2006 with a degree in Latin American Studies and music, having traveled with the choir to the United Kingdom, Washington DC, California and Spain.  She currently lives in Brooklyn and works for New York City Opera in fundraising and development.  She is extremely passionate about singing music for women's voices and is thrilled to be singing Alto I in Melodia for her second year.

Pamela Carden is a first year Melodian and is delighted to sing with these fantastic ladies! A native of Utica, NY and current Hell’s Kitchen resident, Pamela moved to the city four years ago after receiving her BFA in Musical Theatre at SUNY Fredonia. Pamela has always been involved in some aspect of the performing arts: singing in choirs, onstage in theatre or playing flute in orchestras and she’s fortunate to continue this involvement with Melodia! When not singing, Pamela can be found on the tennis court, searching for unusual cast recordings or making jewelry!

Raquel Burbano is in her third season with Melodia. She got hooked on choral music when she learned solfege at the age of eight and has sung in several choirs since grade school. She has studied classical singing and music, written several short pieces for the piano, and is currently learning how to pluck a note or two on the guitar. Raquel hopes to always remain active in music, choirs, and the arts, and looks to pass this enthusiasm on to others.

Colleen Christi, a Melodian Alto I, has been singing ever since she learned to talk, and really hasn’t stopped doing either since! She has a BFA of Acting from Marymount Manhattan College and can sing the entire score of Oklahoma! in her sleep. She is a paralegal by day for SONY BMG Music Entertainment, and mixes her interest in law with her love of singing in her roles as Board Chair of the City Bar Chorus, a subcommittee of the New York Bar Association, which provides choral music to residents in the city’s nursing homes, rehab facilities, homes for the disabled and medical treatment centers. Colleen, who inherited her love of choral singing from her dad, also adores torch and jazz singers of the early and mid-20th century, including Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and Etta James. Her modern-day idols include Eva Cassidy, China Forbes and Norah Jones. She’s an avid reader, social butterfly, dedicated runner, enthusiastic novice yogi and admitted Scrabble addict.

Heather Cooper is new to Melodia and new to NYC, having recently moved from Indiana. By day, she is a mechanical engineer turned math teacher, currently in graduate school at NYU. Her musical adventures include many years of singing, playing flute, dabbling in acoustic guitar, and performing in community theatres. Most recently she was a choir member, soloist, and music group leader for several years at St. Thomas Aquinas church in West Lafayette, Indiana. She still misses Renaissance Voices, a wonderful women’s choir based in Dearborn, Michigan with which she performed for seven years, but now Melodia is helping to fill the void. Music is her sanity.

Jill Fleischer is originally from South Carolina and moved to New York City after graduating from Vanderbilt University in 2006. She has been singing and playing piano since a very young age and was very involved in her high school and church choirs. She has missed singing greatly and is so happy to be part of a choir again.

Amber Godfrey moved to New York from Toronto 2 years ago and is thrilled to now be a part of Melodia!  She is an actor and singer and thoroughly enjoys being part of such a fabulous community of women.  Special thanks to Rob for directing me here and to Mom for all the high school choir memories.

Amanda Hudson graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in music and is excited to be in a choir again after a five-year absence.  At age seven, she directed and starred in her very first musical, "The Little Mermaid," in her back yard with the neighborhood kids.  Just recently she met her childhood idol, Julie Andrews.  I know!  How lucky is she?  Nowadays Amanda programs the Showtunes channel at Music Choice!

Lori Kramerson is thrilled to join the Alto I section of Melodia for her first season this year. Originally, from Albany, NY, Lori spent her hometown years in many a high school choir and musical. She received her BA in advertising photography from Rochester Institute of Technology. Lori now spends her days as a studio manager for still life photographers in Chelsea. Aside from singing in the shower, she is an art enthusiast, avid foodie, and loves wandering around the city with her camera.

Steff Lyon is a student (again!), this time as a PostBacc at Columbia University studying Psychology. She hopes to pursue a PhD in the future. Steff has been making music in some way or another all her life; singing in choirs, bands and as a soloist. Music keeps her sane amidst life’s constant stresses and reminders her what a joy it is to be alive. And although her current endeavors are taking her in another direction, Steff will never let go of her decades old dream of becoming a rockstar.

Emily Meszkat is a thwarted opera singer/pop star/Billy Holiday wannabe who resides in Manhattan with her incredibly handsome husband. She thanks Melodia for giving her a chance to sing with such an accomplished group of women and hopes to have many more seasons with them.

Joyce Otte’s day job is teaching ESL to some of the greatest kids in the world. She’s incredibly excited to be participating in Melodia, an amazingly talented and inspirational group of women.

Rosemary Palladino sang in choruses in high school and toured with a women’s a capella group in college. She has more recently enjoyed performing in community theatre and cabaret, where she puts into practice what her family always told her: “if you can’t sing good, sing loud.” She thanks Jenny and Cynthia for the opportunity to re-energize her musical roots, and to work with some truly inspiring musicians.

Gina Patterson started out singing show tunes in her fourth grade chorus and is thrilled to be in her second season with Melodia. Her favorite musical experience was touring through Italy with the San Francisco Girls Chorus and now she loves singing in a women’s choir again. A newly-minted attorney, she enjoys practicing music with her very vocal dog.

Jackie Sunderland made her vocal debut at age four, singing Tomorrow from Annie to a captive group of airline passengers over the loud speaker on a flight from Boston to Chicago. Since then, she has sung with various vocal groups, performing with jazz choirs, chamber groups and musical theater troupes. Originally from the Boston area, Jackie holds a BA in Journalism from Boston University and currently works in digital media and advertising. She is grateful to Melodia for giving her the chance to sing with such talented, lovely women.

Faye Timmer is an early childhood music educator currently working with children and families at Columbia University's Early Head Start program. She also teaches WeBop! classes at Jazz at Lincoln Center and is Director of Children's and Youth Music at First Presbyterian Church in NYC. Faye holds a degree in Sacred Music from Westminster Choir College and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Music Education at Columbia University Teachers College.

Ethany “Cricket” Uttech currently resides in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and directs the Community Arts Regrant program for the Brooklyn Arts Council.  She holds a BA in Arts Education from Syracuse University and an MA in Art History from SUNY Buffalo.  When not singing, she quilts, plays piano, and perpetually tries to teach herself guitar.  She has been in choirs since seven, at which age she memorably tossed a fake eyeball at a choir conductor who always asked for singers’ attention by saying “give me your eyes”.  Cricket doesn’t give Cynthia half as much trouble, but she still thinks choral singing is tons of fun. 

Rachel Wifall is an English professor and writer who plays the violin and has sung in many varied settings over the years.  Academically, she specializes in Shakespearean drama, and has accumulated a smattering of dramatic training to help put her studies into practice.  She is an avid yoga practitioner and is beginning to apply her vocal skills to Kirtan, or devotional yoga.

Rika Wilcox was lucky to perform with Melodia in their early seasons, and is excited to be back after a two-year hiatus! She began studying violin at a young age, tried her hand at piano, flute, and French horn, and (after torturing her parents for several years) finally found that singing was her real passion. She has performed with various vocal ensembles and musical theater groups in her youth and throughout college. She spends her professional life at an organization dedicated to reforming education in urban public schools. She spends her down time enjoying life in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Ashley E. Wright is delighted to be singing Alto I for her fifth season with Melodia. She has sung with the Princeton High School Choir, the Westminster Choir College Youth Chorale, the Boston College Chorale, and the Boston College Madrigals.  She currently works as an advocate for victims of crime and is taking classes at Hunter College School of Social Work.

 

INSTRUMENTALISTS

Sheryl Bailey, guitar Barbara Biggers, harp Brittany Boulding, violin Rachel Calin, bass Kathy Canfield Shepard, French horn Katherine Cherbas, cello Caroline Chin, violin Elaine Christy, harp Miranda Cuckson, violin Robin Daniels, percussion Song-A Dell’Aquila Cho, violin Kataie Dennis, French horn Frachel Drehmann, French horn Anna Elashvili, violin Pam Fleming, trumpet Amy Fraser, bassoon Haruka Fuji, percussion Emilie-Anne Gendron, violin Linda Glasgal, piano Stephanie Griffin, viola Lindsay Haughton, percussion Nathalie Joachim, flute

Alice H. Jones, flute Allegra Lilly, harp Joanne Lin, cello Shira Natif, violin Linda May-Han Oh, bass Barbara Merjan, percussion Jessica Meyer, viola Anita Miller, French horn Karen Ouzounian, cello Angela Pickett, viola Taisiya Pushkar, piano Nancy Ranger, oboe and English horn Ana María Rosado, guitar Morgan Russell, flute Allison Sniffin, piano Lisa Stokes-Chin, bass Joyce Toth, trumpet Lynne Tsai, flute Naho Tsutsui Parrini, violin Asmira Woodward-Page, violin Kyung-A Yoo, piano

MELODIA SINGERS FROM THE FIRST CONCERT IN APRIL 2004 TO PRESENT

Bernadette Aguirre Deena Amiry Laura Anderson Florence Annequin Chrstie Ariate Jen Arvay Naila Aziz Gabriella Barton Caitlin Becker Julia Bord Jennifer Brooks Caitlin Brown Jen Browne Raquel Burbano Pamela Carden Mariana Cavalieri Dana Cavooris Leila Chakravarti Julia Chang Colleen Christi Sara Clark Jenny Clarke Vibe Norma Clausen Heather Cooper Jessica Davenport Kiko DeLorenzo Monika Dockendorff Megan Dougherty Laura Downs Sarah Downs Angela Drougas Olenka Dzhedzhora Rebecca Economos Valerie Eskridge Ellie Everdell Jill Fleischer Elizabeth Geisewite Elena Glixman Amber Godfrey Gabrielle Gold Tina Goldstein

Kate Hamilton Audrey Harris Karen Louise Heau Manda Helmick Andrea Hoffman Simmel Amanda Hudson Kellie Jo Ciofalo Kristie Jones Alexandra Kane Karen Keagle Benet Kearney Klara Kikova-English Cassie Kirk Lori Kramerson Maggie Lamb Annette Lapcevic Vivien Lau Jennifer Laurin Allison Lynk Colleen Long Stephanie Lyon Amanda MacBlane Terry Maroney Jaime Mazza Rosemary McNicholas Ryan Danielle Mellace Christine Mervant Mimi Meserve Emily Meszkat Pauline Millard Katy Morgan Amber Moriarty Bethany Morrow Elizabeth Mulcahy-Morgan Shaina Murphy Anne Myers Joyce Otte Rosemary Palladino Molly Parker-Myers Gina Patterson Becky Phillips

Tere Prediado Katherine Puma Rachel Quimby Nan Ramnath Renée Riegler Deborah Rosenstein Katrina Rudmin Alexandra Rulle Morgan Russell Elena Russler Becca Schack Serra Schlanger Allison Schubert Alyssa Schwitzer Simone Seol Laura Sheehen Megan Sikorski Daran Smith Julie Stirman Katie Stohlmann Amy Strauss Mathu Subramanian Jackie Sunderland Sandya Swamy Joyce Tannian Nancy Tepper Faye Timmer Natasha Uspensky Ethany Uttech (Cricket) Vanessa Valentin Julia Van Tieghem Maria Vavilova Deb Victoroff Abby Weintraub Rachel Wifall Rika Wilcox Mikaela Winderud Maria Wong Ashley Wright Leslie Wright Bora Yoon

Angeles Acosta, narrator, Hear Me with Your Eyes, November 2006