Dr. Joshua Habermann, Music Direcrtor, is in his third season as Music Director of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. Under his tenure, the ensemble has enjoyed a heightened artistic profile, and has been recognized for its broad programming, incorporating choral-orchestral masterworks and cutting-edge a cappella programs. From 2008-2011, Habermann was Director of Choral Studies at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, where he conducted the Frost Chorale. Habermann also led the Masterchorale of South Florida, where projects included Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Haydn’s Creation, and Mozart’s Requiem. From 1996-2008 Habermann was assistant conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, and directed the choral program at San Francisco State University. He has also performed with the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus (Eugene, Oregon) and Austin-based Conspirare, with whom he can be heard on several recordings: Through the Green Fuse, Threshold of Night, a Grammy Nominee in 2009, and Requiem, a Grammy nominee for best choral recording and 2010 Edison Prize winner. In 2011, in addition to his continued work with the Desert Chorale, Habermann assumed leadership of the Dallas Symphony Chorus, the 185-voice choral ensemble of the Dallas Symphony. He also joined the faculty of the University of North Texas College of Music as lecturer in choral literature and conducting techniques. A native of California, Habermann is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where he completed doctoral studies in conducting under Craig Hella Johnson. Habermann lives in Dallas with his wife, Joanna, and daughter, Kira.

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Wendy Bloom, mezzo-soprano, has a diverse performance background including opera, oratorio, early music, chamber music, choral music, recitals, cabaret and musical theatre. She recently played “Maddy” in a new opera, Two Candles Burning. Her solo appearances have included concerts with symphonies in Ann Arbor, Flint, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Baltimore, Kalamazoo and Toledo. Recently she performed as alto soloist in Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky, Bach’s Mass in B Minor and St. Matthew Passion, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Mahler’s Third Symphony. She is the artistic director for a popular cabaret in Ann Arbor, Michigan called Wine, Women and Song, now in its tenth year, and has created a solo recital, The New American Songbook. 2007 marked her first appearances with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, as well as with Conspirare in Austin, Texas. She appeared in a PBS special with Conspirare in the spring of 2009. She is currently building a studio in Michigan to help prepare professional singers for auditions, roles and solo performances. She is also the music director for the Flint Festival Chorus, preparing the choir for appearances with the Flint Symphony Orchestra.

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Michael Boswell, tenor, is on faculty at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, where he conducts the college choirs and teaches voice. He is active as a soloist and chorister, having performed throughout the United States. In addition to his years with the Desert Chorale, Michael has appeared with Santa Fe Pro Musica in Bach’s St. John Passion and Haydn’s Creation. He has also appeared with Vox Humana, the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, Tucson Chamber Artists, the Alchemy Ensemble, and as a tenor soloist with The Bach Institute at Valparaiso University. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2007 in a performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, under the direction of Helmuth Rilling. Michael received his Master of Music degree in Voice from Indiana State University and his Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from East Carolina University.

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Kim Childs, tenor, performed recently with the University of North Texas Symphony Orchestra and Grand Chorus in Mozart’s Requiem. With the Oklahoma State University, he was soloist in J. S. Bach’s Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht mit deinem Knecht from Cantata BWV 105. Other recent concerts have included Handel’s Acis and Galatea and Semele with the Staunton Music Festival in Staunton, Virginia, and J. S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Dallas Bach Society in Dallas, Texas. His New York Carnegie Hall debut in March 2010 included Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore and Vesperae solennes de Dominica. Dr. Childs is Associate Director of Choral Studies and Voice at the University of Tulsa, where he directs the Cappella Chamber Singers and the TU Chorale. He also teaches beginning and advanced choral conducting and has a full teaching load of private voice students. Dr. Childs makes his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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Pam Elrod, mezzo-soprano, has a 32-year conducting career that spans all levels and has included positions in Texas, New York, Illinois and Georgia. She currently serves as the Director of Choral Activities at SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas. Pam is a sought-after choral and workshop clinician, particularly in the area of the choral techniques of Robert Shaw, with whom she collaborated for many years. Her article on Shaw’s warm-ups can be found on the Singer Network website. In addition to conducting and teaching, she maintains an active singing career. Since 2003, she has sung with the Grammy-nominated professional choral ensemble, Conspirare. She is thrilled to be returning to Santa Fe for another wonderful season.

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David Farwig, baritone, is a free-lance concert vocalist based in Kansas City, Missouri. Having a deep love of the choral art, his performing season always includes singing with professional ensembles throughout the country including Conspirare, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Choral Arts-Seattle, the Oregon Bach Festival, the Tucson Chamber Artists and Seraphic Fire. David has also sung with the Robert Shaw Festival Singers, the USAF Singing Sergeants, St. Martin’s Chamber Choir, Vox Early Music Ensemble and many other professional companies throughout his career. As a concert soloist, he has appeared with the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Albuquerque Baroque Players, the Santa Fe Symphony and the Carmel Bach Festival, where he was awarded the “Virginia Best Adams Fellowship” for aspiring Baroque soloists in 2003.

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Harriet Fraser, soprano, began to perform as a soloist while working as a family doctor in central London. A few years ago, she set medicine aside, turned to singing full-time and quickly became prominent in her native England, gaining a wide following for her concert and recital performances. Several composers wrote new music for her, which she premiered at London’s South Bank Centre, and she was seen in several UK opera companies, including the Aldeburgh Festival, and in Europe at Austria’s Bregenz Festival. Now based in Los Angeles, Harriet performed as a principal in Wagner’s Die Feen, with Lyric Opera Los Angeles in 2010, as part of the LA Ring Festival. She performs regularly with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Millenium Consort Singers as chorister and soloist, and has an active oratorio and recital solo career, including the solos in Handel’s Messiah at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, under conductor Grant Gershon in December 2010.

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Dylan Gentile, bass, is a regularly performing chorister and soloist in the Los Angeles area. For the past eight seasons, he has been a contracted singer in the Los Angeles Master Chorale, under the direction of Grant Gershon, and has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Singers, Jacaranda Singers, Millennium Consort and others. Most recently, he was a featured soloist with the Master Chorale in David Lang’s the little match girl passion. He is also an active session singer in Los Angeles, performing for film and television soundtracks, as well as studio recordings. Dylan’s background is in classical piano; he received a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of Southern California and a Master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music. He continues to concertize regularly as a solo pianist and accompanist. This is his first season with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale.

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Beth Gibbs, mezzo-soprano, is the Director of Choral Studies at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. She earned the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Miami, Master of Music degrees in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from East Carolina University, and the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Stetson University. Dr. Gibbs spent six years teaching at the high school level in Atlanta, GA. She has recently conducted in the Chartres Cathedral in France, St. Paul’s Cathedral in Vatican City, and at the International Festival of Choirs in Santiago de Cuba. As a performer, she was a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Chorus, sang under the batons of Michael Tilson Thomas and Helmuth Rilling, and was a member of the 2009 summer season with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale.

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Estelí Gomez, soprano, has been praised for her “nimble voice” and “artistry that belies [her] young years,” and enjoys a varied career of solo and ensemble singing throughout North America and Europe. This November Estelí was awarded first prize in the Canticum Gaudium International Early Music Voice Competition in Poznan, Poland, and extended her time in Europe to perform additional concerts in Munich and the Hague. Having graduated from Yale College in 2008, this May she finished her Master’s in voice at McGill in Montreal, studying with Sanford Sylvan. Last year Estelí performed the title role in Handel’s Agrippina with Opera McGill, and recorded a CD of Spanish Baroque music with Montreal-based Ensemble Caprice, which was nominated for a JUNO. Estelí has recently performed with Trinity Wall Street, Clarion Music Society, Roomful of Teeth, Conspirare, the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers, Ensemble Caprice, La Nef, Bernard Labadie’s Violons du Roy, and Daniel Taylor’s Theater of Early Music.

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Emily Grundstadt-Hall, soprano, holds both the Master of Music and Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees in vocal performance from Louisiana State University, and the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Simpson College. Recent solo performances include presenting songs of American composer, Charles Griffes, as well Mozart’s Requiem with the Oklahoma City Ballet. Additional roles include Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, and Amy in Adamo’s, Little Women. With her cast, Grundstad-Hall was nominated for “Best Ensemble Cast” by Innovative Theater Awards for her role as Yum-Yum in Theatre Ten Ten’s, production of, The ‘Singapore’ Mikado. Grundstad-Hall also sings with the Grammy-nominated, Austin, Texas-based choir, Conspirare, and was a regional finalist for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She is currently Assistant Professor of Music in Voice at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, GA.

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Robert Harlan, bass-baritone, sings with numerous groups around the country and in Austin, where he lives with his wife and three children. He is a founding member of Conspirare where he has performed as chorister and soloist in every season. Robert sang with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale for the first time last Christmas and has performed with other choirs, such as Austin Pro Chorus, Texas Early Music Project, the Oratorio Society of New York, Houston Masterworks and Victoria Bach Festival. Robert studied voice with noted baritone Jes Walthers at the University of Texas and most recently performed the role of Raphael in Haydn’s Creation with Texas Choral Consort.

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Karen Kennedy, mezzo-soprano, is Associate Professor and Director of Choral Studies at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, where she conducts the Frost Chorale and otherchoral ensembles. She is also artistic director of the Master Chorale of South Florida. She previously held the positions of Chorus Director for the Honolulu Symphony, Director of Choral Activities at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa and Director of Choral Activities at Towson University. She earned a DMA degree in choral music from Arizona State University, a MM in choral conducting from Butler University and a BM in music education from DePauw University. She has received numerous awards for teaching, including the University of Hawai`i Chancellor’s Citation for Meritorious Teaching, Arizona State University’s Manzanita “Top Prof” Award and Butler University’s Faculty Distinction Award. Dr. Kennedy is well known as a choral clinician and adjudicator for all-state and festival honor choirs.

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Cecilia Leitner, soprano, has performed as a soprano soloist in the United States, Spain, China and Korea with conductors Helmut Rilling, Simon Carrington, Stephen Layton, Paul Hillier, Stephen Stubbs, Jeffrey Thomas and Nicholas McGegan. Her performances include the Oregon Bach Festival, Seattle Accademia d’Amore, Yale Schola Cantorum, Yale Voxtet, Yale Baroque Opera Project, Magnolia Baroque Festival, Interpretation of Spanish and Latin American Song, and with the American Bach Soloists Academy and Festival. Ms. Leitner received a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Yale University, where she studied at the Institute of Sacred Music, under the tutelage of James Taylor, Ted Taylor, Judith Malafronte and Simon Carrington. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she studied with Glenn Siebert. Cecilia enjoys coachings with Nina Hinson Rasmussen, performing in various cities across the U.S., and raising her darling little daughter.

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Scott Levin, bass, currently resides in Los Angeles, where in 2009 he obtained a graduate certificate from the University of Southern California. There he performed the roles of Leporello in Don Giovanni and Capellio in I Capuleti e i Montecchi. Scott has sung with many companies in the LA area, including the Sacristan in Tosca with Intimate Opera, Gianni Schicchi with Celestial Opera, and Don Giovianni with Pacific Opera Project. He is a member of the Los Angeles Opera Chorus, and has also been a featured soloist with the LA Bach Festival. For the last ten seasons, Scott has performed with Union Avenue Opera in Saint Louis as Alidoro in La Cenerentola, Baron Zeta in The Merry Widow and Le Dancaïro in Carmen to name a few. Scott previously appeared with the Desert Chorale during the 2009 Summer Season.

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Elyse Marchant, soprano, originally from Porterville, California, graduated from UCLA in 2009 with her BA in Music, emphasizing in vocal music education. She teaches private voice and classroom music in Santa Monica, where she resides. Elyse’s performances include The Threepenny Opera, H.M.S. Pinafore, Dido and Aeneas, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Falstaff, The Mikado, Suor Angelica, and the soprano solo in Mahler’s Fourth Symphony with the Tulare County Symphony. Elyse cantors for Immanuel Presbyterian Church and sings with Los Angeles Master Chorale, Jouyssance Early Music Ensemble, Horizon Music Group, Los Angeles Operetta Project, and Pacific Swingline, an a cappella vocal jazz quintet. Her voice can be heard in the films The Smurfs, The Rite, Battle: Los Angeles, Skyline, Winnie the Pooh, Cowboys and Aliens and bestselling Ubisoft video games “Just Dance Kids” and “Smurfs Dance Party.”

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Cynthia Marty, mezzo-soprano, joins the Desert Chorale for the first time completing a circle that began in Madison, Wisconsin, when founder Larry Bandfield conducted her first professional choir, the August Chorale. At Wisconsin she received her BM in vocal performance on full scholarship. Moving to New York, she sang with Canticum Novum and the Goodman Chamber Choir. Now a Californian, she’s in her fourth season with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, under Grant Gershon, additionally performing with the LA Philharmonic, led by Gustavo Dudamel. Cindy has also toured as a jazz backup singer for George and Ira Gershwin’s niece, performing in NY, LA, and Las Vegas. As an actor, she’s shared the stage with Julie Andrews, Robert Goulet, and Sally Struthers. Highlights: Sweeney Todd, Most Happy Fella, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Will Rogers Follies, and Kiss Me, Kate, opposite her favorite leading man, husband Greg Zerkle. On screen: PBS’ Great Performances, Gift of the Magi, Surviving Christmas, Christmas With The Kranks. Proud member of SAG, AFTRA, AGMA, and Actors’ Equity.

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Brad Naylor, tenor, holds degrees in choral conducting from Indiana University (MM) and Yale University (MMA), where he studied with Simon Carrington and Marguerite Brooks. In 2009 he traveled to Korea and China to perform Bach’s Mass in B-minor with the Yale Schola Cantorum. Bradley has conducted in master classes and sung for Stephen Layton, Helmuth Rilling, and Paul Hillier, and has performed in choruses at regional national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association. Bradley’s wife Elizabeth and their two children live in Durham, North Carolina, where he serves Duke Memorial United Methodist Church as its Minister of Music. He appeared this year as a soloist with the Choral Society of Durham in their performance of Nielsen’s Springtime in Funen, and will perform at the Southeastern Regional ACDA conference with the Vocal Arts Ensemble of Durham in March of 2012.

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Matt Oltman, tenor, is Music Director Emeritus of the Grammy award-winning male vocal ensemble, Chanticleer. During his tenure as Music Director, Mr. Oltman led the ensemble through three critically acclaimed seasons which included over 300 concerts in more than a dozen countries. He helped launch the Chanticleer Live in Concert or “CLIC” recording label, was the editor of the Chanticleer Choral Series and currently edits his own choral series for Hinshaw Music. Mr. Oltman has facilitated the commissioning of numerous well-known composers and continues to lead countless clinics and masterclasses with choirs from across the globe. Mr. Oltman first joined Chanticleer in 1999 as a tenor and in 2004 was named Assistant Music Director, under Joseph Jennings, a post which he held until his appointment as Music Director in 2009. During his decade singing with the ensemble, he appeared on twelve albums and toured extensively throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He is currently a Guest Lecturer and Director of Choral Activities at UC Berkeley where he conducts the University Choir and the University Chamber Singers. Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, Mr. Oltman earned a B.M. in Performance from Simpson College and an M.A. in Performance from the University of York in England. Before joining Chanticleer, Mr. Oltman sang with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale for four seasons and was on the faculty of Simpson College.

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Kathlene Ritch, soprano, After earning a Bachelor’s of Music Studies degree from the University of Texas at Austin, moved to New York City where Kathlene sang with such noted ensembles as the New York Philharmonic, London Sinfonietta, and the Vienna Philharmonic. In 2001, she made her solo debut at Lincoln Center with the American Symphony Orchestra in Listz’s Dante’s Inferno. With that same ensemble, she recorded a live concert version of Die aegyptische Helena as Hermione opposite Deborah Voigt’s Helen. This past summer, Kathlene moved to Santa Fe to be the accompanist for the Santa Fe High School Choral Department and the Director of the Royal School of Church Music at the Church of the Holy Faith. She also has her catering business, The Red-Headed Chef, but still finds time to sing with ensembles around the country, including Grammy-nominated Conspirare, with which she is a featured soloist in their PBS special, “Conspirare, a Company of Voices.”

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Gregorio Taniguchi, tenor, is currently a section leader and soloist at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, where he also sings in the LA Bach Festival Chorus. Living between LA and Orange County, he sings regularly with the Pacific Chorale, as well as its sister chamber ensemble, the John Alexander Singers. Gregorio recently completed a West Coast concert tour of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring with the Munich Symphony, under the direction of Ludwig Wicki. He has also performed with the Pacific Symphony, Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, and the Pasadena Pops. Gregorio received his Bachelor’s in Vocal Performance from CSU Long Beach’s Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, where he performed with the University’s Downbeat award-winning vocal jazz ensemble, Pacific Standard Time.

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Dr. Jason Thoms, bass, is the Director of Choral Activities at Concordia College in Bronxville, NY, and a professional bass-baritone soloist and chorister. At Concordia, Jason conducts the Concordia Tour Choir, the Concordia Festival Choir, and the newly-formed Concordia Chamber Choir. In March 2008, Dr. Thoms had his Carnegie Hall debut as soloist in Faure’s Requiem and in May 2009, he made his Carnegie Hall conducting debut. As a professional conductor for 15 years, he has led concerts in 35 states, two Canadian Provinces and in Italy. He is a graduate of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, where he studied conducting with Anton Armstrong, Robert Scholz, Charles Smith, David Rayl, and Jonathan Reed. This year Dr. Thoms will perform with the Spire Ensemble, Santa Fe Desert Chorale and Yale Choral Artists, and as soloist in Baltimore and Grand Rapids.

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Matthew Tressler, Assistant Conductor , is Associate Professor of Music at Irvine Valley College in Irvine, CA, where he oversees the choral and vocal area. An active soloist, recent performances include Bach’s Mass in B Minor, Bach’s Magnificat, Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 and Rachmaninoff’s The Bells. He has sung with Conspirare, Seraphic Fire, Spire Chamber Ensemble, Santa Fe Desert Chorale and the Phoenix Chorale. Before moving to California, Matt taught high school choral music for eight years in Gilbert, AZ and was the Director of Music Ministries at historic Coral Gables Congregational Church in Coral Gables, FL. He holds a Bachelor of Music in voice from Northern Arizona University and the MM and DMA in choral conducting from the University of Miami.

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Sarah Weiler, mezzo-soprano, has sung with the Desert Chorale for three winter seasons. In addition, she has performed many solo works with the Santa Fe Symphony and Chorus, including the role of the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas, the alto solos in Vivaldi’s Gloria and selections from Beethoven’s Mass in C. Sarah also sings with Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico and is a member of the theater company, Santa Fe Rep. She most recently portrayed Catherine in their 2011 musical production of Pippin, and Susan in their 2010 production of Stephen Sondheim’s Company. Sarah’s next solo performance will be in the Wise Fool and Santa Fe Performing Arts production of Love and Emma Goldman: An Anarchist Rock Opera. She received a master’s degree in arts administration from Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and currently works at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival as the Events and Donor Relations Manager.

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Brent Wells, bass, is the Director of Choral Activities at the College of Idaho in Caldwell, ID. He frequently performs as a featured bass soloist and has enjoyed membership in many acclaimed choral ensembles. In addition to the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Brent has sung professionally with the Redlands Choral Artists, Mount Marty Choral Scholars, and also performed the Berlioz Grande Messe des morts, with the Carnegie Hall Festival Chorus under the direction of Robert Spano. He received his DMA in choral conducting at Michigan State University, and his master’s in choral conducting and BM in music education from Brigham Young University. His recent publications include a series of articles appearing in the April 2011, May 2011, and September 2011 issues of the Choral Journal, discussing the folk-based compositions and collecting methodology of Percy Grainger.

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Bradley Ellingboe, Guest Conductor, is Director of Choral Activities at the University of New Mexico. He has led a wide-ranging career in the world of singing, including accomplishments as a choral conductor, soloist, composer, scholar and teacher. As a choral conductor he has led festival choruses in 40 states and 14 foreign countries. He made his operatic conducting debut in December, 2011, leading the world-premiere of Stephen Paulus’s opera Shoes for the Santo Niño, in a joint production by the Santa Fe Opera and the University of New Mexico. As a bass-baritone soloist he has sung under such conductors as Robert Shaw, Helmuth Rilling, and Sir David Willcocks. Ellingboe has over 110 pieces of music in print, including his largest work, the Requiem for chorus and orchestra, which had its 2010 Carnegie Hall debut, with the composer conducting. Ellingboe led the European debut of his Requiem last summer, with concerts in Budapest, Bratislava and Prague. For his scholarly work in making the songs of Edvard Grieg more accessible to the English-speaking public, he was knighted by the King of Norway in 1994. As a teacher, the University of New Mexico Alumni Association named him “Faculty of the Year” in 2008.

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Beth Beauchamp, mezzo-soprano, a Seattle native, is active nationally as a soloist and chorister, and is in demand as a music educator in the Austin area. In 2007 Beth received her Bachelors in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas, where she studied under Dr. Stephen F. Austin and Dr. Jerry McCoy. While in Texas, Beth was the section leader of the UNT A Cappella choir, and active in the University Opera Theater. Beth has performed with Texas Camerata, Texas Choral Artists, Orpheus Chamber Singers, Tucson Chamber Artists, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and is the Executive Director of the Convergence Vocal Ensemble. Beth currently resides in Austin, Texas where she maintains a sizable studio of voice and piano students.

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Cameron Beauchamp, bass, is in demand throughout the country as a soloist and chamber musician. Currently living in Austin, he regularly sings with Conspirare, Boston’s Blue Heron, Miami’s Seraphic Fire, New York’s Roomful of Teeth, Atlanta’s New Trinity Baroque, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and is artistic director of the Austin based Convergence Vocal Ensemble. Cameron has been an artist in residence at Stanford University, the University of Utah, the University of North Texas, Williams College, College of the Holy Cross, Harvard University, the University of Oregon, Principia College and Mass MoCA. Cameron has recorded on Harmonia Mundi, Pro Organo, GIA, Edition Lilac and Klavier. He has performed on two Grammy-nominated albums and one Downbeat award-winning album. Cameron received his musical training at the University of North Texas, where he studied voice and jazz trombone.

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Ivan Conrad, bass-baritone, is a Master’s candidate at Manhattan School of Music (MSM) under the tutelage of the renowned Mark Oswald. This Albuquerque native has been praised for his interpretation of solos in oratorio works, including Mozart’s Requiem in Italy, the American debut of Garcia’s Requiem in New York, and Faure’s Requiem in New Jersey, to name a few. Opera credits include two roles (Battista / Vincentio) in a new opera La Bisbetica Domata (The Taming of the Shrew) in Bergamo, Italy; Zuniga in Opera Southwest’s Carmen; and Sarastro, Prince Gremin and Colline in productions at the University of New Mexico. He will sing Raimondo in Lucia de Lamermoor at MSM in the spring, and sings with the New York Choral Artists for the New York Philharmonic. Conrad is a composer, teacher and conductor, specializing in a cappella music, having directed and co-founded the internationally-ranked 505 Chorus in Albuquerque.

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Heather Fetrow, soprano, enjoys a varied career of performing, conducting and teaching vocal and choral music. She sings with the choir of Christ Church United Methodist in Manhattan, Fuma Sacra of Princeton, Kinnara Ensemble and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. She has appeared as a soloist with Amherst Early Music Festival’s Baroque Academy, Hagerstown Opera Ensemble of Maryland, Bay Area Opera Theater, Masterwork Chorus and the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia. She has professionally recorded with the Westminster Choir and Santa Fe Desert Chorale. This winter she will perform the role of Feneca in Verdi’s Nabucco in Philadelphia. One of Ms. Fetrow’s voice students is portraying Cindi Lou Who on a national tour of The Grinch this month. Ms. Fetrow directs the children’s choir program at Christ Church and teaches voice at the Hun School and the Woodmere Music Academy.

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Carmen Florez-Mansi, soprano, is a native of New Mexico and has served as the Director of the Office of Worship at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi since 2001. With degrees in music and theology, Ms. Flórez-Mansi has performed as a vocal artist, choral conductor, vocal instructor and liturgy specialist in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area as well as in New Mexico since 1989. From 1994-1996 she performed with the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia, under the direction of the late Sean Deibler. In 2001, she appeared as soprano soloist with the San Juan Symphony in a performance of Mozart’s Requiem. In 2004, she founded the Cathedral Basilica Choristers and Youth Chorale, a 58 voice children’s chorus. Under her direction, the Cathedral Basilica Pontifical Chorus performed Handel’s Messiah at Carnegie Hall in 2007 conducted by John Rutter. In 2007, she released a recording of sacred psalms titled “Salmos de Mi Alma.” Most recently Ms. Flórez-Mansi founded the St. Cecelia Institute for Liturgical Arts for children and her private vocal studio, Mariposa.

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Javier Gonzalez, tenor, enjoys a prolific opera career including a performances with world-renowned tenor, Placido Domingo, on the Kennedy Center opera stage and on the stage of Carnegie Hall, under John Rutter. In 2008, Mr. Gonzalez won first place in the Barry Alexander Vocal Competition in New York City, was a finalist in the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist competition in 2005, and won first place in the UNM concert competition and the regional NATS competition of New Mexico in 2010. Mr. Gonzalez has also appeared in several oratorio works on the international stage performing, including Dvorˆák Hall in Prague, Ely Cathedral in Cambridge, St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle and National Cathedral in Washington, DC. He served as the assistant choral director of the Georgetown Presbyterian Chorale in Washington, DC, and is currently a graduate student in choral conducting at the University of New Mexico.

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Seth Hartwell, tenor, has performed Baroque oratorio with such groups as VocalEssence, Santa Fe Pro Musica and the Valparaiso University Chorale, under the baton of world-renowned Bach scholar Helmuth Rilling. He has performed with The Santa Fe Opera, Opera Southwest and the Royal Norwegian Opera. His operatic roles have included Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Lenski (Eugene Onegin) and Rodolfo (La Boheme). Seth received his master’s degree in vocal performance from the University of New Mexico in 2009 and maintained a voice studio for the University. He teaches voice lessons privately and directs the Children’s Choir at St. Paul Lutheran Church. Seth currently lives in Albuquerque with his wife, Liz, his two-year-old daughter, Anna, and two boisterous cats.

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Christopher Ihlefeld, bass-baritone, received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Rollins College, Central Florida. Christopher established his professional singing career with Orlando Opera Company as a boy soprano at age eleven. In Santa Fe he has performed extensively with local ensembles Polyphony: Voices of New Mexico, Canticum Novum, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Sangre de Cristo Chorale, Santa Fe Symphony Chorus, Coro de Camara and Theatrework. He is currently serving his sixteenth year as staff singer and section leader at Holy Faith Episcopal Church. In addition to his singing career, Christopher is portfolio manager and managing director with Thornburg Investment Management. This is Christopher’s sixth winter season singing with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale.

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Sarah Ihlefeld, mezzo-soprano, has been hailed as a young singer of great promise. She recently earned her Master of Music degree from Rice University after completing her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Southern California. Ms. Ihlefeld has performed with the Oregon Bach Festival, Houston Bach Society, Aspen Music Festival and the Salem Chamber Orchestra. Recent operatic roles include Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, with the Santa Fe Symphony, Ramiro in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera, Mélisande in Debussy’s Pélleas et Mélisande, Olga in Weill’s Street Scene, and Eustazio in Händel’s Rinaldo. Ms. Ihlefeld also realized the role of Margaret Truman in the world premiere performance of Primiani’s Truman Project for OPERA America. A resident of Santa Fe, Ms. Ihlefeld regularly solos with the Santa Fe Symphony and at Holy Faith Episcopal Church.

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Jon Lee Keenan, tenor, currently resides in Los Angeles, where he is pursuing a DMA in Vocal Arts at the University of Southern California. Jon is currently in his fifth season with the LA Master Chorale, where he has been featured as a soloist in Haydn’s Maria Theresa Mass, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, and this past December in the Mozart re-orchestration of Handel’s Messiah where Jon was called “a tenor to watch” by Mark Swed of the LA Times. He earned degrees from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas: in vocal music education, vocal performance and jazz studies, and a MM in Vocal Arts from USC in 2009. Recent operatic engagements include the role of “Il Podesta” in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera, “Male Chorus” in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, and “Antonio” in Wagner’s Das Liebesverbot with the Thornton Opera at USC. This season’s engagements include the role of Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with the Pacific Opera Project, tenor soloist at the LA Bach Festival, and tenor soloist in Messiah with the Los Angeles Master Chorale.

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Matt Kenny, bass-baritone, first joined a chorus 17 years ago and he’s never looked back. Being part of a choir led Matt to perform in plays, musicals, operas and concerts, among many other events. He started at Manzano Day School elementary chorus, moving to the Albuquerque Boy Choir and Valley High Show Choir (known locally as Stage Left). Matt has starred as Cliff in Cabaret, Mordred in Camelot, and The Family Solicitor in Me and My Girl. Recently, Matt has expanded his repertoire to include opera, singing roles like the Impresario in Viva La Mama, Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte, and now he’s in his final year at the University of New Mexico, where he’s pursuing a vocal degree. Matt plans to hit the big stage, however he can.

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Darci Lobdell, soprano, is a vocal performance major at the University of New Mexico. She has sung with several choral groups in New Mexico and is currently singing with the UNM Concert Choir. Her solo work includes the role of Diana in La Calisto with La Musica Lirica in Italy in 2009. With the UNM opera she performed the roles of Miss Pinkerton in The Old Maid and the Thief, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte and was the alto soloist in Brahms’s Liebeslieder Waltzes. Darci was the alto soloist for Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Albuquerque Civic Chorus and the Albuquerque Madrigal Singers. This coming spring she will perform the role of Terentia in The Beautiful Bridegroom and will be the soloist in Brad Ellingboe’s Requiem .

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Jeb Meuller, bass-baritone & hous, is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting at the University of Miami. Previously, he earned the Master of Music degree at The University of Texas and his Bachelor of Music Education at Texas Tech University. Meuller taught high school choir in the Houston, Texas area for six years. His choirs earned superior ratings and were twice chosen the Overall Best Choir at state and national choral festivals. In 2007, he was an HEB Excellence in Education state semifinalist and Katy Independent School District’s Outstanding Teacher. Meuller created the Camerata Concert Series at Austin’s First English Lutheran Church and worked as the Assistant Conductor for Houston’s Central Presbyterian Church. He currently conducts the University of Miami Cantilena and Chapel choirs and sings at Key Largo’s Ocean Reef Chapel.

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Ashley Morgan, soprano, is from Telford, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Messiah College with a Bachelor of Science in music education. During her time at Messiah, she was in Concert Choir, the Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Winds. Also, she was a student conductor for the Men’s Ensemble for two semesters. Currently, she is attending the University of New Mexico to earn her Masters in Music Education, and hopes to one day obtain her PhD in Music Education.

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Jennifer Perez, soprano, graduated from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance. Representative of her performing roles are children’s operas with the Santa Fe Opera’s Community Outreach program, directed by John Bradley, as well as the role of Gretel for Opera Unlimited’ s production of Hansel & Gretel. Additional roles include Letitia in Samuel Barber’s The Old Maid and the Thief and Giulietta in Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann. Jennifer’s choral experience includes participation as a chorister and soloist with the NMMEA All-State Intercollegiate Choir and soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem for the Festival Internazionale della Cultura Bergamo in Italy. Ms. Perez enjoys participating in the musical community of Albuquerque as soprano section leader at St. Paul Lutheran Church and as a member of Albuquerque’s Polyphony choir, directed by Maxene Thevenot.

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Drea Pressley-Tischhauser, mezzo-soprano, earned her vocal degree at Loyola University in New Orleans. She has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, New Orleans Opera Association, Operafestival di Roma, Loyola Opera Theatre, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. She enjoys success singing with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, both as a chorister and soloist. Drea is also a studio musician in Los Angeles and can be heard as part of the choir on film scores that include X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Earth, The Sorcerer‘s Apprentice, The Rite, Cowboys and Aliens, and Avatar. She is a proud member of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). This past February Drea performed with Santa Fe New Music in their production of David Lang’s the little match girl passion.

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