Mr. Exlos-Raber has directed the various Oak Harbor Middle and High School Choirs for the last 21 years. He has served as the HS Repertoire & Standards Committee Chairman for the Ohio Choral Director's Association (ACDA) and is active as a clinician and adjudicator for the Ohio Music Education Association (NAMFE) and the Educational Programs Network's Music in the Parks festival series. Mr. Exlos-Raber and his husband Mark live in Fremont, Ohio and enjoy various activities throughout the Lake Erie Islands area.

The Oak Harbor High School choirs have received consistent Superior and Excellent ratings at both local and state adjudicated events in the highest classifications. The Oak Harbor Choirs have performed under such noted batons as John Rutter, Ronnie Oliver, and Adawagin Pratt and routinely perform with collegiate and professional choral and instrumental ensembles. The OHHS choir members are excited to return to the Carnegie Hall stage once again.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Leung obtained her music degree from University of Hong Kong. Before taking up the job as musical director, she has been an arts administrator for 12 years in festivals, theatre and choir companies. She was the project manager to World Youth Choir during Summer 2008, while the group performed in China, Macau and Hong Kong. As a conductor since she was 12, Leung has worked with choirs from ages 5 to 70. In 2015 and 2016, she set up 2 singing groups in Hong Kong, namely Sing City and Phoenix Singers, Hong Kong.

Phoenix, is referring to the many Flame Trees that are found in HK, blooming in May around the city. Flame Trees are known as “Phoenix Trees” in Chinese. Phoenix Singers, Hong Kong was founded in 2016, musically directed by Celia Leung. The chorus (mixed) meets once a week and share the joy of singing. Since its inception, the chorus presented several performances around the city at different locations, singing mainly pop, jazz and contemporary choral pieces. We are very excited to take part in this year's Messiah concert again.

Dr. Digaud-Baluszynska graduated from the Krakow Academy of Music in Poland, where she studied music theory, choral and orchestral conducting, and music education. Her productions and innovations in choral singing have on multiple occasions won first prize from Poland’s Ministry of National Education. She has taught music education at the Institute of Education Science in Krakow, choir and chamber orchestra conducting at the Krakow Academy of Music, and choral conducting and education at the University of Strasbourg. She now directs several choirs in Switzerland and France, including the Ensemble Jean-Philippe Rameau, and teaches music at Genolier High School (EPSGE) in Switzerland.

Ensemble Jean-Philippe Rameau (France) The Ensemble Jean-Philippe Rameau, founded in 2011 by Malgorzata and Eric Digaud, performs a range of classical works with a focus on French music. Based in Pays de Gex, France, it is named after the great baroque composer, musical theorist and philosopher. The choir’s repertoire ranges from Gregorian chants to contemporary music: Allegri’s Misere, Delalande’s De profundis, excerpts from operas by Rameau and Lully, pieces by Mielczewski, Capillas and Purcell, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Rossini’s Little Solemn Mass, Mozart’s Te Deum, and Karl Jenkins’ Requiem, Stabat Mater and The Bards of Wales, Rachmaninov, 9th Symphony of Beethoven, … This ensemble of 70 French and Swiss singers performs regularly in France and Switzerland but also preformed abroad (Italy, China, Russia, Hungary,USA).

Eleanor Johnson, the founding director of the North Valley Chorale (NVC), has enriched Arizona with music for over 25 years. Under her inspiring leadership, the NVC has grown from 12 singers of sacred music in 2008 to nearly 60 singers with a repertoire including Broadway, pop, classical and patriotic music. Mrs. Johnson recently led the NVC on its first international tour and to Kennedy Center in Washington, DC for the National Memorial Day Choral Festival. When she is not teaching music or directing, Eleanor enjoys hiking, gardening, crossword puzzles and travelling.

The North Valley Chorale (NVC) is from Phoenix, Arizona. Established in 2008, the Chorale’s repertoire ranges from classical to pop, patriotic to Broadway. The choir performs 3 main concerts per year, sings for local outreach events and tours annually. Known as “the choir that cares”, NVC works with organizations across Phoenix to share their gifts of music, companionship, and goods with the needy, sick, and homeless. Last summer (2016) was NVC’s first international tour, covering Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. Previously they performed at the Kennedy Center in DC for the National Memorial Day Choral Festival and Parade.

Dr. Samuel Pascoe graduated as a pianist from the National Autonomous University in Mexico City. He holds a Master’s degree in choral conducting and composition from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, and a Doctorate in Musical Arts from Boston University. He has been the musical director of the Madrigal Singers of Bellas Artes, the National Music School Symphony Orchestra, Academia Orchestra in Mexico City, All Campus Orchestra in Boston University, and Promúsica Choir, among others. He is also a frequent guest conductor of renowned orchestras and ensembles in Mexico.

Promúsica Mexico Choir integrates polyphonic singing enthusiasts, following the European amateur choir tradition. The Choir’s motto “We sing for the joy of singing” summarizes its philosophy. In over thirty years, Promúsica has performed under outstanding batons and orchestras, and has always taken pride in its contribution to the development and diffusion of musical culture in Mexico, not only through its frequent performances in well-known cultural halls in the city, but also by sponsoring talented young Mexican musicians who perform as soloists in presentations, and a choir of primary school age children in Texcoco, Mexico. Promúsica sponsors a choir of primary school age children in Texcoco, Mexico, an area where Náhuatl, one of México´s most important indigenous languages, used to be spoken. The objectives of the project are twofold: to perpetuate the musical tradition of the community, and to promote learning and thus preservation of Náhuatl by bringing children closer to it precisely through music. This year the choir PIPILTONKUIKAPIHEKEH, Náhuatl for "Bilingual Choir of Children", made their official debut in their city, and in the National Museum of History in Mexico City.

Kirsten has been directing the Grand Forks Choral Society for 4 years. Her background in Elementary Education has enhanced her knowledge of people and music. She has a Bachelor of Education and recently completed her Masters of Education. The choir loves her energy, enthusiasm and her creation of an atmosphere of cooperation and community.

The community choir, Grand Forks Choral Society, began in 1988 in British Columbia, Canada by three music teachers, Tracey Garvin, Jill McVie, and Bruce Grattan. Tracey Garvin directed for 20 years, Joan Thompson for 6 years, and Kirsten Rezansoff, current director, for 4 years. The 40-60 member non-auditioned community choir meets weekly and produces a Spring and Winter concert. Our director produces a CD for at-home practice and depends on community members to accompany us. One year we did a production of Vivaldi's Gloria with the Abbotsford Youth Orchestra, a thrill for everyone! 32 members of the Grand Forks Choral Society are thrilled to attend the DCINY production of Messiah Refreshed in Carnegie Hall this November, 2017. For more information see www.grandforkschoralsociety.ca

Dr. Ardis R. Faber, conductor, and music educator received her B.S. in Music Education, Grand Valley State University; M.M. Trumpet Performance, Northwestern University; and a Doctor of Arts – Music Education, Orchestral Conducting, Ball State University. Currently, Ardis conducts the Lancer Chorus at Grace College, the Lakeland Community Choir and Youth Chorale, Music Director at Trinity United Methodist Church, and is the owner and lead instructor of Northern Lakes Music Studio, Winona Lake, IN. She resides in Winona Lake, IN where she enjoys reading, riding bicycle, writing, arranging music, and enjoying the lake.

The Lakeland Community Choir is a non-auditioned choral ensemble of men and women from the community who share a love for music through singing in harmony. Our ensemble brings quality choral music in Warsaw/Winona Lake, IN and in the surrounding communities of Kosciusko County. Goals of this ensemble are to study, sing, and perform quality choral pieces and works; to increase the understanding of music's unique expressive and nonverbal communicative aspects; to engage in the artistic culture at high levels of complexity and competence; and to offer a place of belonging and community for singers who enjoy singing with others.

Betty Diehl founded the Ferndale Community Choir forty seven years ago and has served as its leader, director and inspiration ever since. Betty, the wife of one of two Lutheran pastors in the small town of Ferndale, California, assembled a small group of singers from both churches for a joint service at Christmas. They had so much fun, they sang again at Easter and the Ferndale Community Choir was born. In addition to her superb directing skills, Betty is a respected vocalist, having performed as a soloist and ensemble singer in many area musical productions.

Over the years since its inception, Ferndale Community Choir has become a loyal family of singers and instrumental accompanists dedicated, under Betty Diehl's direction, to performing a broad range of choral works during the Christmas and Easter seasons. Our singers come from a broad range of life experience and range in age from teens to ninety somethings. We are bound together by mutual respect and a love of performing great choral music for our audiences. We are thrilled and honored to be part of DCINY's production of Messiah Refreshed,

Kathy Heedles has been teaching choral music at AIS Vienna since 1986. A native of the state of Iowa, Kathy studied voice, piano, choral conducting and music education at St. Ambrose Colle and the University of Iowa. In addition to AISV, she has taught in two Iowa schools and the American School of Honduras. Kathy spent a semester sabbatical with the Vienna Boys Choir and Gerald Wirth, their President and Artistic Director. Mr. Wirth has holds master classes with AISV most years to help develop our understanding of Viennese Classicism and sound vocal pedagogy. Every other year, the AIS choirs learn a large work in order to grow musically through classical master works. When possible, they have performed in VIenna's beautiful churches or concert halls. They have also performed with DCINY on two previous occasions- Carmina Burana in Lincoln Center and the Mozart Requiem Mass in Carnegie Hall. Kathy is an active member of the Association for Music in International Schools- AMIS as a piano accompanist, Middle School Festival conductor, as well as accompanying the Festival of Choirs in Muscat, Oman, the past three years. She is married to Henry Heedles, also a teacher at AISV, and they have three children. Elle and Emma are studying in the University and Paul is in his last year at AISV and a singer in this performance of the "Messiah". We are honored to be part of the DCINY performances in this special hall.

The choirs of the American International School include singers from grades 9-12. They do not need prior experience to join the ensembles, since most of our students move every few years to another country with their parent's work. The singers bring talent, love of music, high work ethic to each rehearsal and very quickly become a choir that seems to have had years of singing together. Singers participate in international festivals by audition and many opportunities to sing solo also arise. Vienna is the city of classical music, so we always include music of our host country in our repertoire during the year. We give seven or eight concerts during the year, and our singers will perform in Vienna's Rathaus (city hall) Advent Choral Concerts in December. AISV has 58 nationalities of students who study in English and strive for IB Diplomas, USA Diplomas, or the Austrian Matura.

Elizabeth Moore is the choir director in the Central Regional School District in Bayville and staff accompanist at The Westminster Conservatory in Princeton. She is also currently the musical director for The Manopause Boys recently seen at The Triad Theatre.

Central Regional High School Chorale is from Bayville, NJ. Recent highlights include performances at The White House, The National Tree, Carnegie Hall, St John the Divine, Radio City Music Hall, St Mary's of Times Square, Trinity Wall Street, and Walt Disney World, With an equal commitment to performances in their own community, the chorale performs at sporting events, community meetings, and townwide events. The chorale is made up of Central Regional High School students in grades 9-12.

David Mellnik received a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, attended the Manhattan School of Music, and earned the Master of Church Music with a Minor in Vocal Performance from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.  Rev. Mellnik is a four-time Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions and a regional winner of the National Association of Teachers of singing audition.  Rev. Mellnik has appeared with symphony orchestras and opera companies in a number of states.  This is his twelfth season as Director of the Cary Community Choir.
 
The Cary Community Choir (CCC) was formed in 1971 by three Cary, North Carolina, church choir directors to perform the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah.  The Choir has continued to perform the Messiah every December since, and is proud that its Messiah concert is Cary’s longest-running tradition.  The choir requires no audition and is made up of about 100 choristers from more than 10 churches in the area.  An orchestra, made up of local, talented instrumentalists, accompanies the choir and selected soloists

Shana Yang : Founder and conductor of Zhi-Yin Choir, holds a degree at the Shanxi University of China majoring in vocal music and choral conducting. She was the Head of Artistic Department of Taiyuan University in China before settling in Canada. She actively involves in many major fundraising and celebrations within the local Chinese community; is currently a vocal instructor at the Conservatory of the Mount Royal University in Calgary and teaches private lessons in vocal training and piano.

Calgary Zhi-Yin Choir, a non-profit and Alberta registered organization, established in 2004 and is one of the choirs of the Mount Royal University in Calgary. It has been actively involved in numerous charities and choral activities in Calgary and occasionally in Edmonton and Vancouver. Members come from all walk of life, hoping that through singing with the Choir, they can grow to better understand music and through these shared experience to build friendship.

Sandra Thornton, a native of Syracuse, New York is currently the Director of Traditional Music at Epiphany United Methodist Church in Loveland, Ohio. She also serves as the Assistant Artistic Director of the Cincinnati Children’s Choir and sings professionally with the Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble, under the direction of Craig Hella Johnson. Sandra earned her Bachelor’s Degree from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, and her Master’s Degree in choral conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She currently serves as the Youth Choir Repertoire and Resources Chair for the Central Division of the American Choral Director’s Association.

Voices In Praise is the adult vocal ensemble at Epiphany United Methodist Church in Loveland, Ohio. This thirty six voiced volunteer ensemble has a rich tradition of performing high quality choral literature, both for Sunday worship services and in concert opportunities. In 2012, Voices in Praise performed in the internationally renowned World Choir Games, earning a silver medal in their vocal division.

Alexis Renee Ward is a composer, conductor, singer, church musician, and accompanist. With degrees in both Composition/Music Theory and Conducting, she directs and composes for community and professional choirs along the East Coast. An avid performer, Alexis has performed with a wide variety of musical groups throughout the years, touring across North America, Asia, and Europe. Alexis has directed the Greensboro Chamber Choir for over two years and is thrilled to travel with them from Georgia to NYC for this performance of Handel's "Messiah". For a more detailed bio and samples of Alexis' work, please visit www.alexisreneeward.com

The Greensboro Chamber Choir is Greensboro, Georgia's premiere sacred community chorus. Specializing in large sacred works for choir and orchestra, GCC seeks to bring meaningful performances to beautiful and historic Middle Georgia Lake Country. GCC has performed a wide variety of repertoire and has commissioned several pieces of new music by Joesph Martin, Mark Templeton, Michael Smith, and Alexis Ward. Recently, the group was featured on a special episode of "Say Yes to the Dress - Atlanta". In recent collaborations, the choir has been fortunate enough to work with several notable composers and conductors including Joseph Martin, Joel Raney, and Charles Bruffy.