Dale Witte has been the choir director and Fine Arts Department chairman at Winnebago Lutheran Academy, Fond du Lac, WI since 1993, where he also teaches Music Theory and Music Technology. Dale holds degrees from Dr. Martin Luther College (BS Elementary Ed, 1989) and Concordia University Chicago (Master of Church Music, 1997). Dale has prepared the WLA Traveling Choir to perform at Carnegie Hall on four occasions since 2004, most recently with Eric Whitacre in 2013. Today marks his and their first time performing at the Lincoln Center. Dale is also a published composer with Concordia and Northwestern Publishing Houses.

The Winnebago Lutheran Academy Traveling Choir represents their high school, their families, and their Savior, Jesus Christ, in more than 20 performances and church services each school year. They are an auditioned choir of sophomores, juniors and seniors from the Fond du Lac, WI and surrounding communities who are blessed to meet each day during the school day for rehearsal. They perform at WLA for five curricular concerts and lead worship in 12-15 Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) churches each school year. While their main focus is on spreading God’s Word in song, they also perform secular choral literature.

John & Cynthia Balme both hail from the opera world. John has served as General Director of Boston Lyric Opera and lake George Opera Festival as well as guest-conducting throughout the USA. Cynthia has sung 40 leading roles, specializing in Verdi with 12 operas performed with NY Grand Opera.

The Brookdale Concordia Chorale was founded in 2001 by John and Cynthia Balme. Now based at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft NJ, the Chorale is a county community performance group specializing in performing choral masterworks including 7 Handel oratorios, all the major works by Bach and Mozart, and major explorations of Mendelssohn, Brahms and many other major choral composers.

After graduating at Conservatorio G. Verdi (Milan), Martina Zambelli started teaching singing and baroque flute. Today she conducts Coro Bocconi of Bocconi University (Milan); she is arranger for the Bloopers Choir and director of the Young Mediterranean Ensemble, of the Medit-lab Orchestra and of the Wayward Spirit Orchestra. She has conducted Insubriae Chorus of Insubria University (Varese). She is known for her eclecticism and her versatility and for her particular singing technique, which mixes classical and popular genres, following the example of Dulce Pontes and Lisa Gerrard. She is performing in Italy and abroad and she is part of the ensemble Humana Vox. She has released seven record productions.

Coro Bocconi was founded in 2005, and it is composed by students, alumni, professors and staff of the homonymous Milanese University. It was conducted by M° Sergio Lonoce until 2011, and since then by M° Martina Zambelli, with whom it has been participating in numerous and prestigious events inside and outside the campus. It has been performing in collaboration with Verdi Per Tutti orchestra, Medit-lab Orchestra, Wayward Spirit Orchestra, Coral Iberoamericana Tantanakuy, Coràson Choeur from Nice, Chorus Insubriae (Insubria University). Today the choir has an eclectic and heterogeneous repertoire.

Eduardo Raul Vallejo practices a vast activity in Choral directing and teaching. He taught in the National Music Conservatory in Choir Direction Professorship. He also graduated as a Licentiate in Phsychology. Through all these years, he has directed many choral and orchestal ensambles in Buenos Aires, Argentina and has speciallized in ways to develop psico-dramatic techniques with his singers, which are taken into account during rehearsals and in their performances. He has also dedicated to the arrangements of argentine folk music and tango, in a choral way. As the founder and master of Cantoria Lugano Choir, he has being the uninterruptedly Director, since the creation, whom in year 2014 took part of the Stabat Mater, by Karl Jenkins in Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York City under the direction of Jonathan Griffith

Edmund Rice Choir from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was founded in 1985 thanks to the Christian Brothers from Cardinal Newman College, and a group of parents and former pupils. This institution is a Catholic School that belongs to an Irish Congregation, based in Ireland, that spread worldwide, founded by a wealthy landlord from Waterford, who donated all his fortune for the bringing up and the education of poor and orphan children. As a well known Choir in Argentina, participated in several events throughout Argentina and also travelled abroad to Uruguay, Chile and Ireland, in late 2009. The Choir performed simultaneously, with the ceremony that took place in the Vatican, for the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, during Pope Benedict XVI papacy. In the year 2012 for the celebration of the 250 birth anniversary of Edmund Rice, the Choir interpreted the Edmund Rice Cantata, written by Daniel Vallejo, son of the Choir Master, accompanied by musicians and singers, that belonged to the school’s ensemble. In 2013 they were part of the 7th Musical Choral Festival, in Buenos Aires, and shared music with choirs from Ecuador, Chile, Colombia and Croatia. The Choir´s repertoire includes Sacred Music as well as European authors, traditional and folk argentine music, tango and contemporaneous authors.

Robert Russell cannot remember a time when he did not sing. The Baptist tradition in Roanoke, VA during his formative years offered choral instruction for children as early as first grade; the teen choir sang weekly for services, summers included! A lifetime of singing, piano lessons from the second grade on, and rigorous training in college and grad school prepared him for a career as a choral conductor and music educator. He concluded 36 years of teaching at the University of Southern Maine in 2015 and continues an active retirement as music director of ChoralArt (Portland, ME) and guest conductor of festival choruses.

Celebrating its 45th season in 2016-17, ChoralArt is based in Portland, Maine, and is comprised of approximately 100 singers who participate in one or more of three distinct ensembles:  ChoralArt Masterworks (90 voices), ChoralArt Singers (50 voices) and ChoralArt Camerata (16 voices).  Members are talented and committed musicians, selected by a rigorous audition process.  Led for 37 years by Dr. Robert Russell, ChoralArt has earned a reputation for quality performances of major works, commissions of new works, innovative programming and creative collaborations.  In addition to its own concerts, ChoralArt regularly performs major choral works with the Portland Symphony Orchestra.

Julie Cassia Cavalcante – Soprano, vocal teacher (Franco-Brazilian) she studied Singing and Pedagogy of Singing at the University of Pernambuco (Brazil). Her studies have been completed with prestigious singers such as Régis Oudot (FRA) and Masters Classes with Montserrat Caballé (AND). At the Conservatoire d'Orléans, she won a first prize for singing and, unanimously, a first regional chamber music prize. Singing Teacher’s at the Conservatory of Olivet City and of the Music School of Gien in Loiret, she was soloist: Ensemble Almeria (since 2000); Capitole Orchestra (2001); The Spassov Festival in Bulgaria (2003). She has regularly played in concerts and recitals in Brazil and in Europe.

Loiret's Singers is a group of singers of the singing classes of Mrs. Julie Cassia Cavalcante, in the Conservatories of the department of Loiret, in the region Center of France. The singers come from the cities of Olivet, Gien and Chécy and have an academic experience in solo and ensemble vocal practice. Elodie Bigé, Marie-Lou Vinchon, Emmanuelle Bardet, Laure Crotte and Patricia Felix (sopranos); Annie Delbecq, Chérryl Nagot and Danièle Rossi (altos); Eric Flandry, Mahmoud Idir and Steeve Place (Tenors) and Gérad Barbier and Yannick Nagot (barytone-basses).

A life-long choral singer, Peter began choral conducting in 1985 in Vancouver. He co-directed the Vivaldi Chamber Choir, and was the founding musical director of the Pacific Singers. Moving to Galiano Island, he started Coro Galiano. Since moving to Victoria, he directed the EKOOS vocal ensemble of Sooke for 5 years and is currently the Music Director of the Arion Male Voice Choir and the Newcombe Singers. For 15 years he has organized singing tours of Central Europe and Cuba. He has been a guest juror at international choral competitions in Prague. A composer of several choral works, he has a Master's Degree from UBC.

The "Peter Dent Singers" is comprised mainly of choral singers who have been part of Peter Dent's international choral tours. coming from many provinces in Canada, the criteria for inclusion in this performance are a solid background in classical choral singing and a previous performance experience of the Brahms German Requiem.

Daniel holds a Bachelors degree in Arts and Music Education from the University of Brasília (UnB), a graduate of Sacred Music, with a specialization in Piano, from the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary of Brazil (STBNB) in Recife. In more than 15 years in his experience as conductor, he acted as regent of several musical groups in the cities of Recife and Brasília. Participated in Workshops and national and international courses in Brazil and abroad and in his musical activities, has already presented from north to south of Brazil, as well as in countries of South America, North America and Europe. He is currently the executive director of Soncietà and the master of the Choral Officials of Banco do Brasil, Coral of the Ministry of Education, Coral dos Correios and Tutti Choir.

The Tutti Choir consists of about 32 members, men and women of different age groups, some professional musicians and other amateurs and has the privilege of having two masters as their rehearsers: the maestro Daniel Souto de Moraes and the teacher Priscila Martins Bispo. The choir came up in the proposal of friends who love to sing and have sung together for many years and were not participating in any musical group, solving making music for the art. His repertoire includes sacred, erudite and popular songs, from diverse composers, from the Baroque period to contemporary music. It was created with the support of Soncietà, a company that has been dedicated exclusively to music production and music education for more than 5 years in Brasilia and other cities in Brazil.

Barbara Kopra cherishes her role as director of the Waimea Community Chorus. With a Masters in Music Education (University of Oregon), she has taught Performing Arts classes for grades 6-12 at Hawai’i Preparatory Academy for 25 years. Preparing island students to participate in the Hawai’i All-State Honor Choir Workshops was a highlight, as she worked with many nationally acclaimed composers and directors learning along with her students. In addition to directing school performances, Barbara serves as musical director for Waimea Community Theatre productions. She is excited for the opportunity to experience “Viva La Musica de Argentina”!

Waimea Community Chorus, developed in 1994 from musical productions presented by Waimea Community Theatre, and now functions as a separate division of WCT, presenting concert weekends twice annually. Despite its community base and open membership, WCC has become the largest, oldest and most stable choral performance group on the Big Island of Hawai'i, and one of the most respected in the state of Hawai'i. WCC is directed by Barbara Kopra, whose background in music and choral direction has elevated it from a friendly social chorale to an open and inclusive, yet close-knit and polished performance ensemble, currently numbering 85 singers.

Angela Gehann Dernbach is the musical director of the Bach-Choir Darmstadt since 2006. She took over the lead from her father Horst Gehann, who founded the Bach-Choir in 1981. She studied church music at the college of music and the Performing Arts in Frankfurt am Main.

The Bach-Choir Darmstadt was founded by Horst Gehann in 1981. In 2006 his daughter took over the management of the choir. Our ensemble - 60 performers - gives 3 concerts a year with works by all renowned composers. The choir performs tours at home and abroad and has participated in international music festivals.

Claire Dixon’s conducting experience began with Norfolk school and church choirs. She continues to encourage amateur singers in Norwich and the local area. As music director of a small local choir, she conducted on annual tours to several countries in Europe. In 2004 Claire was invited to become music director of Wymondham Choral Society. Since then, under her enthusiastic leadership, the choir has grown in size and popularity. A huge variety of music has been performed, ranging from early music to contemporary works.

Founded in 1980, Wymondham Choral Society is now a choir of about eighty singers. It is a great privilege to sing three concerts a year in some of Norfolk’s most beautiful churches, including St. Peter Mancroft in the centre of Norwich and ancient Wymondham Abbey. The choir’s repertoire has ranged from 8th century plainchant to new compositions. It often performs with well- known orchestras from London and members have enjoyed performing concerts with singers from all over the world in The Royal Albert Hall.

Ken Goodenberger, Artistic Director, has been a prominent member of the musical scene in Phoenix for over 30 years. He is a well-rounded musician, who is active as a conductor, choral clinician, voice teacher, actor and singer. Ken is also a Distinguished Member/Friend of the Arts of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Iota International Music Fraternity. All of his musical endeavors are dedicated to making music of the highest caliber accessible to students, choirs and audiences.

The West Valley Chorale is celebrating its 33rd season of providing outstanding choral music to the area. A vibrant community vocal group, the Chorale has been in existence in the Sun Cities area since 1983. It was first formed under the direction of the late H. Ward Bedford as the Sun Cities Symphonic Chorus, an adjunct to the Sun Cities Symphony Orchestra Association. The chorus became an independent entity in 1989. Recent highlights include performances with orchestra for the Brahms Requiem and Haydn's Creation. In addition, the Chorale has commissioned three large compositions and has had the privilege of performing the premieres of these works for their West Valley audiences.

Carlos Alvarado studied piano in his native Colombia and was awarded a scholarship to the Tchaikovsky Conservatorium of Music in Moscow where he obtained a Doctorate of Opera and Symphonic Conducting as well as a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Choir Conducting. After an extensive career in Europe and Colombia he came to Australia in 2002, and was appointed as the Musical Director of the Manly Warringah Choir in 2003. Carlos co-founded the Wollongong Symphony Orchestra in 2004. He has also been the musical director and conductor of a variety of choirs and ensembles, including the Sydney North Chamber Orchestra, and is presently the Musical Director of the Ryde-Hunters Hill Symphony Orchestra. The choir is devoted to Carlos. His passion for the choral repertior is infectious. He conducts the choral rehearsals with a firm hand, but maintains a relaxed and collegiate atmosphere.

The Manly Warringah Choir is a 100 member strong choir operating in Sydney, Australia. Established over 40 years ago its objective is to broaden the range of cultural activities within the northern beaches region and provide a social outlet for its members. The leadership of Musical Director Dr Carlos Alvarado over the past 14 years has been inspirational for the choir. Devoted to the classical repertoire, it performs 3 concerts yearly, usually with a full orchestra, in a local historical chapel. Recent concerts include Bach- St John Passion, Saint Saens-Christmas Oratorio Mozart-Great C Minor Mass, Whitacre-Hebrew Love Songs, and Hayden-Paukenmasse. Handel's Messiah is a favourite, as well as the works of Karl Jenkins. The choir performed Brahms-A German Requiem in 2013, and is rehearsing it once more in preparation for the first concert in 2017 on May 6th.

A native of Princeton, Illinois, John Linker holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in music where he studied organ and harpsichord. He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Cincinnati. Prior to coming to New Zealand, John was Organist & Choirmaster of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Lexington, Kentucky, where the choir programme flourished during his 14 year leadership. John has now brought his extensive musical expertise and energy to New Zealand where he is able to enjoy the country’s unique outdoor lifestyle along with his family.

The Christchurch City Choir has a long and proud tradition of civic choral performance including symphonic works, New Zealand compositions and frequent collaboration with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. Handel’s ‘Messiah’ and a version of the British ‘Last Night of the Proms’ are annual fixtures. Our representative group of three singers have diverse backgrounds including classical choral work, jazz, barbershop, and opera. The Brahms Requiem is a particular favourite of all three singers and we are very excited to perform it and we are very excited to perform it at such a renowned venue.

Dr. Martha Springstead is a graduate of Mount Union College, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. She has taught in Morocco and Ohio, in addition to her 32 year career in Virginia Beach. Dr. Springstead received her Master’s Degree in Music Education from Shenandoah University in 1999, and received her Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education in 2008. She was named Teacher of the Year 2002 for Larkspur Middle School, a Distinguished Teacher at Landstown High School in 2012, and has three times been included in “Who’s Who Among American Teachers”. Dr. Springstead has served as accompanist and guest conductor for All-City and district choral events, and has also been an adjudicator for various district and all-state choir events. She is the Director of Choral Music at Landstown High School, where her choirs have consistently received Superior ratings at District Festivals and competitions; and has served as Director of Music for Community United Methodist Church for 26 years.

Community United Methodist Church has had a long and varied music ministry. With four adult choirs, youth and children's choirs, handbell choirs, an orchestra and a praise band, something is offered for everyone. This year, the church has opened a Music Academy, specializing in pre-school music education using the Orff method. An annual choir retreat allows the members of the adult choir to interact with clinicians. We are pleased that Pepper Choplin has visited us on several occasions, and we are honored to have been invited to participate in this event.

Brian Gendron serves as Artistic Director of Alexandria Choral Society and Pro Coro Alexandria, a chamber choir founded in 2012 as the organization's outreach ensemble. Previously, Gendron served as Artistic Director of the Grammy Award-winning Maryland Boy Choir. His previous teaching appointments include Conductor-in-Residence at Hollins University and Director of Choral Activities at Virginia Tech. Gendron earned degrees from Central Michigan University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Alexandria Choral Society aspires to enhance the cultural life of the city of Alexandria and surrounding communities by presenting diverse and engaging vocal music programs at the highest artistic level.

A native of Trenton Michigan, Janiece is a musician with international performance and training credits. She earned degrees in vocal performance at Western Michigan University School of Music, continuing studies at the University of Music and the Performing Arts - Vienna (Austria). She took the opportunity complete a singing tour of Western Europe before returning to America. Janiece has since served many churches in Michigan and New York. Retiring from a thirty-year career at ASCAP’s world headquarters (NYC), she remains in the lower Hudson Valley area to lead its premiere ensemble, Classic Choral Society, as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor.

Classic Choral Society is unique among community choral organizations. While no auditions are required, the chorus has developed a solid reputation from professional performances of great and respected choral works. Since 1959 the Choral Society is a year-round resource for choral musicians and grateful audiences. Despite the ever-changing size of the membership, it maintains a distinctive, sonorous quality of sound, attributed in no small part to Maestra Kohler’s unfailing ear and devotion. Concerts are presented at venues throughout southeast New York. It remains a hallmark of Classic Choral Society to make participation accessible to all, welcoming new and returning members.

Katherine Nelson-Tracey is originally from North Dakota. She teaches voice and piano in her private studio in Woodbridge, Virginia, and serves as the applied music coordinator and an adjunct professor for the Woodbridge campus of Northern Virginia Community College, teaching voice and piano. She is the founding director of the New Dominion Choraliers (NDC) through which NVCC students can earn ensemble credit. She is active in the American Choral Directors Association and she sings with the National Philharmonic Chorale at The Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland, where she is the soprano I section leader.

The New Dominion Choraliers of Prince William County, Inc. (NDC) is an award-winning chorus of dedicated amateur and professional musicians. We are widely recognized for our musically diverse performances as well as for our commitment to serving our community. We strive to be the premier chorus in Prince William County and have a growing audience in the Washington D.C. area. The NDC provides a supportive environment for the musical growth and development of its members and serves as an example of a quality adult chorus. The NDC is a vibrant group that provides ample opportunity for individual contributions and accomplishments.

Marina Alexander conducts three ensembles in the NY area: the Richmond Choral Society (NYC,) Arcadian Chorale (NJ,) and Metropolitan Greek Chorale (NYC.) Noted for her scholarship and innovative programming, she has resurrected rarely heard masterpieces and presented US or NY area premieres of many works, including her own compositions. Inspired by her Greek heritage, Marina’s music is a blend of Western and Byzantine practices, a unique blend of East and West, of ancient and modern. She has been Adjunct Assistant Professor at the College of Staten Island-CUNY for 18 years, teaching Conducting and Music History. She often appears as a clinician at choral workshops and festivals.

Now in its 24th year, The Arcadian Chorale has been acclaimed for its innovative and musically accomplished programs under Music Director and Founder, Marina Alexander. Based in Monmouth County, NJ, the ensemble presents two full programs each season at sites throughout the NY-NJ metro area. The group has sung everything from Byzantine chant to newly commissioned works, and explored international choral music, singing in at least 16 different languages. In collaboration with various orchestras, the Chorale has made several appearances singing major repertory at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and at the NJ Performing Arts Center.

Richmond Choral Society was founded in 1951 to provide Staten Island with an appreciation of classical and contemporary choral repertory, via regular performances of masterpieces and lesser-known works of famous composers. Since its inception, RCS has enjoyed a vibrant roster of volunteer choristers representing every profession, religion, ethnicity, and age group. By exploring new repertory for its two concerts per year, in a variety of settings across Staten Island, Manhattan, and New Jersey, and collaborating with many other community organizations, RCS has demonstrated its ongoing commitment to excellence in the community. RCS has performed under the direction of Marina Alexander since 1995.