SINGERS
Michael Arko (T) grew up in a musical family in the Chicago area, where he was active in theater, choirs and orchestras that were dedicated to the preservation of his native Slovenian heritage and culture. Because it was too freaking cold there, he abandoned Chicago for the more civil climes of the University of California, Irvine, minoring in classical voice while majoring in political science. That major drew him east to Washington's political arena, but to preserve his sanity he continued his musical endeavors, performing with the George Washington University Chorus, the Paul Hill Chorale, the Alexandria Chorale and (very briefly) the Washington Opera Chorus, as well as at several churches. He joined Voce in 2007.
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Marlene Baldwin (S) earned her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Maryland and has been teaching music to singers of all ages for many years, including two decades of teaching choral music in Montgomery County Schools. Specializing in music performance she found and has continued to direct The Baldwin Music Theater Camp for the last 12 years. An active singer, she has performed in several choral groups including Winchester Musica Viva, Voce and Washington Choral Arts Society, as well as numerous church choirs where she has served as soloist, organist and director. She has adjudicated numerous vocal competitions including NATS District and Regional Auditions, The Bland scholarship competitions, Virginia District Choir Auditions, Maryland All State Auditions and Maryland Show Choir Competitions. She has been teaching for The Community Music School of the Piedmont since 1996.
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Greg Bloy (T) recieved an organ performance degree from Oberlin Conservatory, where he sang Renaissance and 20th century music with the Collegium Musicum. He went on to get a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Penn State, where he spent too much time playing jazz, funk, and soul saxophone with various local and regional bar bands. Later he sang with a small group named Sine Nomine in East Lansing, Michigan which specialized in early Anglican music. He currently plays organ part-time at Emmaus UCC in Vienna and occasionally fills in as a substitute at various other area churches. His main occupation is the applied mathematics of algorithm design.
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Jim Bonhivert (T) has been singing in various groups since high school. He studied voice in college where he met his wife, Tina, in Choir. They have been singing together for 35 years and find music to be a joyful highlight of their relationship. Jim is the CEO of a Security company that provides products like the inks used on currency and a variety of products and services that authenticate products and documents of value.
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Tina Bonhivert (S) holds a BA (music/organ) from Carleton College and an MA in church music from Shenandoah University. Tina has taught Suzuki piano, was a "Music Together" teacher for the Community Music School of the Piedmont, and has been the music director at several churches. She is currently the Parish Musician at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church in Clifton.
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Eliud Bonilla (T) has been singing in choral groups since the 5th grade. Born in New York City he moved with his family to Puerto Rico at the age of 12, exposing him to a rich Latin American musical world. While studying engineering at the Univ. of Puerto Rico @ Mayaguez he sang in the Concert and Chamber Choirs. Locally he's performed with the Reston Chorale and Coral Cantigas. He's lived in northern Virginia since 1998 and at present works as a Senior Engineer at TASC.
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Christopher Borton (B) was raised in a large musical family near Rochester, New York as a pianist, percussionist, and vocalist. A graduate of Syracuse University with a Bachelors in music education and vocal performance, he now uses his creative talents during the day for the American Red Cross Biomedical Services as a collaborative software administrator/trainer and performing with the Red Cross Chorus. In his 10th season with Voce (2007-2008), he also enjoys singing as a cantor for his church and performing in local community and dinner theater including the Reston Community Players and Elden Street Players.
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JoEllen Sharp Borton (S) received her Bachelors in Music from West Virginia University, and Masters from Duquesne University (Pittsburgh). She has performed with many vocal ensembles, including Tayside Opera in Dundee, Scotland, where she played the soprano lead in Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades. JoEllen and her husband Chris are also active with several local theater groups as performers and music directors. She has been with Voce for 15 seasons.
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Rachel Brown (T)
Involved in music since she can remember, Rachel sang her way through school in England in various groups, and even in college she was the only non-music major in the college choir. She once played Little Buttercup in Pirates of Penzance and would love to get back into amateur dramatics before she is too old! Once in the US, and firmly ensconced in Virginia, she has participated in church choirs and a 12 person accapella group for the past 20 years. A new addition to Voce this season in the tenor section, she is delighted to join this accomplished group to continue her music education!
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Stephanie Draeger (S) has been singing with Voce since the fall of 2003. She is thoroughly enjoying singing soprano after many years of alto! She received a BA in Music Performance ' Musical Theatre from Virginia Tech (go Hokies!) and currently works as a teacher in alternative school programs for Fairfax County Public Schools. She has performed with the Virginia Tech Chamber Singers, The New Virginians vocal jazz ensemble, and Opera Roanoke, but her true love is musical theatre. Although she always prefers the role of performer, she is an appreciative patron of all performing arts, particularly musical theatre, opera, and dance. Stephanie and her husband Michael live in Ashburn with two rowdy dogs.
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Hilary Eldridge (A)
An accomplished singer, Hilary has both a BA and MM in classical voice. She has a wide variety of performing experience and has sung with Seattle Opera, Opera Colorado, the Chautauqua Opera, and the Banff Centre for the Arts. She has sung with two award winning vocal ensembles – Bella Voce in Chicago, IL and Choral Arts Northwest in Seattle, WA. In addition, she has taught general music for K-8 grade students both in Illinois and Hawaii. When not practicing with Voce, she raises her young family and cantors for her church.
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Brian Ewell (T)
is a long-time choral singer in the area. For the last 10 years he has been singing with Convivium under the direction of Steve Beck. Previously he sang with Cantate Chamber Singers under Gisele Becker, with the Cathedral Choral Society, and in barbershop choruses and quartets in years past. He joined Voce in September 2012.
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William Findley (B)
has been singing since high school. He's performed with the Fairfax Choral Society, New Century Singers under Bob Johnson, under Dr. Paul Rardin at Towson Univeristy and with the WT Woodson Chorus under Michael Erlich. He recently moved with his family to Herndon and joined Voce in September 2012.
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Orin Hatton (B) has been singing bass in his church choir and studying voice for the past three years. Although he's relatively new to the vocal scene, he's been an instrumentalist for nearly 50 years. He is retired from the U.S. Navy Band in Washington, D.C., and has performed with Cab Calloway, the Four Tops and the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus. He has appeared at such venues as the White House and Blues Alley. His wife is a clarinetist who performed with Voce in 1995 and is currently a member of the Fairfax Symphony. They have two children, a cellist and a violist, both performing in New York City.
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Ed Hauck (B) first experience with serious choral singing was in the Big Easy when a high school music teacher invited him to join the school's small a cappella ensemble. Later in the Air Force, he joined a quartet that won first place in an AF-wide barbershop quartet contest. He has sung in many large productions such as the Verdi Requiem and Boris Godunov, but decided, when he moved to the Reston area, to form a small vocal ensemble that specialized in Renaissance and Early American music. The group performed in the Northern Virginia area and in Williamsburg for over 20 years. He has sung in Voce for the past several years.
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Dawn Jones (A) was raised in Pennsylvania and did her graduate work at Columbia University in New York. She likes being back close to her roots after traveling and residing as far away as South Asia. Singing has been a permanent enjoyment in her life. She has been a church and cantata soloist and music director and has also sung with several chamber ensembles in Southern California, New York City and locally in the D.C. area. Previously a college professor, she is now the director of professional development for a national educational association.
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Amber Koenig (A)
While at the University of South Florida, Amber performed with the Chamber Singers, Bel Canto and Collegium and in a number of opera productions. She was a frequently soloist with USF's University Singers. Outside of school, she was a member of the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay under the direction of Richard Zielinski, Duncan Couch, Joe Holt, and James Bass and performed in a women's community group, Con Amore, as well as sung at various churches in the area. Since moving to Virginia, she performed with Loudoun Lyric Opera as Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors.
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Deb Manion (A)
Born and bred in New England, Deb Manion is pleased to be living in Virginia, regaining her use of the letter R and abandoning the Red Sox in favor of the Nats. She has sung with various chorales for many years, and is proud to brag about having been in the Handel and Hayden Society in Boston. She loves singing with Voce, and has immensely enjoyed trying to keep up with all these music majors and the challenge of Ken's musical choices.
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Damone Motton (T) has sung in classical and musical theater ensembles, touring both domestically and internationally since 1989. Among others, he has had the opportunity to sing under the direction of Jester Hairston, Mack Wilberg, and Leonard Bernstein. Now back in his home state of Virginia, he is very happy to be a member of Voce and a member of Voce's Governing Board.
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Marylee Nicholas (A)
grew up in a musical family and continued the tradition with her own family of five children. Music has been instrumental in giving her the strength to weather the storms, as well as the means revel in the beauty of life. She earned a BA in French and Vocal Performance, has been a music teacher with FCPS and Music Together, a children's choir director at her church, and a cantor for close to four decades. She often uses the guitar to accompany herself, and enjoys being the musician on many retreat weekends. She is presently employed by FCPS as a Program Specialist with in Adult High School Completion.
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Siobhan O'Hair (S)
graduated from Ithaca College and the Cleveland Institute of Music with degrees in Vocal Performance. She is a stay-at-home mom and joined Voce in January 2013.
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Katie Hildago Pierce (S) is the Choral Director at Westfield High School, the Director of Music at Oakton United Methodist Church and is a dance teacher at the Russell School of Ballet. She holds a Masters degree in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelors degree in Music and a Bachelors degree in Anthropology from the College of William & Mary. At William & Mary, she performed with the Botetourt Chamber Singers, Spotlight Show Choir and the WIlliam and Mary Choir. She was a soprano soloist with the Early Music Ensemble, section leader with the Bruton Parish Canterbury Choir and directed Common Ground A Cappella. She joined Voce in January 2013.
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Deborah Rudd (S) grew up on the farm lands of Indiana with a family who loves music, truly a gift for life. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Music Education and a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance. Through her college years, she sang in a variety of ensembles and productions. She has enjoyed singing solos in church choirs and for her daughter as she grew up. Deborah has been teaching Elementary Music in the Fairfax County schools, directing children's church musicals, and had the pleasure of observing Ms. Joan Gregoryk and Ms. Doreen Rao as her daughter sang with the Children's Chorus of Washington. Her daughter has now graduated into independent life. Deb is thrilled to sing non-elementary music with Voce.
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Robert Rudolph (B) is the Director of Music Ministry at Messiah United Methodist Church in Springfield. He holds a Master of Music degree from Duquesne Conservatory, a Master of Divinity degree from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and a Bachelors degree in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He teaches voice, piano and organ privately and has more than 30 years of experience as a music minister. He joined Voce in January 2013.
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Steven Schmidt (T) is originally from the great city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Steve received his Bachelor's degree in music education from Duquesne University. While at Duquesne, he sang with
Voices of Spirit choir, a select group of 24 singers. He currently teaches general music in Herndon for Fairfax County Public Schools. Steve is excited to be singing again and with such a talented group!
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Joan Winter Skerritt (S) is happily married to husband Michael and is proud mother of Ben, Kim, Liz and Jen. Joan joined Voce in 1992, after singing with the Brown University Chorus, the Stanford Symphonic Chorus, the Masterworks Chorale in San Mateo, CA, and performing lots of musical theater in her younger years. Her most surreal singing experience was backing up Barry Manilow in concert at the Providence Civic Center. Joan is a soprano soloist at St. John Neumann Church in Reston. In addition to singing soprano with Voce, Joan is the ensemble's Executive Director.
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Keyona Taylor (S) started her singing debut with her twin brother at their kindergarten graduation singing a duet of This World is Not My Home. Keyona continued singing through her years of education into college in a small a cappella ensemble and even with her church at an event at Constitution Hall. A friend challenged her to join a well-established professional choral group which prompted her first participation with Voce in the mid 1990s. She's since moved 4 times and traveled the world on various mission trips, and has now returned once again to Voce.
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Denise Tierney, (A) a member of Voce since 1994, is a Senior Technical Analyst with Datatel, Inc., in Fairfax. A graduate of Louisiana State University, she came to Virginia by way of Tennessee where she was contralto soloist in several churches and was affiliated with Nashville Pro Musica, serving as Concert Manager for many years. She is married to the official Voce groupie, Pete Tierney.
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Sarah van der Vate (S) had the good fortune to be born to the Best Mom in the Universe, who (among other fantastic virtues and deeds) happened to be a talented musician that sang intervals to her in her carseat as a toddler. By the age of three, Sarah could sing perfect thirds and fifths and was in love with music. While in high school, she sang with Fairfax High's A Cappella singers as well as participated in district, state, regional, and national honors choirs. College brought with it a musical hiatus that has only very recently come to an end. In her spare time, Sarah can be found doing any number of things including playing guitar, knitting, poking around under the hood of a Volkswagen, and fire dancing.
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Jane Waldrop (A) is a native Virginian and received her Bachelor's degree in music education from James Madison University. She currently teaches music in Herndon for Fairfax County Public Schools and directs a high school a cappella group from Flint Hill School in Oakton, VA. Jane is excited to be returning to the singing world after surviving the first 5 years of raising twin boys and almost 3 years of raising a strong-willed daughter. Jane has sung with the Chicago Master Singers and a few fledgling a cappella groups in the DC area.
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Rob Weimer (B) has been singing with one choral group or another since he was about six years old. Early on he was part of the Lincoln (Nebraska) Boys Choir, the Nebraska All-State Chorus, and the University of Nebraska Men’s Glee. 24 years in the U.S. Navy didn’t dampen has enthusiasm and gave him some rare musical opportunities, like performing a Christmas Eve concert several hundred feet underwater. Since retiring from the Navy, Rob has resided in Springfield, VA, where he’s been an active member in his church choir, joining Voce in the 2011-2012 season. He holds degrees in Physics and Information Systems, and is currently a systems engineer supporting construction of submarines for the Navy.
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Jennifer Wells (A) received her Bachelors in Music from Berklee College of Music, and a Masters in Communication, Culture and Technology from Georgetown University. She may be the only person with degrees from those two particular schools... A member of an artistic family, she began performing music with her brother and sister at a young age, and in addition to her vocal exploits plays the viola, handbells, recorder and harp with varying degrees of proficiency. Her enduring love has always been for chamber music, whether vocal or instrumental, and she's thrilled to be performing with Voce. Jennifer lives in Reston with her husband Ed, and works at PBS managing kids' game development.
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Elliot Wicks (B) is a health economist by profession and a long-time amateur singer by avocation. A charter member of Voce, Elliot has sung in small vocal groups all of his adult life. Taking voice lessons through nine years of college and graduate school and beyond helped to relieve the pressures of academic and professional life.
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