More About Us
Barb Adams (alto) - It could be said that most Musica singers
consider the group a type of extended family. If that could be the case, then we'd
probably find our Queen of the menagerie to be the Barb. She
has been with St. Maries Musica since 1975. She always attends rehearsals with a
positive attitude and an outgoing spirit. Not to mention that Barb frequently soothes our
tired vocal cords with warm apple cider or refreshing punch. Outside of Musica Barb lives with her husband Bill (a former member) in St. Mary's City, MD. They have 3 children.
In addition to singing in church choirs, Barb enjoys playing the piano and organ, gardening,
and interior decorating. She says she participates in Musica
because she loves learning new music and performing.
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Karen Anderson (alto) - Karen is honored to be a member of Musica, joining the group in January 2006. She comes from a musical family, having sung with various church choirs since the second grade. When she sang with her first a capella group, she fell in love with the harmonies created. She especially appreciates the Christmas performances at Historic St. Mary's City State House, where those beautiful sounds are recreated. Karen enjoys teaching elementary art in St. Mary's County, and loves music, art, gardening, volunteering, and having fun and a good laugh whenever possible!
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Nicole Beard (soprano) - Nicole joined Musica in August 2008. Originally from Philadelphia, PA, she has been singing since childhood in the basement of her home and with the Children's Choir of Trinity-Chelten United Methodist Church. Nicole attended Penn State University, receiving a B.S. in Music Education with Vocal and Choral Music emphasis. While there she performed with Penn State's University Choir, Concert Choir and Women's Chorus, in addition to The United Soul Ensemble of University Park, PA and The Philadelphia Gospel Seminar and Philadelphia Youth Mass Choirs. Now residing in Lexington Park, MD, Nicole has conducted and sung with various other community, church and children's choirs in MD and PA in past years. She's currently in her ninth year of teaching 4th and 5th grade Chorus and General Music at Leonardtown Elementary School, and attends services at the Patuxent River Assembly of God where she sings back-up for Praise and Worship. "I'm looking forward to a vocally challenging, yet successful, future with Musica. Lovin' it so far! (especially since I get to wear a costume!)."
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Bob Boyd (bass, hand drum) - Bob has been active as a soloist and chorister for many years. He studied voice under the direction of Helen Robertson in Roanoke, Virginia and played bassoon, saxophone, and clarinet in several local Virginia symphony orchestras and bands. Bob attended Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey before earning an Engineering degree from Virginia Tech and settling in St Mary's County as a flight test engineer for the Navy. Upon his retirement from the Federal Government, he resumed his musical career and is currently enjoying singing with the St. Maries Musica and The Light Opera Company of Southern Maryland. In last year's production of "The Mikado" he played a Japanese Nobleman, while in this year's production of "Orpheus in the Underworld" he played the roles of Mars & Bacchus. In addition to singing with St. Maries Musica he helps out on guitar, saxophone, and drum when needed and in past years has appeared as Elvis and Santa. Bob also currently plays alto and tenor saxophone with a local band.
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Cheryl Ceriale (soprano) - Although Cheryl is brand new to Musica, singing has been her avocation for a long time. While living in Ft. Collins, CO she sang with the Larimer Chorale, a group of 85-90 voices. The Chorale performed three concerts a year, and their repertoire included a wide range of works from Bach to Randall Thompson. During her tenure the Chorale performed on several occasions with the National Repertory Orchestra in Keystone and Breckenridge, CO. She also traveled to Europe four times with the group, singing in cathedrals like Notre Dame, San Marco in Venice, and the Duomo of Florence. After moving to southern Maryland in 2000, Cheryl sang with Charles County Consort and Chesapeake Choral Arts Society, as well as the St. Andrews Church choir. In December 2008, she journeyed to Prague, Salzburg and Vienna to participate in Advent Choral Festivals in each city, before joining Musica in January 2009. She's looking forward to more musical adventures with us.
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Domonique Colavito (soprano) - Although new to Musica, Domonique has been singing in organized groups since the age of 8 with the Summer Savoyards in Binghamton, New York. She was involved in every audition based choir in elementary, middle, high school, and college; such as Tri-County and All State. Domonique is also a current member of the College of Southern Maryland's Concert and Chamber Choirs. She plans to pursue music through Opera, and will receive her Bachelor's degree in Performance Arts from Townson University in 2012.
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Erin Dean (piano accompanist) - Erin is a general music/chorus teacher at Benjamin Banneker Elementary School in Loveville, teaching levels kindergarten through grade 5. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania, with a music education degree and a piano concentration. This is Erin's second year accompanying Saint Maries Musica and she is very honored to be working with such great musicians.
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Susan Duby (alto) - Susan has been performing with St. Maries Musica since 2001. Ever since childhood she has been singing in church, school, college, and university choirs. She studied voice privately in the Washington, DC area, where she served as Director of the National Science Foundation's Division of Graduate Education. Susan earned her Master's degree and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In addition to Musica she also sings in the choir at Patuxent Presbyterian Church, where she serves on Session. Susan and her husband Martin enjoy kayaking from their house on Piney Point Creek. She also enjoys sewing (mostly Renaissance costumes for Musica), cooking, weight training, jogging, and church volunteer work. She loves the opportunity that Musica affords to sing a wide variety of music and to enrich the life of the community.
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Kim Egbert (soprano, flute) - Kim has been singing with Musica since 1999, and considers the group her "extended family." We all would delight in gathering round her baby grand piano during the holidays post performance in her little house on the base. She's a great hostess, and makes a mean crab dip! She has frequently been a welcome accompanist, and Musica values her skills at the piano and flute… not to mention her voice! Kim lives in Hollywood with her husband, Larry, her children, Lindsay and CJ, and her Shelties. Outside of her musical interests she can be found teaching High School Biology and coaching tennis, or participating in the Sailing Club.
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Janet "Jan" Engel (alto, flute) - Janet is one of the newest members of St. Mary's Musica and a native of St. Mary's County. Janet first started singing when she was a very young student at the Bunny Bailey Dance Studio. She continued singing through high school and went on to study education and music at Shenandoah Conservatory of Music where her choral group performed at the Kennedy Center. Janet is currently a Pre-K teacher, a member of her church choir and hand-bell choir and an active church member. Jan enjoys life with her husband Marc, her teen-age daughter Kristi, and her many dear friends. She also accompanies Musica occasionally with her flute.
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Dick Findley (tenor) - Richard A. Findley claims that he enjoys singing with Musica because "singing uplifts me." It is ironic because Dick works hard at "lifting." He is often the one to carry the risers and carry… the tune! Dick has sung for over 25 years with various church choirs included 10 years with a Madrigal Octet. He has sung with Musica since 2000, and finds it "fun to sing with others who are committed to good, and challenging, a cappella music." He lives in Leonardtown, MD with his wife Jeannette, and is first to volunteer his home as the groups Spring picnic spot, which we all enjoy! Dick has a son who lives in Laramie, Wyoming and a son, daughter-in-law and grand-daughter, Charlotte, who live in Herndon Virginia. He is an retired civil servant, having been an electrical engineer and engineering manager. He now teaches systems engineering and program management courses. His hobbies outside Musica include sailing, reading, woodworking, crossword puzzles and church activities.
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Ed Forsman (bass) - Ed considers Musica to be “a great group
with superb talent.” He must certainly feel that way because he has been
singing with Musica since 1978! Currently, he also serves on Musica’s
PR committee. Ed has extensive choral experience starting with boys choir,
continuing into high school and later college, where he also earned his
bachelor’s and master’s degrees. After college, Ed remained vocally active
through church choir, the Naval Aviation Choir, and as a member of the
Alexandria Choral Society. In addition to singing, he has played cello
and bass. Ed is a retired father of three who enjoys reading, golf, and
computer repair when he isn’t spending time with his wife, Ann. He also
remains active in the Rotary, and is a board member of the Patuxent River
Naval Air Museum.
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Cathy Greer (soprano) - A native of St. Mary's County, music has played an integral part in Cathy's life. She was involved with a number of singing groups throughout her school years, and also played clarinet and piano. She began singing with the youth choir at Hollywood United Methodist Church and continued with the Sanctuary Choir for 21 years. While there she also performed for several years with a women's Christian Trio as well as the Community Chorus. Now an active member of Leonardtown Baptist Church, Cathy has sung with its choir since 1992 and has also directed their children's choir/musicals. She is a soloist at weddings and funerals and has performed the National Anthem at a number of local events. Wanting a new challenge, Cathy successfully auditioned for St. Maries Musica in January 2008. She is a mother of three and is a full-time nurse with the St. Mary's County Health Dept. Her musical dreams are to one day sing the National Anthem at Camden Yards, and also to record a Christian music album.
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Justin Hanrahan (bass) - Justin is a young college student at College of Southern Maryland. He is somewhat new to singing but has been an instrumentalist in the Chamber Orchestra of Southern Maryland In Concert (COSMIC) symphony for a year now. He is also an amateur composer.
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Monty Hill (tenor) - Monty is a young musician led by passion and fire for the craft of song. Having a great love for music since an early age, he immersed himself in all choral music courses during high school, performing in musicals such as "Grease", "Little Shop of Horrors", "Oliver"; and others. Monty's dedication to music earned him several scholarships to Morgan State University. While there his passion and love for music deepened, and he performed not only classical and opera compositions, but also tapped into gospel, R&B, and jazz. During his career he has worked with greats such as Dr. Nathan Carter, Bobby McFerrin, Wynton Marsalis, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Take 6, and the incomparable Quincy Jones. He is currently the Lead Teacher at the Huntington Learning Center and pursuing a career in the music industry.
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Rebekah Jarboe (soprano) - Rebekah grew up in St. Mary's County. She majored in voice at the Nyack College School of Music, graduation with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education. She has sung in Austria, Republic of the Ukraine, and Canada. In the New York area she performed at the United Nations Building, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall. Her interests also include staging and lighting, having worked on the off-Broadway premiere of "The Prodigal Son". She recently performed with the Nyack String Orchestra in concert with the Abaca String Band at the 125th Anniversary Celebration of Nyack College. She has enjoyed singing with St. Maries Musica for the last five years. Rebekah currently teaches music in the St. Mary's County Public School System for the last seven years. and Has been conducting and directing productions at her church, Patuxent River Assembly of God for past three years. She has been part of Sandra Jarrett's studio for the past two years.
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Michael Judd (bass) - Michael spent 35 years either on active duty or as a civilian employee of the U.S.Navy. A Vietnam War veteran, he worked at NAS Patuxent River and at NSA Millington, TN for the majority of that time. He was born and raised in Evansville, IN and educated at Indiana University, having Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Recreation and Park Administration from that institution. While at Indiana, he was a member of the world famous IU Singing Hoosiers with whom he toured and performed extensively, including an 8 week USO tour of Europe. After moving to Southern Maryland in 1972, he joined St. Maries Musica and sang with them for 20 years. After the Navy moved him to Tennessee in 1996, he sang with the Wolf River Singers in Memphis (Germantown). When he retired from the Navy in 2003, he moved back to Maryland and rejoined St. Maries Musica. He has performed with the Light Opera Company of Southern Maryland for the past two summers having last played the role of Jupiter in the company's recent production of "Orpheus in the Underworld". He currently lives in Lexington Park near his daughter, son-in-law and two beautiful grandchildren.
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Ellis Knox (bass) - Ellis joined Musica in January 2004. He was challenged by a switch to first bass (baritone). Previously, at the University of Illinois; in Corvallis, OR; in Bogota, Colombia; at the Bach Society of Baltimore; and other locations, he had always sung second bass. "I found the low notes were not really in my range any more." Ellis' wife, Janie Foster Knox, is a lyricist and choral conductor with many published anthems and songs for choirs and choruses. Ellis likes to be a part of St. Maries Musica because "we work hard and sing well." He is retired from work as a soil scientist and massage therapist.
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Barbara Lorton (alto) - One of Musica's most well rounded musicians
is Barbara Lorton from Hollywood, MD. Barb is a valued alto, and treasured "1st
Chair Pitch Piper." Though she finds the pitch pipe rewarding, Barb truly considers her
cello her serious hobby. She plays for wedding, receptions, etc. year-round. She has
been singing with Musica since 1981, but has also shared notes with the Cleveland Orchestra
Chorus, Blossom Festival Chorus, Akron Symphony Chorus, Youngstown Symphony Chorus and the
Youngstown Opera Society. Not only does Barb sing with the Hollywood Methodist Choir, but
even directs the children's choir as well. Her talents with children continue, as she's a
proud 5th grade teacher at Dowell Elementary in Calvert County. She has two grown children, Mark and Beth, and three grandchildren, Zach,
Nick, and Emma. Barb feels that Musica gives her the opportunity to do a higher level of
music with good singers who she can share a laugh with as we all work hard on the music.
She also says she looks forward to each season's change of repertoire.
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Larry Ludwig (bass, guitar) - Larry is new to Musica, but certainly not a newcomer to Southern Maryland. Born and raised in Leonardtown, Larry started his singing career as a member of the "Ludwig Family Car Trips to Pennsylvania Singers." He follows a long family tradition of singing in Church Choirs and Barbershop. Larry was a member of SPEBSQA for approximately 23 years singing in Choruses and individual Barbershop Quartets. Currently, Larry and his wife Mary are cantors and musicians for St. Francis Xavier Church in Newtowne. In addition, Larry sings and plays various stringed-instruments with "Generation Gap" - a family group consisting of his wife Mary, stepson Steve, and grandsons Steve and Sam who perform at various local venues. Larry is a Civil Engineer working for the Air National Guard at Andrews Air Force Base. Time not spent at work and not in music endeavors is spent at Spicewood Cabin - the Ludwig's vacation getaway in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
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Tom McKean (tenor, guitar) - Tom joined Musica at the beginning of the
Spring 2000 season. He quickly began applying his talents to the Publicity
Committee and for a few years was elected as our Chairman. Tom was born into a musical family and has always tried to
find ways to use his inherited musical abilities, from learning trombone, piano
and guitar in elementary school, to singing in various school and church
choirs and chorales, to singing for Princes and Presidents as a member
of the US Naval Academy Glee Club. After serving time [you interpret]
as a Marine Corps helicopter and transport pilot, Tom left the Corps to
see what life was like on the civilian side and now works as an engineer
at the Naval Air Systems Command at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
Tom is married and has four sons.
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Joe Richter (tenor) - A native of Washington, DC, Joe studied music at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, MD and transferred to Maryland University where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in music. He then attended Bowie State University where he received his Master's degree in Public School Administration and Supervision. During his 39 years with Prince George's County Schools, Joe taught elementary vocal and general music; served as a Vocal and General Music Helping Teacher and Music Specialist; and completed his public school career after 22 years as the Vocal and General Music Supervisor. He has performed as a soloist and has directed several church choirs. In addition to St. Maries Musica, he sings with the National Philharmonic Chorus, based at Strathmore Hall in Montgomery County, MD. Although retired, he continues to work with the music program of the Prince George's County School System as a voice teacher for the Visual and Performing Arts Program at Suitland High School, and as a mentor for several of the school system's new music teachers.
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Susan Stachelczyk (alto) - Susan joined Musica in August 2008 and has enjoyed her first two seasons immensely! She has been singing since she learned to talk, as the daughter of a music teacher/junior-choir director! Musica’s medieval dress brings back fond memories of Madrigal Chorus in high school; she has also sung in the Lebanon Valley College Concert Choir, Norfolk Cantata Chorus, Delaware Choral Society, several church choirs, and a few other groups over the years. Susan has been a Realtor with O’Brien Realty for thirteen years, is married to a retired-Navy defense contractor, and has two children: a teacher at Lettie Dent Elementary and a UMBC junior.
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John "Wiz" Withers (tenor, guitar) - Although he's only been with St. Maries Musica since August 2006, Wiz has been singing since the age of two, when his brother taught him the rock'n'roll songs of the '50s. He joined his first choral group at age 8, and later added acting to his repertoire. During his career as a Navy helicopter pilot he performed with many different choral groups, including the US Naval Academy Catholic Choir. Recently Wiz has performed in several productions by the Light Opera Company of Southern Maryland, including "Naughty Marietta" and "The Mikado". He has also appeared on stage with the Southern Maryland Modern Dance Collective, and in April 2008 performed with the 250-voice Papal Mass Choir at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. Currently Wiz is a cantor, soloist and guitarist at various churches in Southern Maryland. A professional writer, Wiz also enjoys hiking, model trains, public speaking, and generally just being a ham.
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Chrissi Wozniak (soprano) - Chrissi's love of singing started at the age of 3, when she first heard Judy Garland sing "Over the Rainbow" in the movie "The Wizard of Oz". She has been a member of many choral groups throughout her school-age years, including The Chopticon High School Peace Pipers, Tri-County Chorus, All State Chorus and All Eastern Chorus. Chrissi also enjoys writing music. She participated in a singing competition in 1999, where she won recording time at a studio in Tennessee. She the was able to record an album of her own songs. Chrissi's love of music performance has also led her to participate in many bands and vocal groups, including working as a singer/vocal arranger in a 10-piece wedding/variety Band in Washington, DC.
Now a stay-at-home Mom to her daughter Keira Ivy, Chrissi is enjoying singing with St. Maries Musica as her retreat. She says "Musica is a wonderful group of talented people that I'm lucky to be a part of and I'm so happy to have music in my life again". She'd like to thank her loving and understanding husband, Jason for spending Daddy/Daughter time with Keira so she can go to rehearsals and performances.
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