singitlikeitis: Charles Peltz and the @necmusic Concert Choir...
Charles Peltz and the @necmusic Concert Choir in rehearsal for next week’s concert! #music #concert #kingdavid
Creating a culture
Aesthetic education workshop
Meet the Singers: Riley Vogel
1. I am a Sophomore Vocal Performance Major at NEC
2. I began singing as a boy alto in the Phoenix Boys Choir…I am now a bass.
3. I am deaf in my right ear!
Meet the Singers: Dylan Evans
1. From Delray Beach, FL
2. Apparently I am quite the “mysterious” character. The sweetest smiles hold the darkest secrets…
3. I am a triplet (2 sisters)
Meet the Singers: Alec Smith
1. I am a classical vocalist at New England Conservatory
2. I enjoy hiking, camping and pretty much all other things outdoor related
3. I play mad video games! (Also pokemon is the bomb!)
Meet the Singers: Nicholas Loh
1. 1st Year Graduate Student, major in Piano performance
2. First became involved in singing while being a repetiteur for a university opera production when the production ran out of men to sing.
3. Been playing ‘Magic: The Gathering’ since 13, and looking for other players from NEC to spellsling.
Hello readers!
My name is Darrel Whidden, and I am a second year graduate student in choral conducting. I have a unique place in the Chamber Singers, and in the New England Conservatory community in general. Over the past year and a half, I have found myself in the very awkward position of standing on the podium in front of many musicians for many hours every week. These are also the people that I sing with as an ensemble member. For many, these are the same students that I consider friends and colleagues. One of the biggest challenges for me at NEC is learning to have peers in this community, while at the same time instilling a confidence in the life and teaching experience that I can offer these very peers while in a rehearsal setting. It is a very delicate balance to stand in front of so many talented singers, and from a position of authority, lead a long (sometimes, tedious!) rehearsal, and then sit down and eat lunch with them as friends. It has been difficult journey of self-exploration, but the progress that these students, my peers and I have made together as musicians has been nothing short of outstanding. I am honored to be a part of the Chamber Singers, and to share in this tour experience with them!
Meet the Singers: Jessica Rost
1. I am a Freshman at New England Conservatory studying Vocal Performance.
2. I like to pretend I’m French.
3. I also like to pretend I’m similar to Zooey Deschanel’s character Jessica Day on Fox’s New Girl.
Meet the Singers: Zack Johnson
1. I am a sophomore student of voice at NEC
2. I used to sing the National Anthem in football pads and play in the game
3. I cry every time I watch Fox and the Hound
Meet the Singers: Alexandra Gilliam
-I started driving race cars when I turned ten, and my cars were based on the popular Broadway musical, “Wicked;” I had a green and black Elphaba car, along with a pink and sparkly Galinda car.
-I have a pet cockatiel named Prince.
-Rehearsal for Chamber Singers is easily my favorite part of the week. :)
Thanks for visiting our blog, and I hope to see you on our tour!
Chamber Singers and our weekly “state of Zen.”
Do you have a bucket list? I know I certainly do! One of the things on my extensive and adventurous list, other than climbing to Base Camp on Mount Everest, scuba diving, skydiving or finding time to watch the movie “The Bucket List”, is to join a classical choir.
During Orientation Week of Fall semester 2012, Erica Washburn put out an invite to join the NEC Chamber Singers. At that very moment, the bright light from heaven shone down on my head as the angels sang “Gloria.” This was the moment!! This was the time!! The red inky pen was getting ready to cross off item number #46 on the list.
Having come from an exclusively jazz background and having focused on my solo career for the past decade, the thought of singing in a new style with a team of operatic choristers was alluring.
Since that angelic intervention, so many wonderful things have come about. I never quite realized how empowering it is to make music with 27 other like-minded (and much louder) singers. We sing in a variety of languages - which poses a challenge for this little scat girl. Oh, but I love it anyway! My Hungarian singing had a full work out today, whilst last semester a little German and Russian made it into the mix.
Wednesday morning rehearsals are a great time to for me to refocus my week. Zoning into a state of Zen poses a problem with 28 divas excitedly pouring over Britten and Chesnokov, but the peacefulness and clarity is certainly there. There are those magical moments when we finish a song and you can sense a transaction between kindred spirits that has just taken place. Gee, this sounds so serious! I forgot to mention the great food that Ms. Washburn brings!!
Lastly, the best thing that the NEC Chamber Singers has to offer is the beautiful and genuine friendships of each member. We have a mixed bag of comedians, divas and a few off-centered weirdos, but I love them all in any case. I can certainly say that joining Chamber Singers is one of the classiest things I’ve done at NEC. Definitely worthy of a bucket list tick!
Liz Tobias
Jazz Vocalist and fellow diva
Meet the Singers: Anne Hruskoci
1) I am a sophomore vocal performance major.
2) In Boston I have two turtles named Finn and Jake, a fish named Julio, and in Virginia a dog named Rocky.
3) I was born in Russia.
Meet the Singers: Julia Partyka
1. Classical Voice Performance Major, senior undergrad
2. I really like to eat (and also have a huge love for cooking)
3. I laugh really hard at the corniest jokes. I’m usually on the floor losing air because I’m laughing so hard.
Meet the Singers: Meghan Jolliffe
1. I am a freshman vocal performance major.
2. I have been a vegetarian for two years.
3. i am the oldest of three sisters, but as of quite recently, no longer the tallest!
Meet the Singers: Zach Crowle
1.) I am a Sophomore Vocal Performance student at NEC
2.) Originally from Ohio, I now live in a town called Horseheads in NY
3.) I am an avid juggler. I can juggle 3 clubs and rings, and 4 balls.
Meet the Singers: Liz Tobias
Fact 1:
I’m a 29 year old, Jazz Voice, 1st year, Grad student from Australia, living the dream! I’m totally loving life in Boston and find Americans to be quite entertaining!
Fact 2:
When I was 10 years old, i got stung on the tongue by a bee after it landed on my lollipop!
Fact 3:
I love driving with the wind in my hair, the sun on my face and the sweet smell of Australian beaches in the air as Mariah Carey’s MTV Unplugged album is blaring out of the car!
Life Philosophy:Never say no to prayer or chocolate.


SARAH VAUGHAN