Cantilena Chorale Members
Laura, Barton, Soprano
Laura moved to the Phoenix area in 2013 from Atlanta, Georgia. She enjoys living in the west with her husband and three children. She has a great love for the Arts and is a member of the Mesa Public schools Art Masterpiece Council. Laura has a BA in Humanities and an MS in Psychology. She has performed in various choirs and venues as a soloist throughout her life. Some favorite theater roles from the past include Lily in The Secret Garden and Adelaide from Guys and Dolls.
Melanie Bristol, Soprano
Melanie Bristol has been a member of the Arizona Cantilena Chorale since Spring 2022. She has been a performer, choir director and music teacher in various venues including the Phoenix Symphony Chorus, Arizona Sacred Chorale, Sonoran Desert Chorale, Riznica Chamber Choir, Colorado Vocal Arts Ensemble, Glen Eyrie Madrigal Singers, Colorado Springs Chorale, Opera Theatre of the Rockies, Colorado Opera Festival, Chattanooga Choral Arts Society, and the Chattanooga Opera Chorus. Melanie was a regular Handel’s Messiah soloist in Colorado Springs from 2004 through 2016. She keeps herself busy teaching private piano in Gilbert and managing the home. In her free time she enjoys walking, hiking, working in her yard, and reading. Melanie and her husband have three teenage children, a dog, and three backyard hens.
Maureen Buza, Alto
Growing up in Tempe, Maureen has been singing in choirs since the 5th grade. As a charter member of the Arizona Cantilena Chorale, she is proud to be a part of the Alto section. Maureen holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Arizona State University after transferring from Mesa Community College … back in the day. She has performed as a soloist in the community as well as in various ensembles. When she isn’t singing with AzCC, Maureen enjoys spending time with her husband Paul, her friends and family, her rescue dogs Oreo and Jackman … and listening to Rush. Long live music!
Cody Van Cleve, Bass
Cody began his musical journey in 2003 with the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus, touring to Kazakhstan, the Czech Republic, Russia, and across the East and West coasts of the United States. He went on to pursue his passion for singing at Arizona State University, performing locally and internationally under the direction of Dr. David Schildkret with the ASU Barrett Choir. He is deeply grateful to continue singing alongside the multi-talented composers, vocalists, pianists, and performers of the Arizona Cantilena Chorale, and for the opportunity to create moments of magic and connection for audiences in a world that deserves so much more of both.
Ed Cluff, Bass
Edward had the love of singing instilled in him at a young age. He began performing in elementary school and continued singing through high school. After graduating, Edward served a two-year mission for his church in Mexico where his love of singing hymns in Spanish enabled him to utilize his glorious bass voice. Upon returning from his mission in 1971, Ed continued to sing at MCC and taught in the Mesa district for over 30 years. When Dr. Glenn Bennett began teaching choir in the valley, Edward was there as one of his first selected basses. A high point in his life was when Edward and his wife, of 41 years, served a mission for their church to Chile. He lives in Mesa and has 7 children, and 18 grandchildren.
Aaron Hammond, Bass
I grew up wanting to be a rockstar. It started off well. I joined the youth choir at church and had a blast on “Choir Tour.” In high school I landed parts as “friend” or “father” but could never land the lead. Then I was crushed by the universal truth that all bass singers must confront. Only tenors can be rock stars. Basses can sing country music but who listens to that? After a short stint at NAU majoring in Spanish for some reason I was accepted into the MCC choir by Glen Bennett. I had the best time at MCC but when it came time to transfer to the vocal performance department at ASU I found out all of my years of Spanish were useless, and four years of German or Italian were required to graduate. That marked the end of my vocal career. I now have 3 sometimes wonderful children and sing with my Mom in Cantilena surrounded by singers much more talented than I.
Chris Hammond, Alto
Chris holds a BSN from ASU and a BS in Science and Technology from Purdue University. She has been singing and playing viola at church for many years, and this is her 6th year with the Chorale. Chris is retired from her job as a Pediatric RN and also working for a non profit. When she is not singing she enjoys reading, travel with her husband -or with girlfriends, her 2 puppies and her 12 grandchildren!
Susan Griffin, Soprano
Susan has performed regularly as a singer since childhood. As a student at Rutgers University, she was a member of the Kirkpatrick Chapel Choir and a founder of the Rutgers Women’s Chorale (later the Rutgers Queens Chorale). She has been a chorister in numerous Bar Harbor Opera productions as part of the Bar Harbor Music Festival and sang for several seasons in the ASU Choral Union. She is currently a member of the Dayspring Celebration Chorale at Dayspring United Methodist Church, Arizona Cantilena Chorale, and she has performed with the Chandler Opera Chorus. Susan is a nationally recognized dance teacher, having received the National High School Dance Teacher of the Year award from the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO). She has been similarly lauded by the Arizona chapter of NDEO and was named Teacher of the Year by the Phoenix Union High School District. She retired in May 2023 after 20 years of teaching dance at South Mountain High School in Phoenix. Susan and David Schildkret have been married since 1978, and they have two daughters, Elizabeth and Miriam.
John Janzen, Bass
John has been singing in choirs since his youth in Southern Ontario and graduated with a Bachelor degree in choral conducting from the Mennonite Brethren Bible College (Winnipeg, Canada) where he met his wife, Wendy. He moved from Minnesota with his wife and three kids to Arizona in 2008 and founded a community choir in Maricopa in 2013. John works as a geographic analyst (GIS) for a small American Indian community where he gets to make maps. He spends his spare time laughing with his family or updating his geographic database of Mennonite history.
Wendy Janzen, Alto
Wendy earned her Master of Music in Flute Performance from the University of Minnesota. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Winnipeg and Bachelor of Religious Studies from the Mennonite Brethren Bible College, both in Music. While living in Minnesota, she founded the Crystal Flute Choir and ran a flute studio that included monthly master classes with her students. She has been President of the Upper Midwest Flute Association, adjudicator and flute choir director for flute competitions, soloist and orchestra member with the St. Paul Jewish Community Center Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, and Exultate. In 2008 Wendy moved to Arizona with her husband and three children, joining the Maricopa Music Circle in 2010. As a singer, Wendy has had the opportunity to sing under the batons of Helmuth Rilling, Kazuhiro Koizumi and William Baerg. She began singing as a child, has sung throughout her life in the church, and remembers most of the words from a certain genre of music spanning the 1970s and 1980s. She is thrilled to be a part of the Arizona Cantilena Chorale.
Nicole Larson, Soprano
Nichole has a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of New Mexico and received her Master’s in Opera and Musical Theater Performance from Arizona State University in the spring of 2017. In between degrees, her time was spent developing a music and choir program at a Montessori elementary school, directing and organizing several music education and outreach programs with the New Mexico Jazz Workshop, and performing around the world as the lead singer for Celebrity Enterprises. Since then, she’s enjoyed an international tour with Artrageous, as well as several operatic appearances in Germany. She comes from a diverse musical background, and has experience performing jazz, musical theater, pop and classical styles.
James Lawson, Bass
James (JD) began singing with the Sun Valley Chorale under the direction of Glenn Bennett when he was in the ninth grade. He started singing at Dobson High School in the 11th grade and was accepted into the Arizona All-State choir in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, JD was awarded second chair in the All-State choir. He continued singing as a student at ASU as a member of the Men’s Chorus, Schola Cantorum and Solis Camerata. He first started singing with Cantilena as a student at Dobson and ASU and continues to enjoy performing with his father, Keith, also a member of Cantilena and the Dayspring Chorale. JD is also an instrumentalist and played cello for 8 years as a student. He and his wife, Sicily, are both native Arizonans.
Ryan McNiff, Tenor
Ryan has been singing in choirs ever since he was a little boy. After graduating from Marcos de Niza High School, Ryan was accepted to the music college at NAU on a full scholarship for voice. After playing the role of Nemorino in the opera “The Elixir of Love” his senior year at NAU, he was accepted at Northwestern in Evanston, IL, as a graduate student in voice studies, again on a substantial scholarship. Ryan now sings on the Praise Team at his Congregation, Beth Immanuel.
Russell Moon, Tenor
New Arizona resident, Russell Moon was born to sing! Starting at the age of five in church, he has been singing ever since. A “Top” Tenor with dynamic range and timbre, he was much in demand in the Los Angeles, CA area music community. Primarily a Church Choir soloist and section leader, he has an eclectic history of vocal performances in Opera, Musicals, Major Chorale works, Jazz and Pop including studio work. Trained in classical voice at Cal State Northridge, Russell also worked with several well-known private vocal coaches throughout Southern California. He performed and toured with choral groups such as The William Hall Chorale, The Pacific Chorale, The Sherwood Singers, and The Walt Disney Cast Choir and D23 Singers. Some of his most memorable vocal experiences include singing in the Sistine Chapel before Pope Paul VI, the 1984 Olympic Games Opening and Closing ceremonies, and sharing stages with many popular singers and celebrities. Russell and his wife of 38 years Laura raised four children and now live in Maricopa, AZ with one of their sons, and two cats. Russell
still works remotely full time for a Los Angeles law firm.
Jamie Pirtle, Alto
Kelly Merrill, Alto
Kelly has a Master of Arts in Teaching with an Emphasis in leadership and coaching. She is a certified elementary teacher with a K-12 music and English as a Second Language endorsement. She has created and conducted an elementary choir in an ESL school and has taught band, general music, 3rd, and 6th grade. Kelly has been singing most of her life and has performed in many choirs with opportunities to be both a conductor and a soloist. She works as faculty at Western Governor’s University helping students with their dream of becoming elementary teachers. She has three children who are her life. Her family loves Harry Potter. Everyone has read the books, some multiple times, and often you will find them having a weekend of Harry Potter movie marathons. They love having fun, laughing, dancing, listening and singing to good music or just being together. Quote: “Music is so powerful and beautiful. It can change your mood, relax you, pump you up, move you to tears, relay a message, and create feelings of sadness, anger, happiness, joy, and love. I am so honored and grateful that I have the opportunity to, share in the power and beauty of music, and sing with this amazing Cantilena chorale. I absolutely love it!”
Steve Negley, Bass
Steve studied piano and sang in choral groups and opera ensembles at University of Colorado, Boulder. He received his bachelor’s degree in music education from Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado, and his Master of Music degree from Arizona State University in piano performance and pedagogy. He has taught general music, choral music and orchestra in Arizona public schools for many years and has enjoyed singing in various ASU choral groups and church choirs.
Marlynn Rey, Alto
Marlynn Rey holds degrees in Sacred Music and in Biblical Studies from Ambrose University College in Canada. She studied piano under Canadian composer David McIntyre and with the late world-class concert pianist, Stella Goldberg Brimo. Ms. Rey has 40 years of experience as a piano teacher and church choral conductor and her choral compositions have been performed in both Canada and the United States. Ms. Rey has worked as a program developer and rehearsal director for MidAmerica Productions in New York, Greece and in Italy. Ms. Rey lives with her husband and two Standard Poodles in Chandler, Arizona. She presently sings in the Arizona Cantilena Chorale and her passion is for people to experience community and friendship through singing.
DeAnna Robbins-Oman, Soprano
Acting & singing have been a huge part of DeAnna’s life for many years. She was a series regular character on daytime soaps, Young & the Restless and Days of Our Lives in the 80’s and guest star roles on The Waltons, Eight is Enough, Hotel & Matt Houston to name a few. Moving from Calif. to Ariz., DeAnna became a realtor 28 years ago & is still helping clients buy and sell homes. Besides real estate, DeAnna works with medical students in several universities & St Josephs hospital teaching and simulating patient/doctor communication. In her spare time, she adjudicates stage productions for the Arizoni awards. DeAnna has over 20 years of experience singing & ringing hand bells at Dayspring Methodist and Az Community church. She has three amazing children, two grandsons and resides in Tempe.
Sherry Scott, Alto
Sherry Scott comes from South Dakota but has been an Arizona resident for many years. She has been singing in church choirs since she was very young and then in High School and College choirs. While at GBC, she was active in the Music Department which included a choir trip to Europe. She graduated from Grace Bible College in Omaha, NE with a degree in Christian Education. She has had the privilege of singing with several choirs at Carnegie Hall under the direction of Dr. David Thye. Sherry is married and has 3 adult children and 2 grandchildren. Her spare time is spent enjoying her grandchildren and riding her horses.
Becky Shepherd, Soprano
Becky Shepherd is a mezzo soprano who majored in vocal performance at ASU. For decades, she has sung in countless choirs, chorales and chamber singers. She has been a featured soloist in many major works such as The Messiah, Mozart and Brahms Requiems, Schubert Mass in G and arias including “Un Bel Di” from Madame Butterfly. Becky performed lead roles in theater productions of Fiddler on the Roof, Annie and Pirates of Penzanse. As a retired music teacher of 25 years, she enjoys a full life with husband Bill of 47 years and her amazing family including 10 grandkids and one great grandchild.
Barbara Sorauf, Soprano
Barbara, a second soprano, has been involved in music her whole life. Mainly an instrumentalist, she played French Horn throughout her school years, later in pit orchestras for musicals, and in various community bands and orchestras. In more recent years she has gravitated more towards vocal music, singing in her church choir, and participating in groups such as the Berkshire Choral International, most recently performing in Berlin, Germany. Barbara is originally from Pennsylvania. She attended Penn State and has degrees in Special Education and Reading. She is retired from the Chandler School District. She is thrilled to be a part of this terrific chorale.
Jean Werner, Soprano
Jean has been active in choral music since the age of 7 when she begged her parents to let her join the children’s choir at their church. She has remained active since then participating and as a soloist in school and church music programs across the country. She currently serves in the choir, on the worship team and as a soloist at First Baptist Church Tempe.
Jean has a BSN and is currently retired from her long nursing career. Though “retired” she keeps extremely busy with family, friends and volunteer work. She serves on the board of the Greer Civic Association, the Butterfly Lodge Museum and as a Deaconess at FBC Tempe. She has three amazing daughters and nine awesome grandchildren as well as two beloved beagles.
Jeff Wieland, Bass
Jeff is a graduate of Carroll University with a Bachelor of Science in Education with minor studies in Vocal Performance. He completed his K-12 music education certification in May 1999. While attending Carroll University, he studied voice with Patricia Crump, the music director/voice coach of Florentine Opera House in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jeff is the president of the master’s Praise Choir and Orchestra at First Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona. He and his three children presently reside in Chandler.
Lary Wieland, Bass
Larry holds a BA in Music and in Sociology. He also has his Master in Sociology and his Doctorate in Behavioral Health. He has been singing for 40 years and is in his 1st year with the Chorale. When he is not singing, he enjoys his church, playing volleyball and playing the ukulele.
Lauri Wieland, Soprano
Lauri studied voice as well as viola at Mount Senario College in Wisconsin. She continued her studies at Grand Canyon University after a move to Arizona. She has been involved in musical theatre, opera, symphonies, string quartets, church choir productions and orchestras. She also was involved with Arizona Masterworks Chorale. Currently she is in the Phoenix Praise Symphony, leads worship, sings in a professional quartet called Hosanna, teaches voice, piano, guitar, and is very involved in her church’s music ministry.
David Watson, Tenor
David has his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Arizona State University where he studied with Dr. Jerry Doan. He also holds a Bachelor of Computer Information Systems from Western Governors University. He has been singing and directing choirs for many years, having performed many musical theater roles including the Caliph in Kismet, Enoch Snow in Carousel, and Orpheus in Orpheus in the Underworld. David is a pilot for American Airlines and owns Artos Claret, a technology company. Married to Pamela Watson and the father of three musical daughters, he lives in Mesa, Arizona.
Karen Hubbard, Alto
Karen has a Bachelor of Music Degree from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. She has been a member of Cantilena since 2006, when the Chorale began at Mesa Community College as Mesa Schola Cantorum. Her love of music has provided the opportunity to perform as a chorister and a soloist. She is proud to be a founding member of the Arizona Cantilena Chorale and the Vice-President for its inaugural year. When she is not singing, she works for Great American Title, Inc. as a Senior Escrow Officer.
Pamela Watson, Soprano
Pamela is from Mesa, Arizona, where she lives with her husband, David Watson. They have three daughters, Lauren, Erin and Amber. Pamela has her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Arizona State University, having studied under Judy May. She has sung with the Phoenix Symphony Chorus and various other groups in the valley. A flight attendant for American Airlines for 29 years, Pamela enjoys photography, history, scuba diving and travel.