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New Mexico Symphonic Chorus

The 2021/2022 season marks the 49th anniversary of this highly select, all-volunteer chorus and its 11th season with the name New Mexico Symphonic Chorus. Under Roger Melone’s direction since 1983, the chorus, formerly known as the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra Chorus, has gained national renown.

In 1999, the chorus received the Albuquerque Arts Alliance Bravo Award for Excellence in Musical Performance for its 1998 performances of Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. In 2006, Christopher Seaman, music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, invited the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra Chorus to perform Mozart’s Requiem with his orchestra at the 2006 Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival. Accolades from the audience, conductor, and orchestra were overwhelming, leading to return engagements in 2007, 2008, and 2011
to perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Local artistic collaborations include Verdi’s Aida in 2015 and Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers in 2014, both with Opera Southwest; Holiday Festival of Voices at Popejoy Hall in 2013 and 2014 with the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program; and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” with the New Mexico Philharmonic in 2012.

The volunteer members of the chorus are a diverse group. Among the singers, approximately 16 are professional musicians working in music-related fields, 34 hold degrees in music, and seven maintain private teaching studios. All of the singers have studied voice, are currently studying voice, or play an instrument. Some travel from as far as Santa Fe and Socorro to sing in the chorus.

NM SYmphonic Chorus

Meet the Musicians

FIRST VIOLIN
Carmelo de los Santos
Karen McKinnon Concertmaster Chair
Sarah Tasker •••
Assistant Concertmaster
Ana María Quintero Muñoz
Heidi Deifel 
Olivia DeSouza
Maia Lorenzo Gallegos
Juliana Huestis
Barbara Rivers
Nicolle Maniaci
Barbara Scalf Morris

SECOND VIOLIN
Rachel Jacklin •
Carol Swift •••
Julanie Lee
Lidija Peno-Kelly
Megan Lee Karls
Liana Austin
Sheila McLay
Jessica Retana
Jocelyn Kirsch

Brad Richards

VIOLA
Laura Chang
Kimberly Fredenburgh •••
Allegra Askew
Christine Rancier
Laura Steiner
Michael Anderson
Lisa DiCarlo
Joan Hinterbichler
Laura Campbell

CELLO
Amy Huzjak
Carla Lehmeier-Tatum
Ian Mayne-Brody
Dana Winograd
David Schepps
Lisa Collins
Elizabeth Purvis

BASS
Joe Weldon Ferris •
Mark Tatum •••

Katherine Olszowka
Terry Pruitt
Marco Retana
Frank Murry

FLUTE
Valerie Potter
Esther Fredrickson
Noah Livingston ••

PICCOLO
Esther Fredrickson

OBOE
Kevin Vigneau
Amanda Talley

ENGLISH HORN
Melissa Peña ••

CLARINET
Marianne Shifrin
Lori Lovato •••
Jeffrey Brooks

E-FLAT CLARINET
Lori Lovato

BASS CLARINET
Jeffrey Brooks

BASSOON
Stefanie Przybylska •+
Denise Turner +
Zoe SirLouis •++
Avery Dabe ++

HORN
Peter Erb •+
Allison Tutton
Maria Long
Andrew Meyers
Katya Jarmulowicz ••••

TRUMPET
John Marchiando
Brynn Marchiando
Sam Oatts ••

TROMBONE
Aaron Zalkind
Byron Herrington

BASS TROMBONE
David Tall +

TUBA
Richard White

PERCUSSION
Jeff Cornelius
Kenneth Dean
Emily Cornelius

HARP
Carla Fabris •

Principal •
Associate Principal ••
Assistant Principal •••
Assistant ••••
Leave +
One-year position ++
Half-year position +++