MUSIC DIRECTION
Giesla Goettling, Co-Artistic Director
Martha Swisher, Co-Artistic Director
PRINCIPAL VOCALISTS
Adele Donovan, Soprano
Bill Tompsett, Bass
Bob Klassy, Baritone
Czerina Salud, Mezzo Soprano
Denelle Covington, Bass
Gretchen Ludwig, Soprano
Karen Henke, Soprano
Leah Wilhelm, Soprano
Lori Jones, Soprano
Margo Moore, Soprano
Michael Swisher, Baritone
Pamela Spann, Soprano
Seong Chun, Mezzo Soprano
CONTRIBUTING VOCALISTS
Audra Bidner, Mezzo Soprano
Blake Friedman, Tenor
Brynn Bixby, Mezzo Soprano
Carl Jarolim, Baritone
Cydney Weiner, Mezzo Soprano
Cynthia Spiegel, Soprano
Dan Kowalic, Tenor
Eric Miranda, Baritone
Greg Cowell, Tenor
Jennifer Riddle, Mezzo Soprano
Jennifer Schneider, Soprano
Kristin Haggerty, Mezzo Soprano
Molly Morrissey, Mezzo Soprano
Randi Tolliver, Soprano
Sandra Benedict, Soprano
Sheryl Long, Mezzo Soprano
Influences
"Throughout her career, she kept this courage to sing softly - to assume she would be heard, even when there was great practical danger to the contrary. She dominated by occupying a calm, quiet center. She gets no help, but she doesn't stand around waiting for any."
-Will Crutchfield for The New Yorker on Maria Callas
HISTORY
The Michigan Avenue Cantori embarked on their first production in the summer of 2003 with a concert version of Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro". This young and diverse group of singers brought their self-produced concert to the Fine Arts Building Music Hall on a warm Sunday afternoon as a free performance open to friends, family and neighbors in a spirit of camaraderie. The production proved to be an unforgettable experience! Some fine music and some very special relationships were made that day. A commitment to continue their musical and human connection had been forged.
ABOUT
The experience of bringing diverse communities of people together through musical performance inspired our mission of providing classical vocal performances to underserved communities in Chicago through free or low cost public performances. We strive to fairly represent the diverse communities of Chicago in our work and make an effort to represent any musical cultural expressions in an authentic and respectful manner.
Our singers have performed with every level of ensemble from community based church groups to nationally acclaimed institutions like the Lyric Opera and the Chicago Symphony. Ultimately, it is our love of singing that drives us to keep searching for musical challenges at every level of the musical community.
ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
Pictured from left to right: Gisela Goettling and Martha Swisher, Michigan Avenue Cantori Artistic Directors
Gisela Goettling, a lauded European soloist and voice teacher, is
Co-artistic Director for the Michigan Avenue Cantori. Her career as a soloist and educator began around the1950’s in Europe. Soon after immigrating to the U.S. she began teaching in a number of fine academic institutions such as the American Conservatory of Music and William Rainey Harper College. In 1989 she retired after 27 years of teaching at the University of Chicago Lab Schools. Since then, her teaching focus has been on her studios in the Fine Arts Building and at her home. She has received many awards like the “Notable American of the Bi-centennial Era” and her biography has been published by the International Biographical Center in Cambridge. Many successful teachers and artists, such as Martha Swisher, have been the product of her teaching.
Martha Swisher, regarded as an expert in the field of vocal pedagogy, is the Co-artistic Director and Conductor for the Michigan Avenue Cantori. Ms. Swisher received her Masters Degree in Choral Conducting from Northwestern University from which she graduated magna cum laude. She has been conducting for over twenty four years, working with a variety of university-level and professional ensembles throughout the United States and abroad. Ms. Swisher is also a sought-after guest clinician and adjudicator for choral and solo competitions and has been a featured conductor at the American Choral Director Association and the Music Educators National Conference Conventions. She is also a recipient of the Indiana University School of Music Distinguished Alumni Award. Ms. Swisher’s current projects include the Collaborative Arts Project and the Unity Temple Chorus in Oak Park.
PERFORMANCE HISTORY
2003
“Marriage of Figaro”, Concert Version, Fine Arts Building Music Hall (Chicago)
2004
“A Bouquet of Arias and Ensembles”, Roosevelt University’s Ganz Hall (Chicago)
2005
“Songs to Love and be Loved”, Roosevelt University’s Ganz Hall (Chicago)
“Long Grove Countryside Holidays”, Village of Long Grove
2006
“Long Grove Countryside Holidays”, Village of Long Grove
“Holiday Concert”, Emmanuel Episcopal Church (LaGrange)
2007
“Songs to Warm the Heart”, Frank Lloyd Wright Unity Temple (Oak Park)
“Songs to Warm the Heart”, Korean Church of Chicago (Hoffman Estates)
“Songs to Warm the Heart”, Emmanuel Episcopal Church (LaGrange)
“Long Grove Countryside Holidays”, Village of Long Grove
2008
"Music from the Heart: A selection of sacred and secular works", Korean Church of Chicago (Hoffman Estates)
LOOPTOPIA 2007, Chicago Tribune Critic's Choice: CLASSICAL MUSIC / John von Rhein
Michigan Avenue Cantori -- 10:30-11:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple, Sanctuary. The vocal chamber ensemble will present Classical and Romantic music ideally suited to late-night listening -- the lovely and rarely heard Nocturnes of Mozart and Brahms' delightful "Liebeslieder Walzer" ("Love-Song Waltzes").
