Bach to the Holiday Movies

Performers

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  Macomb Symphony Orchestra
  

  Macomb Symphony Orchestra
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  Andrew Neer Conductor
  

  Andrew Neer

  Conductor

  American conductor, Andrew Neer, was born in Tucker, Georgia and currently resides in Grosse Pointe, Michigan with his wife, Mary Lynn. He is quickly becoming known for his dynamic and expressive conducting style. His focus has been to educate and expand appreciation of music. He believes that at the heart of everything, music is the soul of America and provides transformative experiences for those performing and participating in the audience.

  Living in Michigan for most of his life, he is thrilled to join the Macomb Symphony Orchestra family. He attended Central Michigan University (CMU) studying Composition, Trumpet and Music Theatre Performance. Following his time at CMU, he obtained two Master of Music degrees in Composition and Conducting, respectively, from Wayne State University, Detroit MI. His composition experience ranges from that of the art song to film scores.

  In the summer 2013, he was invited to conduct Verdi’s La Traviata for Michigan Opera Theatre’s community programs, receiving high acclaim. In early 2016, he embarked on an international conducting career, appearing with orchestras in Romania and Bulgaria. He is honored to study privately with orchestral conductor & mentor Kenneth Kiesler. In 2023, Andrew completed Doctoral Studies in Orchestral Conducting at the world-renown University of Michigan. In addition to working with orchestras, Mr. Neer has been honored to lead choruses and conduct operas in and around Metropolitan Detroit.

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  Angela Bonello Soprano
  

  Angela Bonello

  Soprano

  An active vocalist in Metro Detroit and Oakland County, Michigan-based soprano Angela Bonello is currently pursuing her MM in Voice Performance at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. She has performed as a soloist and chorister with the Choral Artists of Michigan and Holy Name Parish Schola on works including Fauré Requiem, Duruflé Requiem, and Mendelssohn Hear My Prayer/O For the Wings of a Dove. Operatic roles include Lucy (The House on Mango Street), Sister Constance (Dialogues of the Carmelites), Patience (Patience), and Despina (Così fan tutte). Angela earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Oakland University in 2022. Her teaching credits include serving as the choir director at Waldon Middle School in Lake Orion, MI, teaching music at Cranbrook Theater School, and teaching private voice and piano lessons. She is most passionate about opera, choral music, and sacred music.

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  Ann Marie Calvaneso Soprano
  

  Ann Marie Calvaneso

  Soprano

  Soprano Ann Marie Calvaneso leads a double life as an opera singer and entrepreneur. A serial entrepreneur, she has owned 3 businesses and loves the freedom and flexibility it gives her to sing – so much so that her main business is helping other singers and performers start and scale their businesses. Ann Marie is the founder of Strength for Singers, a fitness program and methodology specifically for singers. She has taught Strength for Singers workshops at her alma mater, the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and New York Dramatic Voices, and most recently was on faculty for Jennifer Rowley’s Aria Bootcamp teaching the Strength for Singers methodology.
  As a singer, Ann Marie regularly performs with Detroit Opera and Toledo Opera. Recently, Ann Marie made her mainstage debut as Suor Genovieffa in Toledo Opera’s production of Suor Angelica. She also sings as a section leader and soloist at the First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham and St. Regis Catholic Church. She is thrilled to be performing for the first time as a soloist in the Magnificat!

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  Diane Schoff Mezzo Soprano
  

  Diane Schoff

  Mezzo Soprano

  Diane Rae Schoff, Mezzo-Soprano, is a regular character on stages around the midwest. This December she joins the Macomb Symphony in their Bach Magnificat in D. Her Most recent stage work was in her company and role debut with Glow Lyric Theatre as Serena Joy in their production of ‘A Handmaid’s Tale.’ In 2022 she returned to Opera Grand Rapids as one of her very favorite characters, Ruth, in their Pirates of Penzance. Ms. Schoff performed with Detroit Opera(formerly Michigan Opera Theater) for their 21/22 season in their revival of their Original production of “Frida” and in “Bliss” at the historic Michigan Building Parking Garage, where singers and instrumentalists played and sang the same glorious 3 minutes of music from the end of Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” for 12 hours. In 2020 Ms.Schoff was honored to join Detroit Opera for her role debut of Zita in their production of ‘Gianni Schicci.’ During her time in Michigan, having found an artistic home at Detroit Opera, Ms Schoff has performed many roles including, the 2nd maid in ‘Elektra’, Natalia Trotsky in ‘Frida’, The 2nd Lady in ‘Die Zauberflote’ and Aunt Cecilia in ‘Little Women’.. Recent performances in surrounding areas inclu joining Opera Grand Rapids as Katisha in their production of ‘The Mikado’ and T oledo Opera as the 3rd Lady in ‘The Magic Flute’ and the Old Baroness in ‘Vanessa’. Ms Schoff received high praise for her company and role debut with Opera Carolina as Marcellina in their 2017 production of ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’. Opera News said “It would be hard to imagine a better portrayal of Marcellina, both physically and vocally than that of Diane Schoff.” Opera Carolina has hosted Ms.Schoff on many occasions delighting audiences with her “look that could drop a horse at 50 feet” (Toledo Blade) as The Duchess of Crackenthorpe in ‘La Fille du Regiment’ and as Mme Larina in ‘Eugene Onegin.’ Ms Schoff can often be heard and seen in the Opera in the Parks with Detroit Opera’s outreach concerts and at Spirit Plaza. An avid performer of concert, oratorio, and classical works with orchestra, she recently debuted with Orchestra Sono as the alto soloist in Haydn’s Lord Nelson mass and the Schubert mass in G. Diane holds the honor of being a National Semifinalist in the Metropolitan Opera Competition, and is a graduate of the world renowned San Francisco Opera’s Merola apprentice program

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  Justin Berkowitz Tenor
  

  Justin Berkowitz

  Tenor

  Known for his “exacting and animating performances”, Chicago-based Tenor Justin Berkowitz’ 2023-24 includes performances with Chicago Opera Theater as Chief of Police in Shostakovich’s The Nose, Thespis and Mercure in their slated performances of Platee, and a return to Haymarket Opera Company for Alcina. His 2022-23 season featured performances of L’incornazione di Poppea with Haymarket Opera Company as Arnalta and Nutrice and turns as Mayor Upfold in Albert Herring and as Steve Todd/Arnold Murray in the world-premiere of The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing, both with Chicago Opera Theater. On the concert stage, the season brought performances of Handel’s Messiah with Niles Philharmonic, and his debut with Rockford Symphony Orchestra and Nielson Chorale for their Carmina Burana. In 2021 Berkowitz returned to Chicago Opera Theater’s mainstage for their premiere of Mark Adamo’s Becoming Santa Claus. During their 2020-21 virtual season, Berkowitz appeared in Chicago Opera Theater’s productions of Taking up Serpents and premiered the role of Gil in Matthew Recio’s The Puppy Episode. The 2019-2020 season brought debut performances of Carmina Burana with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, Brazos Valley Symphony in Texas, among others. Recent seasons have seen Berkowitz on the operatic stage in productions with Central City Opera, Haymarket Opera, Opera Naples, Opera on the James, DuPage Opera Theater and St. Petersburg Opera, among others. Berkowitz has appeared onstage as tenor soloist in Carmina Burana with Chicago Philharmonic, Apollo Chorus of Chicago, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Medical Symphony, Northwestern Indiana Symphony, Osh Kosh Symphony, and more. Berkowitz received his Bachelor of Music degree from Lawrence University, and a Master of Music in voice from the University of Michigan.

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  Rolfe Dauz Baritone
  

  Rolfe Dauz

  Baritone

  Filipino-American baritone Rolfe Dauz is quickly becoming recognized for his beautiful voice, sensitive artistry and compelling stage presence and has garnered international acclaim for his “focused baritone, perfect diction and dramatic acting” (Calgary Herald) and “warm, flexible singing made for rewarding listening” (Classical Voice North America).

  For the 2024-25 season, Dauz will be seen as Loudspeaker in Viktor Ullmann’s The Kaiser of Atlantis with New World Symphony, Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen at both Virginia Opera and Florentine Opera, Baritone Trio Member in Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti with Annapolis Opera and, Curio in Händel’s Giulio Cesare at the Hudson Valley Opera House. In 2023-24, Dauz’s roles with Detroit Opera House included his company debut as Prince Yamadori in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Jan (Cover) in Missy Mazzoli’s Breaking The Waves and Europas: 3 & 4 by John Cage.

  Recent highlights include concerts and recitals curated by internationally acclaimed soprano Dawn Upshaw at the renowned Tanglewood Music Center as a Vocal Fellow, after which, he became a member of Detroit Opera’s 2023-24 Resident Artist Program under the leadership of Christine Goerke and Nathalie Doucet. In 2022, Dauz joined the Chautauqua Opera Company as a Festival Artist, performing roles in Virgil Thomson The Mother Of Us All and a contemporary opera by Kamala Sankaram entitled Thumbprint.

  A native of San Francisco, Dauz is a graduate of the Dutch National Opera Academy, which he attended as a recipient of the Holland Scholarship and the AHK Talent Grant. He received his master’s degree from the Graduate Vocal Arts Program at the Bard College-Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Sanford Sylvan and Dawn Upshaw.

• Oakland Choral Society Chorus
  Oakland Choral Society

  Chorus