At the beginning of each September, when the choir returns, I am always struck by how much I miss having the full choir in worship during the summer months. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy having people drop in during the summer to join us for our pick up choir, but smaller numbers and less rehearsal time don’t allow us to lead the congregation in worship in the same way that we are able to the rest of the year.
Singing is an important part of our worship, and if we look to the Psalms, this is exactly as it should be. Psalm 30:4 says, “Sing to God, you servants of God, and give thanks for the remembrance of God’s holiness.” Psalm 81 tells us to “Sing for joy to God our strength; Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob. Raise a song, strike the timbrel, The sweet sounding lyre with the harp.”
The job of the choir is to lead everyone in worship as they sing to God. Did you know that we actually take time each week to practice the hymns and service music we all sing? It is our hope that if we are able to sing this music well, that it will allow everyone, whether they consider themselves singers or not, to sing out their praises.
Epiphany thinks that singing is so important that we hire four professional singers during the year. You can learn a bit about them in the bios below. These voices act as leaders in the choir. It is wonderful to have them as part of the group, but four voices do not make a choir. We are very lucky to also have well over twenty singers from the congregation who give of their time and talents to provide the wonderful choral sounds that you hear each week.
Of course there is always room for more. If you feel called to lead in worship by singing in the choir, please join us. You will find a warm choir family ready to welcome you. If you like to sing but are nervous about giving the choir a try, remember that there are leaders in each section who are there to help you. Together we can do just as Psalm 95 instructs us: O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. (Psalm 95:1)
Choir Section Leaders
Mezzo Soprano Cindy Vredeveld is a native of Michigan and earned a BA in Music from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. As a member of the Luther College Nordic Choir, she had the privilege of touring much of the United States, and also Eastern Europe. Cindy was a long-time member of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus (TFC). During her time in TFC, she also performed as a soloist with both the Boston Pops and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She has appeared with Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, Lexington Symphony Orchestra, Concord Symphony Orchestra, Paul Madore Chorale, Newton Community Chorus, and Lowell House Opera. Cindy is a long-time employee of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, where she is currently Senior Compliance Auditor and Privacy Specialist. Cindy appreciates the warmth and welcome she has received from everyone at Epiphany. She says, “I really feel very at home here.”
Cuban-American tenor, Fran Daniel (Frank) Laucerica is new to Epiphany this year. He is a recent graduate of Northwestern University where he received his Bachelor of Music degree in the Voice & Opera program. He is currently pursuing his graduate degree at the Boston Conservatory in Opera Performance studying under Dr. Rebecca Folsom.
He has recently sung operatic roles with Chicago Summer Opera, the Cambridge Chamber Ensemble, and the Miami Music Festival. He also performs regularly with the Boston Baroque, Chicago Symphony Chorus, Music of the Baroque, and the Grammy award-winning new music ensemble, The Crossing.
Seth Grondin, Bass-Baritone, is a native of Bangor, Maine, and has been living and performing in the Greater Boston area since 2008. He has recently performed with Boston Opera Collaborative, Odyssey Opera, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, NEMPAC Opera Project, and New York Lyric Opera Theater, as well as several area choral organizations. He has also performed as a folk musician in earlier years, particularly Irish and Maritime Canadian folk music. He is grateful to be singing at Epiphany with such supportive musical leadership, and a dedicated, welcoming staff.
Leo Balkovetz, soprano is a graduate of the Longy School of Music’s Historical Performance program. He specializes in art music as a form of storytelling. This May, he premiered his show “The Death of Venus,” an early music cabaret mixed with live storytelling. He is currently performing with the group Canto Armonico and in Promenade Opera Project’s production of “Cendrillon.”
