Soloists regularly appearing with TOCCATA

 

JAMES RAWIE, director, is artistic director and conductor of the four musical organizations he founded: the Symphonic Chorus of Puerto Rico, the Sinfonia-Puerto Rico Chamber Orchestra, the MayormenteMozart Festival and TOCCATA.  California born, Rawie's undergraduate years were spent at the University of California, Irvine, where his first academic degree was in Psychobiology in 1969.  His musical studies there included: trumpet with Jimmy Sachs, voice with Heyden Blanchard, choral conducting with Dr. Maurice Allard, and orchestral conducting with Dr. Peter Odegard. He received a Master of Musical Arts degree in Orchestral Conducting from the State University of New York, Stonybrook in 1979 as a student of David Lawton and Arthur Weisberg.  He prepared Bach's Passion According to St. Matthew with Dr. Otto Werner Mueller at Yale University-Norfolk. He also studied in Berlin, Germany, at the Aspen Music Festival, and for ten summers with Helmuth Rilling in the Oregon Bach Festival. Maestro Rawie conducted the premieres in Puerto Rico of: A German Requiem of Johannes Brahms in 1984, Mozart's Requiem in 1985; Gounod's Missa Solemnis  in 1988;  Dvorák's Mass in D major in 1989, Mozart's Mass in C minor in 1993, and many of Bach's cantatas.  In 1985 he led the first performance in Spanish of Bach's St. Matthew Passion, celebrating the tricentennial of the German master's birth which brought together 300 singers, the largest number of singers ever to perform a major choral work in the history of Puerto Rico. The Passion is now performed annually.  From the operatic repertory, Rawie has presented Mozart's Il Impressario; Bastien et Bastienne, The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi fan Tutte and Menotti's, Amahl  and the Night Visitors. In 1986 Maestro Rawie founded the Luis A. Ferré Piano Competition. He has taken Coro Sinfónico on tours to Spain, Catalonia, and Athens, Greece. James is the age group champion in Xterra Triathlon for the SouthEastern USA division and an Ironman.

 

DONNA AXTON, alto and accompanist, began playing piano at the age of seven while living in New York.  She earned a Bachelor of Music at Allegheny College before moving to Tahoe City.  Most recently, she studied with James Wynn at UNR and earned a Masters in piano.  She is currently a professor of music and humanities at Sierra Nevada College and works with many professionals and young musicians.  Additionally she has directed scores of musical theater productions, accompanied the Nevada Opera Chorus, the Sierra Nevada Chorale, conducted the SNC Concert Band, and currently directs and conducts the SNC Concert Choir. In 2003, she and Chip Meyrelles co-wrote a modern cantata, based on Paradise Lost, which has been performed in Incline Village, Carson City, and New York City.  In a previous phase of her life Donna spent 14 years touring with Hoyt Axton, playing country-western, boogie-woogie, gospel, and rock and roll all over this country and Europe.

MARIA ARRIGOTTI,  lyric coloratura soprano, a Carson City native, has recently been seen performing such roles as Magnolia in scenes from Showboat (Tahoe Arts Company), Julie in Carousel (Western Nevada Musical Theatre Company (WNMTC)), Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni (Sierra Lyric Opera Studio), Maria in West Side Story (WNMTC), Marian in The Music Man (WNMTC), Serpetta in La Finta Giardiniera (Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute), Sophie in scenes from Der Rosenkavalier (Oberlin at Casalmaggiore, Italy), Vallencienne in The Merry Widow (University of Nevada, Reno (UNR)), and Mabel in Pirates of Penzance (WNMTC and Valhalla Players).  In 2000, Maria placed third in the nation in the Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Voice Competition.  She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts (high distinction) in both Music and Math, and in 2004 with a Master of Science in Math.  Maria is now a full-time math instructor at Truckee Meadows Community College.

BENJAMIN BENSON, bassoonist, is a freelance woodwind musician in the Reno/Tahoe area. His current performance positions include Bassoonist for the TOCCATA Orchestra (Incline Village, NV), Ruby Mountain Symphony Orchestra (Elko, NV), TOCCATA  Woodwind Quintet (Reno, NV), and Clarinetist/Bassoonist with the Reno Municipal Band. Additionally, he directs music at Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church (Reno, NV). Mr. Benson teaches private music instruction to piano and woodwind students in the Reno/Tahoe area. His undergraduate years were spent at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville where he studied bassoon and saxophone with Dr. Barry Ellis. Mr. Benson earned his Master’s in Bassoon Performance in 2007 from the University of Nevada-Reno, where he studied with Dr. Christin Schillinger. 

 

DAVID BROCK, organist, began his musical training at age 8, studying piano with Quincy Butler. His professional career started at age 11, as a cathedral chorister at Washington National Cathedral. He began his study of the organ under then assistant organist Anthony Furnivall, and continued his musical apprenticeship with Shirley Scribner, Norman Scribner, and Richard Roeckelein. During his years at Swarthmore College, he studied organ and accompanying with Robert Smart, and composition with Gerald Levinson. From 2001-2007, David served as Director of Music and Organist at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church, Incline Village, Nevada. David was awarded an Associate Certificate of the American Guild of Organists (AAGO), in June of 2004. David continues his studies of the organ with master teacher and recording artist Dr. Roger Nyquist, of Sacramento, California.
In 2001 David released the premiere recording of the Casavant organ of Trinity Episcopal Church, Reno, Nevada, featuring the 6 Schübler Chorales of J. S. Bach and the Neuf Pièces pour Grand Orgue of Jean Langlais. A second recording, "For Thou Art With Me" was also made at Trinity, Reno and released in 2005 with works by Howells, Karg-Elert, Langlais, Messiaen, Pretorius, and Sowerby,
David maintains an active organ recital schedule. Recent appearances have included Trinity Episcopal Church, Reno, St. Mary's Cathedral (RC) San Francisco, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, The Cathedral of St. Phili, Atlanta, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Alexandria, VA, and Washington National Cathedral. David Brock is a principal member of TOCCATA, (The Orchestra and Community Choral Artists of the Tahoe Area) where he serves as organist, continuo and rehearsal accompanist to the group. 

 

JOSUÉ CASILLAS, flutist, born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, started his flute studies at 13 years old. He later joined the Escuela Libre de Música where he graduated with high honors. At sixteen, he joined the Conservatorio de Musica de Puerto Rico and one year later moved to Cleveland, Ohio to study with the late Maurice Sharp at The Cleveland Institute of Music. In 1986 Josué obtained his Bachelors in Music and a year later was awarded the Artist Diploma, a degree granted only to the most promising musicians at The Cleveland Institute of Music. In 1986, Josué won the CIM Concerto Competition and the Master Class Competition of the National Flute Association, and performed, among other works, the Ibert Flute Concerto with the CIM Chamber Orchestra. In 1991, he won the Solo Competition in FOSJA. This event led to becoming Guest Soloist of the Mayormente Mozart Festival Puerto Rico. After four seasons in the Mayormente Mozart Festival and one year as Teacher Assistant at Baylor University (Waco, Texas), Josué won an Internship to perform and study with the Houston Symphony Orchestra in 1994. This Internship provided a full scholarship to pursue a Master in Music Degree from Rice University. The Houston Internship proved so successful that on the second season with the Symphony, Josué won the Principal Flute position in the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra in May 1996. In  2004, Josue was appointed Principal Flutist the Puerto Rico Symphony.Josué studied with New York Solo Artist Carol Wincenc, Principal Flutist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Anne Diener Giles, Aralee Dorough and Piccoloist of the Chicago Symphony Walfrid Kujala.

 

KATHARINE DEBOER, soprano, is director of Vocal Studies at UNR. Dr. DeBoer earned her masters and doctoral degrees in vocal performance at the University of Illinois where she studied with Mark Elyn. With her coach and renowned accompanist, John Wustman, she performed on the 1990-1997 U.S. tour of the complete songs of Franz Schubert. As a soprano soloist, DeBoer has received critical acclaim for her appearances with choral societies, orchestra and opera companies. As a skilled performer of chamber music, she has collaborated with Argenta, the Chamber Music Society of Sacramento, and the Telluride Chamber Music Festival. She has appeared as soloist at the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico and as artist/faculty of the International Music Festival in Pitten, Austria. She has also served as collegiate faculty at San Francisco Conservatory of Music (2003-2004).

 

STUART ALAN DUKE, baritone, earned his B.S. in Music Education at the University of Vermont in 1976, with voice a specialty in voice.. He made his European debut in 1994 as a soloist at the Pitten International Music Festival, in Austria and toured New England, under the direction of Robert DeCormier, performing the role of The Loudspeaker, in Viktor Ullmann’s Holocaust opera, The Emperor of Atlantis. He was a founding member and soloist with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus.. He graduated from UNR in 2001 with a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance. His appearances in local performances include King Melchoir in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Don Alphonso in Cosi fan tutti, Baron Zeta in La Traviata, Reverend Olin Blitch in Floyd’s Susannah, and Mr. Gobenot in Menotti’s The Medium. His appearances with Nevada Opera include Fiorello in The Barber of Seville, the Imperial Commissary  and Prince Yamadori in Madame Butterfly.

 

MARTIN GOLLERY, baritone, has performed in numerous theatrical and musical roles, including starring roles in Godspell, Plaza Suite and Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He has played Supporting characters in shows such as You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Pygmalion, Anne of the Thousand Days and The Sign of Jonah. He was seen momentarily in the movie 'The Trust'. Marty has sung with Jazz Bands and charity performances, at weddings and parties, and sings regularly with the St. Patricks' Church Saturday Night Alive band. With the Sierra Nevada College Chorus, he has recently sung 'Music of the Night', 'La Ci Darem La Mano', and 'On the Street where you live'. At a notorious charity performance, he once sang 'Music of the Night' in the voices of Willie Nelson, Frank Sinatra, the Beach Boys and Ozzie Osborne. In the daytime, Marty has been a photographer, Aerospace Engineer, systems administrator, and Director of Research, and is currently the Associate Director of Bioinformatics at the Nevada School of Medicine. He was on the first ascent team for Jade Dragon Mountain and Dzambala III, and has hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada.

OLIVIA ANDERSON HAKEL, soprano, earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Vocal Performance from the University of California, Irvine.  She studied drama with South Coast Repertory Theater in Costa Mesa, California.  She has sung the mezzo-soprano solos for many oratorio works, including Requiem and Coronation Mass by W.A. Mozart, Gloria by A. Vivaldi, Messiah by Handel, as well as The Passion of our Lord according to St. Matthew and the Mass in B Minor by J.S. Bach.  For seven seasons she sang with the New Orleans Opera under the musical direction of Robert Lyall and she has been singing with the Nevada Opera in Reno for the past four seasons.  With the Nevada Opera, she performed the roles of “Annina” in Verdi’s La Traviata and  the "Sandman" in Humperdink's  Hansel and Gretel, both under the direction of Michael Borowitz.

 

MARY ANN HELMAN, alto, has been a member and alto soloist for community and church choirs from Los Angeles to the San Francisco Bay area. She received her training while attending Nursing School in the San Francisco Bay area. Like many, music has been a creative and relaxing outlet from the stresses of Medicine. She has resided in South Lake Tahoe since 1979 along with her husband, Jon, and Wheaten Terrier, LuLu. She has been a member of Lake Tahoe Community Choir for over 20 years where she has performed as soloist for Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi Gloria, Beethoven's Mass in C, Mozart Requiem, Bach Magnificat, and Christmas Oratorio, Britten Ceremony of Carols, and the Brahams Liebeslieder Walzes. She is a frequent guest and soloist for St. Theresa's Catholic Church in South Lake Tahoe, and member and soloist for St. John's Episcopal Church, Glenbrook, Nevada.

 

ANNA HELWING, soprano, came to California in 2002 from Wroclaw, Poland where she earned her B.A. and M.A. in English and American Literature (Wroclaw University, 1999). At the same time, she trained on the piano, and voice - the first at a state music school, and the latter in Technical University Choir of Wroclaw. Between 1989 and 2001, she toured extensively with the choir in over 20 countries. Anna also graduated from the Wroclaw School of Organ (1995). In May 2008 she received a master's degree in vocal performance at University of Nevada, Reno, where she studied with Dr Katharine DeBoer. Recently she performed in Germany and Poland, including the International Summer Academy of Early Music in Warsaw. Her solo performances have included Regina Coeli K.128 and Requiem by Mozart, selected songs by Chopin, St. Matthew's Passion by J.S. Bach, Messiah by Handel, and a role of Amahl in Amahl and Night Visitors by G.C.Menotti. Anna resides in South Lake Tahoe, CA, where she teaches piano and voice courses in Lake Tahoe Community College, and works as a music director and organist for two churches.

 

MARK HOKE, trumpet. Originally from Santa Rosa, California, Mark lived in New York City for 20 years before moving back to the West. He attended music school in San Francisco at San Francisco State University and The San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying trumpet primarily with Joseph Alessi and receiving a Bachelor of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from SFSU in 1984. Mark has played the trumpet in pit orchestras for more than 30 National and International Tours of Broadway Musicals, performing in every state in mainland USA and in dozens of countries worldwide. When not on tour he enjoys his new home in Reno, Nevada.

JACKLYNN LORD, composer, was born in Sacramento, California and moved to Reno in 1975.  Jackie, as composer, is writing and producing the albums, Children Love Trumpet and Lovers Love Trumpet.  She also wrote Six Suites for Piano and Trumpet, which she performs with her husband, Mark.  In addition to her music, Jackie has written six books: STC The Sharpest Weapons, How Do You Say Thank You?, Tell Me About The War, Daddy, Unexpected Comfort, More Comfort and Mitka.  Jackie studied at Berkeley, Sacramento State University, Santa Cruz, and at the University of Nevada-Reno.  Jackie has three children, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

 

MARK LORD, trumpet, was born in Neptune NJ and began his studies of trumpet at age 8.  He studied with Robert Nagel, founder of the New York Brass Quintet, at the Hartt College of Music.  Mark has also had the good fortune of studying the baroque repetoire with Lee Weisert, a specialist in that style, and with Robert Heinrich, who performed for many years in New York City with chamber orchestras and shows.  Mark performed as first trumpet with the Taipei Symphony in Taiwan for several  years, and since moving to Reno over 20 years ago has been active as a free-lance player in the Reno Tahoe area.  He has performed with the Reno Chamber Orchestra, Reno Philharmonic and Opera Orchestras and in most of the major showrooms in the area.  He currently performs often as a recitalist with his wife, composer/pianist Jacklynn Lord, and their daughter, soprano Michelle Norris.

 

EUNICE MARION, soprano/alto/accompanist, began her musical studies in piano, voice and violin with her father, Joseph Wahlton, an  organist, violinist and choirmaster, and  professor from the Royal Academy of Sweden.  She graduated from San Jose State University with majors in English and Music.  In addition to a rewarding 20-year teaching career, she performed in musical theater, both as a vocalist and instrumentalist, and wrote and directed numerous drama productions for the Cupertino and Santa Rosa School Districts.  She also performed four-hand piano recitals with local artists in the San Francisco Bay area and Sonoma County and was a violinist in the Santa Rosa Baroque Sinfonia.  On early mornings she may be spotted running with her two dogs along Lakeshore Drive or kayaking, hiking, skiing or snowshoeing.  She and her husband Dennis are recent transplants from Sonoma County and are now permanently ensconced in Incline Village, where both feel they have “come home”.  Currently, Eunice teaches piano, violin and voice in her music studio in Incline.  Later she studied piano and violin in Westmont College, Santa. Barbara, and San Jose State University.  As a teacher, she is also prepared in Classroom Music, Choral Conducting and Children’s Drama.  In the Bay Area, she performed Duo Piano Recitals and was a member of the West Bay Opera and played violin in the Baroque Sinfonia of Santa Rosa. She has been a soloist in Musical Theater and church choirs.

 

DARRELL MOORE, baritone, was raised in Kings Beach, California, and had his musical start at North Tahoe High School.  He studied clarinet with Richard Dasher at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and played with the Rohnert Park Symphony.  He has sung with the Petaluma Cinnabar Opera Chorus and the Sierra Singers.  His acting, singing, and dancing have graced the stage of productions by Tahoe Mountain Musicals, Tahoe Players, Truckee Actors Guild and Tahoe Arts. He sings in the St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church choir and is an organ student of David Brock.

 

JACKLYNN MICHELLE NORRIS, soprano, is a Reno, Nevada native who earned  her bachelors degree in Applied Voice at the University of Nevada, Reno.  She moved to New York City and joined the cast of The Merry Widow with Opera Northeast.  She performed as the Sandman in Manhattan Opera Troupe’s production of Hansel & Gretel.  She toured as a lead role with Sail Productions and premiered several of their children’s musicals.  Michelle is a licensed K-8 teacher and will earn her Masters Degree in Education in the fall, 2008.  She lives in Lovelock with her husband, Will and sons, Wallace and Roland.   

 

MISHA RAFFIEE, violinist, currently attends the Davidson Academy of Nevada. She began violin studies at age 2 ½ with Caryn Neidhold and the Suzuki program, as well as with Ruth Lenz, and since 2003, has studied with UNR professor Phillip Ruder.  She has been a member of the Washoe County Honor Orchestra and the Nevada All-State Orchestra. She was the concertmaster of the Washoe County Junior Honor Orchestra at age 8, and joined the Reno Philharmonic Youth Symphony Orchestra shortly after. Misha has been a concertmaster of the YSO since 2006, and was the grand prize winner in the 2007 RPYO Concerto Competition. Misha is also the youngest ever to be awarded a contract with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra.  Misha has also been playing the piano for the past 3 years, and currently studies with UNR professor James Winn. She has participated in the Northern Nevada Music Teachers Associations’ piano festival the past 2 years, and has earned a superior rating both years.

 

NANCY RAWIE, alto, is an educational therapist by profession, teaching reading, math, and writing skills to children who have learning disabilities, attention deficit, or are functioning below grade level, but music has been her lifetime hobby. She has sung with Coro Sinfónico and the Chamber Singers since 1992 and is the alto section leader. She directed the Llorens Torres Children's Choir project from 1997 to 2002.  She is also the manager of the Chamber Orchestra. As her old hobby has now become part of her work life, triathlon now fills the void in her leisure time.

 

MARINA ROZNITOVSKY, harp. Marina was born in Ukraine, but soon immigrated to Israel with her mother when she was six years old. At the age of 12 Marina started studying harp with Prof. Olga Moitlis and was a recipient of the American Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship awards for four consecutive times. She also received multiple scholarship awards from the Dunie Weitzman Conservatory (of Haifa, Israel), Indiana University (Bloomington), Barenboim-Said Foundation (spain) and the Bureau of Jewish Education (CA). Marina was the first prize winner in the music category of the 2006 National Society of Arts and Letters competition in Bloomington. She has performed with several professional orchestras in Israel and in the US and recently was a featured soloist with the Oistrach Symphony Orchestra in Chicago. She also performed under the baton of Daniel Barenboim, during a world wide tour with the West Eastern Divan Orchestra. Marina has participated in Master classes with several world-known harpists such as Jana Bushkova, Isabelle Perin, Catherine Michel, Elizabeth Hainen and Sarah Bullen. She is active in charity concerts and events and a number of her performances have been broadcasted on National Israeli and US television and radio. Marina has earned her BM, MM and PD in harp performance and pedagogy at Indiana University, under the tutelage of Distinguished Prof. Susann McDonald. She is currently teaching Harp at UNR and is the principal harpist with the Reno Chamber Orchestra and the Nevada Opera and other orchestras in the area.

FAHAD SIADAT, tenor, earned his Bachelor of Music theory and composition from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. He performed with the Vanderbilt Opera Theatre for four years in shows including The Magic Flute, and Gianni Schicci.  Fahad has also been involved in musical theatre productions including lead roles in Bye, Bye Birdie, The Fantasticks, and Jesus Christ Superstar. He is an active composer and has received recent commissions for a variety of both large and small ensembles. Currently enrolled in the Master's of Fine Arts program at the California Institute of the Arts, he will be performing the dual roles of Thespis and Mercure in the institute's spring opera production of Platée opening May, 2008.

 

JOY STROTZ, soprano, recently starred as Emma in Nevada Civic Light Opera's production of Jekyll and Hyde, and as The Diva in NVCLO's concert production of Phantom of the Opera. She has also appeared as Countess Ceprano in Nevada Opera's Rigoletto, and as a guest artist for the Lake Tahoe Summer Music Festival and Tahoe Red White and Blue. She is a member of the Nevada Opera Chorus and madrigal group, Il Nome. Joy performs regularly with TOCCATA, and has been featured in performances of Mozart's Exultate, jubilate and Ah, vous dirai je maman; as well as many solo oratorio appearances with the group. Other engagements include the Sierra Nevada College Summer Artist Series, both "Aunt Em" and "Glinda the Good Witch" in Tahoe Players production of The Wizard of Oz, "Kate Pinkerton" in Piper Opera House's Madame Butterfly, and performances with the San Francisco Civic and Winifred Baker Chorales. Ms. Strotz is the official photographer for TOCCATA as well as many other regional perfomance art groups. Her commercial and portrait work can be seen at strotzphotography.com.