The Master Chorale of South Florida has been a beacon of musical excellence since 2003. Under the direction of Maestro Brett Karlin, this highly selective ensemble, drawing talent from Broward, MiamiDade, and Palm Beach Counties, performs a diverse repertoire ranging from classical masterworks to contemporary compositions and Broadway favorites. The Chorale has collaborated with renowned organizations and artists, including The Cleveland Orchestra, New World Symphony, Andrea Bocelli, and Itzhak Perlman. Beyond its own concert series, the ensemble is sought after for guest performances and actively supports its community by engaging local artists and organizations. The Master Chorale strives to make its rich musical tapestry accessible to all, ensuring the power of choral music resonates throughout South Florida.
About the Master Chorale of South Florida
“Where words fail, music speaks.” – Hans
Dear Friends,
Christian Andersen
In the torrential flood of words we encounter daily, the Master Chorale offers a muchneeded pause. Our incomparable choral-orchestral music speaks to your hopes, dreams, and uncertainties, bringing meaning to the moments that matter most.
This season brings exciting new opportunities for both you and us! We’re introducing a more audience-friendly ticketing system to make attending our concerts even more convenient.
Our performances have expanded to new venues across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, offering the South Florida community greater access to our music and welcoming new audiences to experience our artistry. Additionally, our strengthened collaboration with the renowned New World Symphony further highlights the excellence and artistry that define the Master Chorale of South Florida.
Our Artistic Director often reminds us that The Master Chorale makes music with meaning—reflecting the human experience and exploring themes that touch each of us individually and connect us collectively. Sharing this with you is our honor, and we hope it brings you something memorable and profound as you experience our live performances.
I am honored and humbled to lead this extraordinary organization in our 22nd season and to follow in the footsteps of Holly Strawbridge, who served as president for the previous 11 years.
I am in awe of the 110+ choristers whose talent and dedication bring fine choral music to life in every performance. Without the choristers who create the music, we simply would not exist. Equally, I am in awe of our increasingly diverse audiences— you—who support us in countless ways and listen so that music speaks to you in your own lives.
Warm regards,
Ron Herron, President Master Chorale of South Florida
Brett Karlin, Artistic Director & Conductor
“...under artistic director and conductor Brett Karlin, the Master Chorale provided one of the most satisfying classical music events I can recall in a decade of South Florida concert going.”
- Palm Beach ArtsPaper, Verdi Requiem, April 2023
Recognized for his insightful interpretations and expressive leadership, Brett Karlin has established himself as a conductor of remarkable versatility and depth. Under his baton, the Master Chorale of South Florida has received acclaim for performances that combine musical precision with emotional resonance, including recent praise for “another milestone...with an eloquent, deeply felt performance of Mozart’s Mass in C Minor” (South Florida Classical Review).
As he enters his 12th season with the Master Chorale, Karlin is set to lead the ensemble through an ambitious 2024-2025 season featuring two monumental oratorios - Felix Mendelssohn’s dramatic setting of Elijah and Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem in collaboration with New World Symphony - both of which promise to be highlights of the South Florida concert season. The season also includes performances of Gustav Holst’s The Planets, Schoenberg’s poignant A Survivor from Warsaw, and a season finale titled American Voices, celebrating a rich spectrum of American classical music and benefiting Nat King Cole Generation Hope.
Karlin’s previous work with commercial recordings has garnered significant recognition. As the Assistant Conductor for Seraphic Fire, he contributed to the ensemble’s critically acclaimed and Grammy-nominated album A Seraphic Fire Christmas in 2012. He also took on the roles of Assistant Chorus Master and singer for the ensemble’s recording of Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem (London version), which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Choral Performance.
Karlin’s commitment to engaging audiences with both timeless and contemporary works has been a defining aspect of his career. Beyond his work with the Master Chorale, he has previously served as artistic director of The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, music director for the Broward Symphony Orchestra, and chorus master for Florida Grand Opera. He has also maintained guest conducting engagements for various choral, orchestral, and academic ensembles, including The Symphonia, Lynn Philharmonia, and Seraphic Fire.
Brock Burbach has lived in South Florida since 2010 when he accepted the choir director position at Broward College. He is happily married and has four children. A native of South Dakota, he is an accomplished choral director, voice and music theory teacher, and church musician.
His DMA degree is in conducting from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and his vocal performance degrees are from Oklahoma City University (MM), and Cameron University (BM). As Associate Professor and Director of Choral and Vocal Activities at Broward College, he oversees the entire vocal program, directs all the choirs, teaches private voice students and music theory.
Choirs under Dr. Burbach’s direction have performed numerous major works with orchestra by composers including Mozart, Fauré, Schubert, Haydn, Vivaldi, and Handel. He has also helped prepare choirs for major works by Bach, Brahms, Bruckner, Vaughan Williams, and Verdi.
Teaching and mentoring college students continues to be his passion, and many of his former students are now successfully directing choirs, teaching music in public schools and leading the next generation of
musicians. Dr. Burbach was recently awarded the NISOD Excellence Award for outstanding teaching, learning, and leadership.
Dr. Burbach is an accomplished tenor having previously sung leading and supporting roles in operas, oratorios, operettas, and solos with symphony orchestras. It was the Verdi Requiem, his favorite choral-orchestral work, which drew him to join the Master Chorale of South Florida as a tenor in 2023, and shortly thereafter became the tenor section leader. He is honored to accept the position of Associate Conductor and to be making music with this renowned choral organization.
Brock Burbach, Associate Conductor
Sam Sherman, Assistant Conductor
Sam Sherman is currently in his second year as a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate in Choral Conducting at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami, under the guidance of Dr. Matthew Brady and former Director of Choral Studies, Dr. Amanda Quist. He serves as a graduate teaching assistant and is the current Assistant Conductor of the Master Chorale of South Florida (MCSF).
Sherman holds a Master of Music in Conducting from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver, where he studied with Dr. Catherine Sailer, Dr. Nathan Payant, and Dr. Brian Dukeshier. At Lamont, he was the Assistant Conductor of the Lamont Chorale, Voces Aureus, and Voces Fortes. He also taught conducting as a graduate teaching assistant, guest conducted for the Lamont Composers Concert Series, performed in the Lamont Chamber Music Competition finals, and co-directed “English Enchantment: Music of the 16th and 17th Centuries” with the Lamont Early Music Ensemble.
Sherman earned his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Northern Colorado, where he was named “Vocal Student of the Year” in 2021. He received the Research Excellence Award for his Upper Division Honors Program thesis,
“The Voice of Androgyny: A Gender Analysis of the Countertenor with Opera.” He studied under renowned faculty including Dr. Jill Burgett and Dr. Galen Darrough, among others.
Sherman’s professional work has taken him globally. He served as Associate Conductor for St. Martin’s Chamber Choir, was the Mark Sheldon Conducting Intern, and participated in the Vancouver Chamber Choir Conducting Symposium. He has also performed with prestigious ensembles like the Colorado Ballet and the Evans Choir. Currently, he serves as the Associate Conductor of the Miami Collegium Musicum and continues his work with the Frost School of Music and MCSF.
Susan Dodd currently serves on the piano faculty of the Diane Bish Center for Music and the Arts. She is also the organist at the New Presbyterian Church in Wilton Manors and serves as principal accompanist of the Master Chorale of South Florida, where she performs choral-orchestral masterworks with the 120-voice symphony chorus.
Ms. Dodd has performed throughout Europe, Canada, and the United States, as well as for many schools and churches in the area. At Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, she accompanied multiple musical productions and toured and recorded with the King’s Choir. For many years, she accompanied Forrest J. Willingham’s The Songs of Broadway Company throughout the South Florida hotel and condominium circuit.
Ms. Dodd is a member of the Broward County Music Teachers Association, the Florida State Music Teachers Association, the Music Teachers National Association, and the American Guild of Organists. She is also a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society.
Previously, Ms. Dodd was a member of the piano faculty and staff accompanist at Broward College. In 2004, she was named Broward College’s Adjunct Professor of the Year. Having served as staff organist at various churches, she is currently substituting at churches in the South Florida area and maintains a private piano studio.
Ms. Dodd earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Piano Performance with honors from Florida Atlantic University and her Master’s degree in Accompanying from the University of Akron (Ohio).
Susan Dodd, Principal Accompanist
Sopranos
Monique L Belch
Melonie Bueno
Jessica Byers
Denise Campbell
Lexi Cardenas
Miki Cayard
Deborah Christie
Eva Decastelli
Johna Denis
Nicole M. Dominguez
Ruth Dunbar
Jamile Evaristo
MCSF Roster of Singers
Carolyn DeSanti
Gretchen Fasulo
Marci Gelb
Gayle Giese
Charlene Gilbert
Fran Goldenberg
Aaryn Gottesfeld
April Green
Janet Grubel
Karen Hayes
Kimberly Jackson
AJ Leigh
Francine Levin
Maria Gaston
Hannah Gauthier
Gabriella Grof
Kimberley Hinton
Christina Hutcheson
Victoria Kaufman
María Márquez
Esmeyer Martínez
Maureen O’Brien
Sarah Quick
Gina Robichaux
Jessica Jane Rucker
Johanna Sharp
Lori Snow
Daniela Treitl
Allison Wild
Erica Williams
Michelle Williamson
Altos
Daniela Abratt-Cohen
Anna Lise Arvelo
Freshta Atiqi
Deirdre Auton
Brenda Berger
Becca de la Zerda
Joanna DeSa
Nancy McDonnell
Kelly McMurtrey
Heather Osowiecki
Harriet J Ottenheimer
Dawn Polizzotti
Bee Provence
Lea Rasabi
Emma Ruiz
Brenda Smith
Jennifer Tiel
Jenna Weisberg
Dee Weisman
Anakae Wiles
Tenors
Chase Allsworth
Brock Burbach
Jason Campbell
Kevin DeMars
Carl Gelfand
Mark W Glickman
William Guerin
Yulia Khalfina
Anthony Krupp
Tanya E. Low
Scott Novack
H. Ian Novack
Lisa J. Obrien
Sean Quinn
Julio V. Rodriguez
David Rumford
Greg Scherba
Samuel Sherman
Holly Strawbridge
Ryan Strouss
Fernando Vega-Cid
Christopher Waite
Rita Wells
Basses
R. Mark Blaylock
Gregory Boals
Santiago Bownés
Clint Bush
Jeff Delman
Alex Desmond
Fabián Díaz
Walter Dickey
Richard Ellis
Michael Farris
Rod Hayes
Michael Irvin
Bert Lutomski
John McDiarmid
Paul Morris
Joe Oravecz
Richard M. Price II
Stuart Rosenthal
Christopher Santanelli
Michael T Still
Jay Stravers
David Thompson
Michael Waxer
Matthew Wisnoski
Randy Zinkus
Master Chorale of South Florida Board of Directors
Ron Herron, President
Joseph Wert, Vice President
Mark Glickman, Secretary
Carolyn DeSanti, Treasurer
Emanuel Berger
Clint Bush
Gary Carlin
April Green
Bert Lutomski
Harriet J Ottenheimer
Holly Strawbridge
Jenna Weisberg
Brett Karlin, ex officio
Advisory Board
Pugatch
Staff
Brett Karlin, Artistic Director and Conductor
Taiisha Bradley, Director of Marketing and PR
Kathy Sedlack, Chorus Administrator
Melissa Wetzel, Director of Development
Craig
| Patti Rooney | Austin Scott | Nancy Gates-Lee
Elijah
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Master Chorale of South Florida
Lynn Philharmonia
Robyn Marie Lamp, soprano
Clara Osowski, mezzo soprano
Steven Soph, tenor Tyler Duncan, baritone
Carter Crouch, Treble
Susan Dodd, principal accompanist
Samuel Sherman, assistant conductor
Brock Burbach, associate conductor
Brett Karlin, artistic director & conductor
November 15, 8:00 pm at Bailey Hall, Broward College
November 16, 8:00 pm
at Wold Performing Arts Center, Lynn University
November 17, 4:00 pm at Wold Performing Arts Center, Lynn University
Part I
ELIJAH PROPHECIZES A DROUGHT & FAMINE
Introduction (Elijah): As God the Lord of Israel liveth Overture
THE PEOPLE DESPAIR & PRAY FOR HELP
Chorus (The People): Help, Lord! Wilt Thou quite destroy us?
Duet and Chorus (The People, Two Women): Lord, bow Thine ear to our prayer!
Recitative (Obadiah): Ye people, rend your hearts
Aria (Obadiah): If with all your hearts ye truly seek me
Chorus (The People): Yet doth the Lord see it not
THE CONTEST OF FIRE ON MOUNT CARMEL
Recitative (Elijah and King Ahab) and Chorus: As God the Lord of Sabaoth liveth
Chorus (Priests of Baal): Baal, we cry to thee
Recitative (Elijah) and Chorus (Priests of Baal): Call him louder! For he is a god
Recitative (Elijah) and Chorus (Priests of Baal): Call him louder! He heareth not
Aria (Elijah): Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel
Recitative (Elijah) and Chorus (The People): O Thou who maketh Thine angels spirits
Aria (Elijah): Is not His word like a fire
Arioso (Alto): Woe unto them who forsake Him!
THE COMING OF THE RAIN
Recitative (Obadiah, Elijah, The Boy) and Chorus (The People): O man of God, help thy people!
Chorus (The People): Thanks be to God
-Intermission-
Part II
THE PEOPLE ARE COMFORTED
Aria (Soprano): Hear ye, Israel; hear what the Lord speaketh
Chorus: “Be not afraid,” saith God the Lord
ELIJAH CONFRONTS QUEEN JEZEBEL
Recitative (Elijah and The Queen) and Chorus: The Lord hath exalted thee
Chorus: Woe to him! He shall perish
ELIJAH FLEES TO THE WILDERNESS
Recitative (Elijah and Obadiah): Man of God, now let my words
Aria (Elijah): It is enough!
Recitative (Tenor): See now, he sleepeth beneath a juniper tree
Trio (Angels): Lift thine eyes
Chorus (Angels): He, watching over Israel
GOD
APPEARS TO ELIJAH ON MOUNT HOREB
Recitative (The Angel and Elijah): Arise, Elijah
Aria (The Angel): O rest in the Lord
Recitative (The Angel and Elijah): Night falleth round me
Chorus: Behold, God the Lord passed by!
Recitative (Elijah) and Chorus: Go, return upon thy way
Arioso (Elijah): For the mountains shall depart
THE ASCENSION OF ELIJAH INTO HEAVEN
Chorus: Then did Elijah the prophet break forth
Aria (Tenor): Then shall the righteous shine forth
Final Chorus: And then, then shall your light break forth
Robyn Marie Lamp, Soprano
Robyn Marie Lamp is a Florida-based soprano whose operatic and concert career continues to grow. Described as having “soprano star quality” with “radiant pianissimos,” she has impressed critics with her “silvery soprano timbre” and “bell-like high notes.” In a recent performance of Verdi’s Requiem, Lawrence Budman of South Florida Classical Review wrote, “Her high C over orchestra and chorus generated sparks, but her radiant pianissimos proved most distinctive. Lamp’s final prayer, ‘deliver me,’ was the culmination of a deeply felt performance.”
Her 2023-2024 season includes Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Opera Tampa, Winter Opera St. Louis, and concerts with Amelia Island Opera, a company she co-founded. Highlights of 2022-2023 included Mimì in Puccini’s La bohème with Opera in Williamsburg, Julia Child in Hoiby’s Bon Appétit!, and soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with the Master Chorale of South Florida and Carnegie Hall. She also appeared in Handel’s Messiah with Palm Beach Symphony and with the GRAMMYnominated ensemble Seraphic Fire. In 2021-2022, she sang Tosca with
Gulfshore Opera, and soloed in Beethoven’s Egmont with Orchestra Miami and Mozart’s Requiem with Palm Beach Symphony. She won first place in the D’Angelo Young Artist Vocal Competition. Previous seasons saw her cover and sing roles in Bellini’s Norma with Boston Lyric Opera and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra.
A winner in several vocal competitions, her training includes programs with Boston Lyric Opera, Caramoor, and Sarasota Opera. Robyn is Executive Director of the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, now entering its 24th season.
Clara Osowski, Mezzo-Soprano
Mezzo-soprano Clara Osowski, praised for singing “from inside the music with unaffected purity and sincerity” (UK Telegraph), is an active soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States and Europe. Her 2023-2024 season includes Schubert lieder with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Bach’s St. John Passion with Music of the Baroque, Handel’s Messiah with LA’s Salastina, and performances of Clara Schumann lieder with the University of Washington Symphony Orchestra. She will also perform the Bach Christmas Oratorio with Madison Bach Musicians, Mozart Mass in C minor with the Master Chorale of South Florida, and Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius with the Bel Canto Chorus of Milwaukee.
In the 2022-2023 season, Clara debuted with Chicago’s Music of the Baroque in Handel’s Jephtha, and performed Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Milwaukee Symphony, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Delaware Symphony, and Mozart’s Requiem with the South Dakota Symphony. She also appeared with the Bach Society of Minnesota and National Lutheran Choir.
Career highlights include performances
with the Milwaukee Symphony, Mid-Columbia Symphony, St. Paul Civic Orchestra, and Tulsa Signature Symphony. Clara became the first American prize winner at Thomas Quasthoff’s International Das Lied Competition in Germany and has won numerous awards, including the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society Prize and the Radio-Canada People’s Choice Award.
An active educator, Clara has given masterclasses at Syracuse University, Concordia College, and North Dakota State University. She is also the Artistic Director of Source Song Festival and performs with Lumina Women’s Ensemble and Seraphic Fire.
Steven Soph, Tenor
A “superb vocal soloist” (Washington Post) with “impressive clarity and color” (New York Times), tenor Steven Soph is known for his ability to perform a wide range of concert repertoire spanning from the Renaissance to modern-day works. His upcoming solo engagements include performing Bach’s Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland with Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society; Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn with the Bach Choir of Bethlehem; Mozart’s Requiem with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park; Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Master Chorale of South Florida; Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Handel Choir of Baltimore; Bach cantatas 4, 106, and 182 with San Francisco’s American Bach Soloists; and Handel’s Messiah with Philadelphia’s Tempesta di Mare and the Handel and Haydn Society.
In recent seasons, Steven has had the privilege of performing with renowned symphony orchestras such as the Cleveland Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, American Classical Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.
His work has taken him to esteemed venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Boston’s Symphony Hall, and the Kennedy Center.
A dedicated ensemble performer, Steven recently sang the music of Josquin des Prez at Antwerp, Belgium’s Festival AMUZ with Boston’s Cut Circle. He also regularly appears with Austin’s Conspirare, Providence’s Ensemble Altera, Washington Bach Consort, Tucson’s True Concord, and many other notable ensembles. Steven holds degrees from the University of North Texas and Yale’s School of Music. For more, visit www.stevensoph.com
Tyler Duncan, Baritone
Baritone Tyler Duncan, described as having a “honey-coloured and warm, yet robust and commanding” voice (The Globe and Mail), has performed worldwide in both opera and concert settings. His career includes collaborations with leading orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Tafelmusik, Minnesota Orchestra, and Kansas City Symphony.
Recent highlights include Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro with Pacific Opera Victoria, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, with the Vancouver Symphony, Bach’s St. John and St. Matthew Passions with the Oregon Bach Festival, and Handel’s Messiah with the Houston and New Jersey Symphonies. Other notable roles include Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly and Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia at The Metropolitan Opera, where he also recently returned for their production of Terence Blanchard’s Champion.
Duncan’s concert repertoire includes performances of Stravinsky’s Canticum Sacrum with the San Francisco Symphony, Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn with the Lviv Philharmonic, and Schubert Lieder at Wigmore Hall. He frequently collaborates with pianist Erika Switzer,
with whom he has premiered numerous works and released albums including English Songs à la française and A Left Coast.
His recordings include a Juno Awardwinning performance of Vaughan Williams’s Serenade to Music with the Toronto Symphony and J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion with Portland Baroque. Duncan has won several prestigious awards, including the Joy in Singing Competition and the Prix International Pro Musicis Award.
Currently, he is a faculty member at the Longy School of Music and resides in the scenic Hudson Valley of New York.
www.MasterChoraleOfSouthFlorida.org
Carter Crouch, Treble
Carter Crouch, soprano, has been a member of the Florida Singing Sons since 2022, performing alongside the New World Symphony and Seraphic Fire in various masterworks. He has also appeared in several Florida Grand Opera productions, including La Bohème, Pagliacci, and Tosca as part of the children’s chorus. This spring, he will perform in FGO’s production of Carmen. Outside of singing, Carter enjoys fishing and playing flag football.
LYNN PHILHARMONIA
The Lynn University Philharmonia sets the standard for conservatory-level symphonic training. The Philharmonia continues to present high-quality concerts with a wide range of repertoire. Under the musical direction of maestro Guillermo Figueroa, the Lynn Philharmonia Orchestra attains a professional level of performance, enjoying tremendous public support. The Lynn Philharmonia distinguishes itself through its orchestral training program and ensures performance opportunities for every instrumentalist.
Lynn Philharmonia Roster
Master Chorale of South Florida
Violin 1
Victoria Bramble, concertmaster
Ruzanna Usmanova
Li Yang Liu
Manuela Wanumen Jiménez
Laura Gonzalez
Ruvit Bracho Marquez
Elizaveta Goryunova
Isabella Swalm
Violin 2
Paola Nava Romero, principal
María Luz Vella
Meixi Zhou
Onyim Chen
Yilian Concepcion Valada
Virgilio Vazquez
Mable Lecrone
Brooke Gunter
Viola
Rachel Miner, principal
Nia Morgan
Sarah Conley
Christian Curran
Jeremy Jefferson
Lillian Platt
Cello
Megan Hagel, principal
Nathaniel Jones
Jaewon Baek
Jon Cruz Cruz
Anttuan Rios
Maria Savelyeva
Double Bass
Julian Rauh, principal
Ethan Sanchez
Pablo Camacho
Paola Garcia
Flute
AJ Meyer, principal
Yian Liu
Oboe
Hoon Chang, principal
Olivia Oakland
Clarinet
Nataniel Farrar, principal
Chase Hogan
Bassoon
Jacob Lomboy, principal
Keegan Neely
French Horn
Devin Salazar, principal
Maria Paula Mora Alfaro, assistant
Joseph Muhl
Omar Mata
Michael Shipps
Trumpet
Matthew Montelione, principal
Daniel Meneses Leal
Trombone
Patrick Hengstler, principal
Miguelangel Garcia Marquez
DJ Combs
Tuba
Devin Foster, principal
Timpanist
Steven Halpner, principal
A Life
Remembered
Daria Susanna Konieczko
December 6, 1946 – July 25, 2024
While the Master Chorale of South Florida (MCSF) mourns the loss of longtime patron Daria Konieczko, we wish to acknowledge her meaningful contributions by dedicating the 2024 Comfort & Joy Concert Series to her amazing life.
Born in Poland as the only child of Stefan Konieczko and Dagmara Bennich, Daria completed her diploma at the Polish State School of Economics. In 1988, she migrated to Canada before becoming a permanent US resident, where she settled in Pompano Beach.
Daria was an avid lover of the arts and volunteered tirelessly for organizations she believed in. While not a musician, her passion surrounded great classical music concerts. She became an esteemed MCSF devotee and attended virtually every performance.
She was learned and very much an old-world soul who appreciated different cultures. Multi-lingual, Daria spoke English, Polish, French and some Russian. She was a deeply caring, kind and respectful woman who surrounded herself with a circle of friends, whom she valued greatly.
Christmas was particularly special to Daria, reveling in music, friends and food. She was known for her holiday home-made rum glazed pecans, which she generously shared.
We were humbled to learn of Daria’s decision in 2015 to include an MCSF charitable gift in her estate plans. Her intention was celebrated in life through our legacy program, The Crescendo Honor Society. “This benevolent and transformative gift is the largest ever made in our 22-year history,” said Ron Herron, MCSF Board President. “We are all extremely appreciative of Daria’s forethought and generosity which will ensure the finest classical music will live on, forever.”
May Daria rest in peace, and may her memory be a blessing and inspiration to one and all.
Emily Yates is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning vocalist known for her breathtaking voice and remarkable talent that has enthralled audiences around the world. With performances spanning more than 51 countries and recent sold-out tours in Hawaii and Argentina, Emily consistently leaves her audiences in awe. She made her stage debut at just 8 years old in the musical Babes in Toyland and has since played memorable roles, including Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street and the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
At 19, she earned a scholarship with The Young Americans , allowing her to refine her craft during successful tours throughout Germany and Japan. Emily has headlined in some of Las Vegas’s most iconic theaters, performing in productions like Vegas! The Show, Tony n Tina’s Wedding , and Fantasy . Her vocal talent earned her recognition as one of the “best singers in Las Vegas” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal .
As a solo artist and producer, Emily has created and performed her own
critically acclaimed one-woman shows, Show Must Go On and Set Fire to the Rain , both of which played to sold-out audiences across the U.S. and on international cruise lines. She released her debut album in late 2019.
To stay updated on her upcoming performances or purchase her album, visit her website at www. emilyannyates.com or follow her on Instagram @emilysings2. Emily dedicates her performances to the memory of her beloved parents, who remain forever in her heart.
Emily Yates, Vocal Soloist for Comfort & Joy
mattamyhomes.com/florida/port-st-lucie
Reginald Mobley, Countertenor Vocal Soloist for American Voices
Grammy-nominated American countertenor Reginald Mobley is celebrated internationally for his interpretation of baroque, classical, and modern repertoire, with a prolific career on both sides of the Atlantic. A dedicated advocate for diversity in music and programming, Mobley became the first-ever Programming Consultant for the Handel & Haydn Society after leading its communityengaging Every Voice concerts. He also serves as Visiting Artist for Diversity Outreach with Apollo’s Fire and was recently appointed Artistic Advisor at the Portland Baroque Orchestra. Additionally, Mobley leads a UK-based research project, funded by the AHRC, to uncover music by composers from diverse backgrounds.
Highlights of this and next season include recitals in Chicago, De Bijloke in Gent, Wigmore Hall, MA Festival in Bruges, Bayreuth Baroque Festival, and regular performances with specialized ensembles across North America and Europe. He collaborates with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Early Music Vancouver, Collegium San Diego, Seraphic Fire, and Washington Bach Consort in North America, and with ensembles like the Nederlandse Bachvereniging, Wiener Akademie, and Monteverdi Choir in Europe. Mobley
will tour Australia with Bach Akademie in 2025 and perform Bach’s St. John Passion with Orchestre de Chambre de Paris at the St. Denis Festival.
Mobley has also been invited to perform with major US orchestras, including the Pittsburgh Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Washington National Symphony, and Chicago Symphony. His European appearances include collaborations with Orchester Wiener Akademie, Freiburger Barockorchester, and the Budapest Festival Orchestra. His first solo CD with ALPHA Classics, released in June 2023, won the Opus Klassik Award, with a second recording focusing on English baroque and American repertoire set for release in autumn 2024.
Photo Credit: Richard Dumas
Support for the Master Chorale of South Florida is provided by BBX Capital Foundation; the Broward County Cultural Division, the Cultural Council, and the Broward County Board of County Commissioners; Citizens Interested in Arts; the following Funds at the Community Foundation of Broward: Helen and Frank Stoykov Charitable Endowment Fund, Jan Moran Unrestricted Fund, Marlene Holder Fund for Broward, and The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation Broward Community Fund; Funding Arts Broward (FAB!); and the Warten Foundation Inc.
Pictured from left to right: Holly Strawbridge, MCSF President Emerita; Sheri Brown Grosvenor, Vice President of Community Impact, Community Foundation of Broward; Brett Karlin, Artistic Director, MCSF; Angelica Rosas, Director of Community Impact, Community Foundation of Broward; and Ron Herron, MCSF President.
Music Education - Now More Than Ever!
Providing access to music education for children with the greatest need.
Thank you Master Chorale of South Florida for your generosity and including us in your season! BRAVO! ,
Ways to Give
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The Voices of South Florida
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MCSF Bravo Circle
The MCSF Bravo Circle is a giving society of individuals who are passionate about the universal power of music and how the Master Chorale contributes to the cultural fabric of our community. Levels begin at $500, and benefits include name recognition, premium concert tickets, exclusive invites and more.
The Ensemble Society
Consider joining The Ensemble Society by making a monthly recurring gift of $20 or more to join the ranks of this special network committed to quality arts programming.
Crescendo Honor Society
Looking for a way to make a lasting impact? By including MCSF in your estate plan, you become a member of the prestigious Crescendo Honor Society, which celebrates our planned giving donors in life. Your help will ensure the legacy of our chorus for years to come.
Five Ways You Can Leave a Legacy
1. Add an MCSF bequest in a will or trust. The easiest way to leave a gift is to include MCSF in your will or in an amendment to your will or trust.
2. Make an IRA Charitable Rollover contribution (Qualified Charitable Distribution or QCD). If you are age 70.5 or older, you may make a gift up to $100,000 per year to MCSF from your IRA with no federal income tax impact, and your gift will be counted toward meeting your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). Be sure to ask your IRA administrator to make the gift directly from your IRA to MCSF.
3. Designate a testamentary gift from an IRA or pension plan. These assets are often taxed very heavily in an estate, but any portion left to charity is not taxed.
4. Give an appreciated asset. Donating appreciated assets, such as stocks, bonds, annuities, and real property can be highly advantageous both for you and MCSF. When an asset has increased in value since its purchase, you may avoid paying capital gains taxes on the appreciation by donating the asset directly. This strategy is a win-win, increasing your tax efficiency while providing signific ant financial support to MCSF.
5. Assign MCSF as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy. There are several ways to use this vehicle to make a gift that benefits us both.
For more information or a confidential, no-obligation discussion regarding your estate, please contact Mark Glickman at 954.418.6232 or plannedgiving@masterchoraleofsouthflorida.org.
