Seraphic Fire Magazine, Vol. 5, Iss. 1

2023 – 24 SEASON | VOLUME V – ISSUE 1

MAGAZINE

2022-2023 Season in Review Measuring Impact pg. 26 • Dive into Season 21 Concerts pg 10 • Artists of Season 2023-2024 pg 5 SOUTH FLORIDA’S PREMIER CHORAL ENSEMBLE

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Our Mission Seraphic Fire presents the highest quality performances of historically significant and under-performed music and advances art through the professional development, refinement, and documentation of our musicians’ talents while promoting community connectivity through educational programs.

Our Vision We strive to be the exemplar for quality contributions to professional ensemble singing in North America.

Table of Contents 4. Welcome 5. Artist Roster 10 Season 21 Preview 26. Season in Review: 20th Anniversary Season 28. Season in Review: By the Numbers 30. Season in Review: Testimonials 32. Season in Review: Financials 34. The Transformational Power of Music Education 36. Professional Choral Institute 2023 37. Our Donors 39. Administration and Board

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After a triumphant celebration of twenty years in April, I offer a hearty welcome to you all as Seraphic Fire embarks upon its third decade. Our internationally acclaimed musicians return to South Florida in November to bring you a season filled with 900 years of choral music, expertly and passionately performed by the singers and instrumentalists from across the country that you know and love.

In this issue of Seraphic Fire Magazine, you’ll find season preview articles by contributor Beth Braswell exploring the stories behind each program and sharing what makes each concert unique. We hope this volume helps you to expand your musical horizons beyond the ordinary, and prepares you for a year of engaging, joyous, and inspiring concerts.

Whether in rehearsals or in performance, our musical team of all-stars always has you, our cherished audience members, at the forefront of our charge to communicate the electric commitment we have to this incredible and refreshing music.

Thank you for your support of our artistic and educational mission, and I look forward to seeing you at Gods and Mortals in November.

Patrick Dupre Quigley Founder & Artistic Director

Welcome to the latest issue of Seraphic Fire Magazine!

You might notice this issue looks a bit different from prior ones. In Volume 5, we’re reporting to you, our supporters, about the impact of our work over the past year, and sharing some of the most exciting stories of the upcoming season. Not to worry, you can still expect an informative printed program at each concert this season.

You’ll find in these pages a roster of all the dazzling artists you can expect to hear this season. Read on for thoughtful interviews with our two guest conductors: returning Elena Sharkova, and debut Seraphic Fire conductor Ruben Valenzuela.

Our Season in Review report begins on page 26 and highlights the progress we have made over the past year toward our mission. Personally, I am especially proud that we were able to reach over 3,500 K-12 public school students through the Seraphic Fire Youth Initiative in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Collier counties. Thanks to support from our generous donors and sponsors, our education programs are making a real difference in the lives of young musicians—a difference that is exemplified through the story of Kerren Dieuveille, a former Miami Choral Academy student (pg 34).

As these pages show, Seraphic Fire continues to have an incredible impact on our community. I look forward to seeing you at a concert soon!

Lauren Schiffer Leger Director of Advancement & Grants Editor, Seraphic Fire Magazine

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Artist Roster As of September 12, 2023

Soprano Elisse Albian

Kate Lucander

Nola Richardson

Brooklyn, NY 5th Season

Naples, FL 2nd Season

New York, NY 6th Season

Jessica Beebe

Gitanjali Mathur

Margot Rood

Philadelphia, PA 3rd Season

Austin, TX 4th Season

Alexandria, VA 13th Season

Julie Bosworth

Elijah McCormack

Deborah Stephens

Baltimore, MD 1st Season

New Haven, CT 2nd Season

Ansonia, CT 2nd Season

Chelsea Helm

Sarah Moyer

Addy Sterrett

New York, NY 6th Season

Denver, CO 8th Season

Los Angeles, CA 2nd Season

Michele Kennedy

Rebecca Myers

Laura Choi Stuart

Oakland, CA 1st Season

Philadelphia, PA 10th Season

Washington, DC 3rd Season

Jane Long

Molly Quinn

Mount Vernon, WA 5th Season

Chapel Hill, NC 12th Season

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Artist Roster (Continued) As of September 12, 2023

Alto

Tenor Luthien Brackett

Gabriela Linares

Blake Beckemeyer

London, UK 10th Season

Bayamón, PR 1st Season

Indianapolis, IN 4th Season

Alexandra Colaizzi

Kate Maroney

Steven Bradshaw

Miami, FL 4th Season

Brooklyn, NY 6th Season

Philadelphia, PA 11th Season

Amanda Crider

Karen Neal

Aaron Cates

Miami, FL 13th Season

Miami, FL 4th Season

Washington, DC 3rd Season

Doug Dodson

Clara Osowski

Brad Diamond

Atlanta, GA 10th Season

Minneapolis, MN 8th Season

Sterrett, AL 12th Season

William Duffy

Michael Skarke

Haitham Haidar

Montréal, QC 4th Season

Houston, TX 1st Season

Montréal, QC 1st Season

Kimberly Leeds

Gabriela Estephanie Solís

Boston, MA 5th Season

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Philadelphia, PA 3rd Season

Bass Michael Jones

Eric Alatorre

Devon Russo

Los Angeles, CA 2nd Season

San Francisco, CA 5th Season

Providence, RI 1st Season

Patrick Kilbride

James K. Bass

Ian Schipper

Reston, VA 3rd Season

Associate Conductor Los Angeles, CA 21st Season

Los Angeles, CA 1st Season

David Pelino

John Buffett

Daniel Schwartz

Gainesville, FL 1st Season

Los Angeles, CA 12th Season

Philadelphia, PA 1st Season

James Reese

Steven Eddy

Christopher Talbot

Philadelphia, PA 7th Season

Collingswood, NJ 8th Season

Philadelphia, PA 2nd Season

Gregório Taniguchi

Luc Kleiner

Jonathan Woody

Brooklyn, NY 3rd Season

Los Angeles, CA 2nd Season

Brooklyn, NY 3rd Season

Edmund Milly New York, NY 2nd Season

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Artist Roster (Continued) As of September 12, 2023

Flute

Melanie Ferrabone

Jennifer Grim

Juanmanuel Lopez

Miami, FL

Miami, FL

Boca Raton, FL

Anna Lee Marsh

Elizabeth Lu

Tacoma, WA

Miami, FL

Joe Monticello

Timpani

Keyboard Aya Hamada New York, NY

Trumpet Jafetz Diaz Martin

Miami, FL

Leon Schelhase

Boca Raton, FL

Philadelphia, PA

Oboe

Matthew Montelione

David Dickey

Coral Springs, FL

New York, NY

Kendra Hawley Miami, FL

Lute John Lenti Seattle, WA

Horn Megan Riccio Miami, FL

Violin Claudia Cagnassone Boca Raton, FL

Bassoon Gabriel Beavers Miami, FL

Stan Spinola Miami, FL

Renée Hemsing Boston, MA

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Katie Hyun

Karen Lord-Powell

New York, NY

Miami, FL

Cello Aaron Merritt Miami, FL

Chloe Fedor

Avi Nagin

New York, NY

Miami, FL

Sarah Stone New York, NY

Susannah Foster

Edson Scheid

New York, NY

New York, NY

Double Bass Jeff Adkins West Palm Beach, FL

Jeffrey Girton New York, NY

Viola Stephen Goist New York, NY

Jessica Powell Eig Chevy Chase, MD

Dina Kostic Miami, FL

Carl Larson Nashville, TN

Orin Laursen Miami, FL

Kyle Miller New York, NY

Isabelle Seula Lee New York, NY

To read full artist bios, please visit SeraphicFire.org/Artists

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Season 21 Preview Contributor Beth Braswell talks to the conductors of our 2023-2024 Season to discover the exciting stories behind the music.

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Castor et Pollux a masterful example of

orchestration and harmony French media proclaimed Rameau ‘the god of harmony’ Nearing the ripe age of 50, Jean-Philippe Rameau, who had served as an organist in provincial cathedrals for most of his life, began writing operas.

Rameau’s in-depth understanding and adroit application of harmony characterized his work and shook the denizens of Paris, creating a near insurrection. While many recognized his prowess and visionary acuity, others dismissed his work as ‘a lot of noise.’

Therefore, it is not surprising that Rameau’s third opera, Castor et Pollux, was met with animosity from conservative critics when it debuted in 1737. His work was revolutionary for the time as he tested the limits of tragédie lyrique, exploring various subject matters, displaying deep emotions, and utilizing dissonant harmonies.

In the early 1750s, Parisians were debating and comparing the merits of French opera versus Italian opera; specifically, a new Italian touring company that was the current rage.

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Rameau revised and unveiled the new Castor et Pollux in 1754, adding three new Italianate ariettes. This 1754 version is also much shorter, eliminating the prologue and featuring a new Act One created to set the story’s background and introduce the love triangle between the twin mythological brothers, which is the driver of the plot. In its new form, the public was united in agreement that the work was a piece of genius. Later, the great French Romantic composer and conductor Louis-Hector Berlioz would contend that the aria in Act One, Tristes apprêts, was “the sublimest conceptions of dramatic music.”

Outside of France, there are few performances of Castor et Pollux, and the majority that are presented reflect the 1754 version. Seraphic Fire will enable their audience to experience the rarelyperformed original arrangement from 1737, which many consider to be the more daring of the two compositions.

Seraphic Fire co-founder and artistic director, Patrick Dupre Quigley describes the extensive planning process: “We’re creating our own parts and score for this performance. Deep appreciation goes to our conducting fellow from the University of Miami, P. Wesley Roy, who researched the earliest public editions of this work to create this performance edition for Seraphic Fire. This is a fiveact opera with a prologue that we are cutting to 40 minutes.”

Quigley went on to describe what the audience will experience: “We are performing the prologue from the early version; it’s bright and cheery, although it’s unrelated to the story. Instead, it celebrates the end of the War of the

Hélène délivrée par Castor et Pollux, Jean-Bruno Gassies

Polish Succession, in which France had been involved. Venus, Cupid, and Minerva are able to convince Mars to adopt peace instead of war, and they sing about the glory. The chorus is prominent in this opera and represents a broad spectrum of voices: from demons to mourners to the good spirits of the Elysian Fields. It’s illustrative music that is both homophonic and contrapuntal. His work makes significant technical demands on the performers.

Our audience will find that the sound of French music is very different from Italian or English.”

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The

Sound

Season of the

A Seraphic Fire Christmas celebrates the best of the ensemble’s recordings Mark your calendar now because A Seraphic Fire Christmas always draws a packed house for this unique holiday experience!

December’s program is a celebration of Seraphic Fire’s Christmas history featuring the “best of the best” from each of our four Christmas recordings. Our audience will be quick to pick up on their favorites. Seraphic Fire artists will be performing a piece that we haven’t done in years, Victoria – O magnum mysterium. That text is so important to Christmas - the magnificent mystery of the birth of Christ. We’ll include many audience favorites opening with O Come, O Come Emmanuel and including Carol of the Bells, also known as the Ukrainian Bell Carol and an absolute must: Jesus Christ the Apple Tree. When we first introduced this carol to South Florida, the majority of our audience had never heard it, and now it is such a

favorite that we would have a fullon revolution on our hands if we didn’t perform it.

Our new Christmas CD, appropriately named “The Apple Tree,” represents 11 years of Christmas recordings. One of the goals we were trying to achieve on the new Christmas recording was to capture the intimate atmosphere the audience experiences when they walk into the candlelit sanctuary and are surrounded by 13 a cappella voices singing such magnificent and meaningful music.

We can’t wait to hear your feedback because we think we got it right.

James K. Bass Associate Conductor

The Apple Tree Bring home the magic of A Seraphic Fire Christmas concert in our latest studio album.

Out November 17, 2023 Purchase on

Stream on

The Avant-Garde Conducting World of

Elena Sharkova

In 1993, Elena left Russia and arrived in the United States with a vision of expanding her opportunities in conducting. As a director of choirs and orchestras, university professor, and music editor, she brings innovative ideas that have impacted the students, artists, and audiences she has touched. Today, she is Artistic Director of Cantabile Youth Singers of Silicon Valley and Music Director of Symphony Silicon Valley Chorale.

Q: This is your third appearance with Seraphic Fire. What are you most excited about?

A: I’ve worked with quite a few professional choirs all over the world and there’s nothing like Seraphic Fire. These are my favorite people. They are as loving and kind and grateful as they are artistic and intelligent. Each one is a unique artist. Hands down, the most exciting proposition I ever received as a conductor was when Patrick [Quigley] said I could put together any program that I wanted. I went crazy. Because most everybody wants me to conduct only Russian music. The generation of female conductors ahead of me broke the mold by being “invited.” My generation is breaking the mold of women conducting only women.

Q: Your program, In Her Own Voice, features female composers and librettists; is this a program you had performed previously?

A: I have never done a program like this before. I am having the greatest time. I am like a kid in a candy shop discovering all these female composers that I didn’t know much about; some I had never listened to their music. In the beginning, I felt guilty that I had never done this work before. The more I dug, the more I realized the plethora

of incredible musicians and the embarrassment of riches. I did not know there were so many. How is it that we are not singing their music all the time?

Q: How did you finally whittle down that long list to the pieces you absolutely felt you had to share with our audience?

A: I am such a sucker for really beautiful music; not just music that is sweet and calming. For me, beautiful means incredibly well composed; a piece that is aesthetically fantastic. For me, the music must speak even if I do not understand the words. For this program, I was looking for a combination of music and words that would be stunning.

Q: How do you hope that the artists grow from performing this music?

A: For some of our artists, a few of these composers will be completely new. Often, artists are asked to sing the same types of programs in the same style. In this program, they are asked to constantly switch gears. Storytelling is like a quilt. You look at it and say, “what a gorgeous thing.” All the pieces are different, but it’s the way they are stitched together. They complement each other. Instead of saying “oh, that’s weird,” one of the thrilling parts is how we are subjected to different centuries and from Iceland to Cuba.

That’s a challenge and excitement!

Q: Can you translate what you mean by the program title: In Her Own Voice?

A: We are so used to hearing stories of women, the history of women, expressed by men, whether they are composers or lyricists. Don’t speak for us; we have our own words.

What if we spoke in our own voice of how we feel and how we think?

We want to hear the woman talk about how she feels, how she prays, how she cries, and how she breaks the rules.

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(From left to right: Domenico Scarlatti, Alessandro Scarlatti, Franz Joseph Haydn, Lady Emma Hamilton)

Enlightenment Festival 2024 Political Intrigue in the 18th-Century and a Naples Connection

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“ We’re performing music, some of which has never been heard live in Miami. It is unique to us and really gives our audience a sense of the vast breadth of musical history. And the voices we have cast in this concert put an exclamation point on its singularity.” Patrick Dupre Quigley During our annual Enlightenment Festival, we strive to shed light on composers and works that are lesser known but still had a great impact on music history. Two back-to-back weeks of concerts allow concert-goers to immerse themselves in the stories and music of a set period of time. This year, we look at impactful music in Europe during the 18th century.

A Scarlatti Family Affair in week one of the festival will focus on

the significant influence of the Scarlattis. The first musical family of Naples, Italy, which, at the time, was hailed as the capital of culture for Europe. Both Alessandro, (father), and Domenico, (son), were musically influential, particularly in Neapolitan opera and the style of singing of the era. When the Spanish throne took over the Kingdom of Naples, the music of the Scarlattis and their students was subsequently published all over the world. So much so that it surfaced

as far away as 18th-century Cuba, having an effect on composers like Esteban Salas.

Alessandro Scarlatti is credited with establishing the Neapolitan School of Opera and the Italian form of the opera overture. In opposition to the Spanish domination of Naples, he left the city in 1702.

With the patronage of Fernando de Medici, he composed many operas for Medici’s private theatre near Florence. Alessandro Scarlatti

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is noted for his skill at thematic development and chromatic harmony, influencing the work of composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Schubert.

Domenico Scarlatti composed a variety of music including operas, oratorios, and sacred music. The younger Scarlatti began his career as an organist at the Royal Chapel in Naples when he was only 16 years old. Then, in 1709, he was commissioned into service for the exiled queen of Poland, Marie Casimire, where he met the famous German composer George Frideric Handel. Cardinal Ottoboni pitted Scarlatti and Handel in a trial of skill where Scarlatti was ultimately judged to be better than Handel at the harpsichord, but Handel was superior on the organ.

Only a small number of Domenico’s compositions were published during his lifetime, and he is most remembered for his 555 short sonatas for harpsichord, written originally as technical exercises.

These works were admired by Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms, and Béla Bartók, and are known by piano students everywhere. Scarlatti went on to teach music to Maria Magdalena Barbara, a Portuguese princess, and served the Spanish Royalty till his death in 1757.

Also in Naples in the 18th century were Sir William Hamilton, British envoy to Naples, and his wife Lady Emma Hamilton, who was a close friend and advisor of the queen of Naples. The beguiling Lady Hamilton and her affair with war

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hero Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson are central in the story of the concert that inspired week two of the Enlightenment Festival.

The story begins with Franz Joseph Haydn, exhausted, ill, and under pressure to produce a composition to mark the saint’s name day of the Esterházy princess. In the previous year, Napoleon had defeated the Austrian armies, threatened Vienna.

Then, his troops broke through the allied naval blockade with a vision of overpowering Egypt and destroying England’s trade routes.

With those events in mind, Haydn produced his mass, Missa in Angustiis (Mass in a Time of Anxiety). Throughout the six movements, the music portrays a variety of moods, emotions, and styles: from exuberant praise to quiet meditation. Prince Esterházy had dismissed the court wind players to fight in the war and, even with his limited ensemble enhanced by a few hired trumpets and timpani, Haydn created an illustrative and engaging sound world.

While he was feverishly composing, Haydn was unaware that the British, under the leadership of Admiral Nelson, had miraculously defeated Napoleon in the Battle of the Nile.

As victor, Nelson was heralded as the ”savior of Europe.” At the same time, there were rampant whispers of a scandal involving Lord Nelson, who had virtually tossed away his wife to bestow his affection on the much younger actress/singer/ model, Lady Hamilton (who was also married). After his battlefield success and subsequent recovery in Italy, Nelson returned overland to England from Naples, accompanied

by Sir William Hamilton and the aforementioned Lady Hamilton, and stopped in Austria for a celebration of concerts, dances, and receptions in their honor. Nelson was in the audience as the Te Deum and the Mass were performed. Haydn had also composed a brief, but dramatic cantata for keyboard, Lines from the Battle of the Nile, for Lady Hamilton to sing during the concert. Nelson, Lady Hamilton, and Haydn reportedly became friends; some accounts say that Admiral Nelson gave Haydn a gold watch in exchange for the pen he used to compose Lady Hamilton’s cantata.

Napoleon’s defeat impacted the way that the Mass was subsequently interpreted. The ominous opening leading into the drama that followed became a depiction of danger which was overcome with a victorious celebration. Its commonly referenced name, “Lord Nelson Mass,” hails from this specific historical visit to Palais Esterházy in September 1798.

CELEBRATING

40 YEARS OF THE ARTS

Watch anytime with PBS Passport

Last year Seraphic Fire Youth Initiative served over 3,500 public school students throughout South Florida.

Learn more about our robust education programs and how to support them at SeraphicFire.org/Education

Chatting with

Ruben Valenzuela

‘Dramatic and vibrant' and 'able to unlock the true power of Baroque music’ — SanDiegoStory.com

Q: Can you describe the musical journey that ultimately led you to being a conductor of Baroque music?

A: Like many young kids, I took piano lessons. My parents are quite a musical family and big churchgoers. I grew up in church on the piano, and I switched to the organ because that was an instrument that intrigued me. In church, there were always choirs around. When I got to college, there was no question I was going to pursue music. There was nothing else I was interested in. My focus was organ, but still, I sang in the college choirs, and I was the accompanist when needed. This led to a really deep love for 17th- and 18th-century music.

At that time, there were no classes that I took that dealt specifically with the performance of Baroque music. I sought out mentors who had been involved in this music, and I attached myself to them.

I was like a sponge; listening to recordings, going to concerts. Did I pursue a traditional conducting path degree? Nothing of that sort.

I was coming at it from a deepseated love of the music and working with really, really fabulous musicians along the way who taught me a whole lot about music, music making, how to lead an ensemble, what works, and what doesn't.

Q: How did you choose this particular repertoire for your Seraphic Fire debut?

A: I had just returned from the Bach Festival in Leipzig, Germany where

I heard an ensemble doing two of the selections from this collection by the composer Johann Hermann Schein. I was completely awestruck.

It was at that very moment that Patrick reached out asking what would I like to do for the program.

I've long been interested in the predecessors of Bach. Of course, Bach overshadows everybody just before him and just after him. And, for a while, I've been wondering what makes this composer tick?

What were his influences? A composer whose name comes up is Schein, who happened to be a direct predecessor of Bach at the church, St. Thomas of Leipzig.

text awareness, and how the music responds to the texts very expressively. Listen in Da Jakob vollendat hatte: The incredibly expressive moments and musical devices that Schein uses are not unlike some of the same principles that Bach uses a century later in a very slightly different way.

In Schein’s time, Italian music was really at the very forefront of what it meant to be a composer; the pinnacle of how you composed music, whether sacred or secular.

Schein is able to bring Italian music and fuse it with German music.

I find this music to be incredibly expressive and it’s not often that you get to hear it. Patrick caught me just at the right moment to share this music with South Florida.

Q: I understand that you will be conducting from the keyboard.

Does that pose a challenge for you and the artists?

A: The conductor's role of today did not exist in this time. This is chamber music at its very best, and I'm just one of the participants in this small group. This music is incredibly democratic. If you have fine musicians around you - and of course, Seraphic Fire always bring the best - the music becomes an exercise where everybody has input. That’s absolutely critical in this music. I'm there to lead, but I'm certainly not there to conduct and so you won't see me waving my arms like a traditional conductor.

Q: In addition to Johann Hermann Schein, you have included music by Johann Christoph Bach. Why pair these two composers?

A: J.C. Bach, Johann Christoph Bach, is one of Bach's older cousins.

J.S. Bach would have been very well aware of his music when he was in his teens. The meeting ground for J.C. Bach and Schein is their treatment of text and very acute sense of text painting,

If you're a concert goer and you look at the program, you're thinking: ‘I see some guy named Schein and I see the name Bach in there, but it's not J.S, it’s some other Bach. I'm not sure about this.’ Rest assured, this is some of the best music you've never heard of.

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Mid-Century Modern

Art responds to the state of the world

Most people have heard the term ‘Mid-Century Modern’ and likely associate it with architecture and furniture design aesthetics. From the mid-1940s to the late 1960s, there was quite a dramatic pendulum swing away from the Victorian age which featured heavy woods, finials, and excessive ornamentation. The mid-century modern style focused on clean lines, lots of open space, little to no embellishments, and lots of glass and light for a better integration with nature. “Form ever follows function,” said architect Louis Sullivan. There are many theories about how the mental and emotional upheaval which transpired during World War II influenced this dramatic shift in architecture and art. The war had engulfed the entire world with an unprecedented

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experience that left people with a different mindset about what was important in life.

“Patrick called me and said, ‘I know you love mid-century modern, would you be interested in putting together a program’ Are you kidding me? Absolutely! I love the cleanness and simplicity of mid-century architecture and some of these musical selections follow that same aesthetic.

The program is like looking through a microscope to see the radically changing cultural and social experience of classical music in the ‘50s and ‘60s.”

–James K. Bass, Associate Conductor

Seraphic Fire’s Mid-Century Modern program features pieces composed between 1947 and 1974. There is another term important to know: the Age of Anxiety, also post-World War II. This Age of Anxiety escalated in the 1950s when the real possibility of nuclear escalation was constantly in the forefront, with air-raid sirens being erected and nuclear bomb drills in schools.

Bass explains his musical selections: “Some of these musical arrangements in the program deal with that anxiety. One set, by African American composers from 1952–1962, has a very different angle: expectant and hopeful. I put them on this program to show the diverse approach composers took in relating to the world situation around them.”

Two movements of William Schuman’s “Carols of Death,” were written right after the war in 1949. Schuman used a text by the American poet Walt Whitman portraying Whitman’s feelings about the devastation caused by the Civil War, emotionally similar post-war eras. These are two amazingly deep introspectives about the meaning of life: To the Unknown Region and To All, to Each..

Equally self-reflective, the program features compositions by the American composer, Samuel Barber.

A composer from the age of 7, Barber had a gift for setting interesting text to emotionally moving music.

Barber shared insights about his composing philosophy: “I can only say that I myself wrote always as I wished without a tremendous desire to find the latest thing possible.”

Seraphic Fire artists will perform two pieces which are mid-century modern settings of ancient texts, and these same words have been set by many composers. The audience will get a rare opportunity to compare a 17thcentury setting of Weep, O Mine Eyes to one composed 300 years later.

“A fascinating and surreal piece we will perform, Epitaph for Moonlight, explores interesting and new ways to notate music – how you actually write it,” said Bass.

“Essentially the symbols and systems that we use as musicians have not really changed much in 800 years – the stems, the lines, the note heads – there’s been very little evolution. But, composers in the ‘50s and ‘60s decided to start using a method that could potentially elicit different types of sounds from singers. This graphic notation of symbols, dots, and shapes required the

singer to follow the shape. The piece is read left to right, but it takes place mainly by counting time rather than by counting rhythm – so the singer would ‘do this for six seconds’ instead of six quarter notes.”

“Epitaph for Moonlight is the piece I am most excited about performing.” Bass explained further: “The composer, William Schafer, also conducted a social experiment with seventh-grade children and asked them to write down sounds or words in a private language that made them think of moonlight. It was a completely different way of thinking about music. That coincides with architects of the time – what if we don’t put bricks on the outside of the house, what if we only use glass?”

When Schafer was asked about the title of his piece, he responded: “In 1969, American astronauts landed on the moon to the excitement of the whole world. But something died then. No longer would the moon be a luminous and mythogenic symbol; it threatened to become a piece of property covered with neon. That hasn’t happened yet, but in today’s polluted cities with their twenty-four-hour glare, no one even notices the moon anymore. The moon is dead. I saw her die.”

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SEASON IN REVIEW 23-24

A Look Back at Our 20th Anniversary Season August

Seraphic Fire Digital Library launches Professional Choral Institute at Aspen Music Festival takes place

December A Seraphic Fire Christmas brings holiday spirit across South Florida with 2 weeks of concerts Seraphic Fire tours to Grafton, VT

September

Our latest CD, The Apple Tree, was recorded in Bower Chapel in Naples

New Seraphic Fire website launches

October

Seraphic Education Workshop on Rogers & Hammerstein takes place at 12 schools across South Florida

Choral Education Residency at Spanish Lake Elementary and Bent Tree Elementary begins

November

Season opening program Love | War features madrigals of Monteverdi Give Miami Day raises $19,946

December education concerts take place in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Naples

January Guest conductor Jason Max Ferdinand debuts with Seraphic Fire in Old | New A Seraphic Fire Education Workshop on Cuban music takes place at 12 schools across South Florida DeVos Institute joins Seraphic Fire for interim management & strategic planning

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SEASON IN REVIEW 23-24

April

A Seraphic Fire Youth Initiative Workshop on a cappella music takes place at 12 schools across South Florida Seraphic Fire performs Carmina Burana with New World Symphony and local choral groups at the Arsht Center to a sold out crowd

February

Enlightenment Festival presents 2 weeks of Bach in the programs Life | Death and Beginning | End

Ensemble Artist Program students from UCLA Herb Albert School of Music join in Beginning | End The second annual High School Master Class takes place at Florida International University with Miami Norland Senior High School and Miami Senior High School

20th Anniversary concert First | Last includes 5 Seraphic Fire commissioned pieces, 4 of which are world premieres Frost School of Music Ensemble Ibis and Ensemble Artist Program students from Frost School of Music and UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music join the professional ensemble in First | Last Spring education concerts take place in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Naples

May

Seraphic Fire performs Haydn’s The Creation with Robert Spano and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

March

Sacred | Profane with guest conductor Maria Guinand features Spanish-language choral music

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SEASON IN REVIEW 23-24

Season by the Numbers

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Seraphic Fire performed in

12 cities in 4 states

in the 2022-2023 Season

CONCERTS

ATTENDANCE Love | War

505

A Seraphic Fire Christmas Old | New

2,252 847

Enlightenment Festival Sacred | Profane First | Last

1,471 795 1,021

98 6,891 482K 790K

ARTISTS EMPLOYED

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TOTAL ATTENDEES

YOUTUBE VIEWS

SPOTIFY STREAMS

SEASON IN REVIEW 23-24

EDUCATION IMPACT Program

Participants

SFYI: Elementary Workshops

1,650

SFYI: Education concerts

1,925

Pre-Concert Conversations

908

SFYI: Choral Education Residency

75

High School Master Class

55

Professional Choral Institute

28

Ensemble Artist Program

16

University of Miami Residency Programs

3

Total

4,460 participants

SERAPHIC FIRE YOUTH INITIATIVE DEMOGRAPHICS

Other 2%

Hispanic 87%

White, non hispanic 4% Black 7%

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SEASON IN REVIEW 23-24

Presenting the highest quality performances of historically significant and under-performed music…. “ An evening with Seraphic

“ We are so fortunate to have

“ Seraphic Fire…

Fire always lifts one out of

access to this caliber of

sounded glorious…

the mundane.”

performance. The skill and

it was spellbinding.”

knowledge of these members

on Berlioz Requiem

– Seraphic Fire Patron

is extraordinary.”

– Seraphic Fire Patron

“ I was there with my two sons

“ Prepared by director Patrick

in their twenties and they said it transformed them.

“ With trumpets blazing, the

I sat and thought I was

concluding chorale was

listening to angels singing.”

festive, indeed, Quigley

– Seraphic Fire Patron on First | Last: 20th Anniversary Concert

Dupre Quigley, the Seraphic Fire singers supplied wellfocused delivery.”

unleashing his artists at full force. The entire concert marked a new level of artistry and impeccable ensemble

“ Absolutely transcendent.

I have been around high-

performance for Miami’s unique and versatile choir.”

level music making all my life and have never

on Beginning | End

before experienced what I experienced in this concert.”

– Seraphic Fire Patron on First | Last: 20th Anniversary Concert

Scan to Listen to Spem in alium from First | Last 30

SEASON IN REVIEW 23-24

… and promoting community connectivity through education programs.

“ I remember standing on the risers twitching with excitement. I was next to three Seraphic Fire singers, but when we sang, our voices felt like one voice, and the connection I felt with everyone on that stage was absolutely wonderful and unique. It inspired me to be a better musician and I hope every young artist can experience something like this at least once in their lives. It was one of the reasons I decided to pursue a career in music education at Frost School of Music.”

– Meli Aguila, High School Master Class Participant

“ [Wendy Chen Gunther, Seraphic Fire Choral Education Residency Teacher] sings and plays

“ My experience with Seraphic Fire was amazing for

different instruments for the kids, making it fun

many reasons. Reason 1 is that we were able to learn

and engaging, yet she's very firm with what her

new techniques to sing better. Reason 2 is that every

goals are with the students. She played the ukulele,

song we did had different emotions such as happy,

and she taught them songs so they could introduce

sad, mad, excited. Reason 3 is that I learned a lot of

themselves in Hawaiian. We also play recorders, and

things such as the postures singers have to sing good.”

it's just been really special to watch her interact with

– Christian

the children. They're making great progress.”

– Jackson Bunn, Music Specialist at Spanish Lakes Elementary

“ Performing alongside the members of Seraphic Fire and being held to the same standard helped me to quickly improve and understand expectations and what skills and dedication this profession takes.”

– Ensemble Artist Program Student

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SEASON IN REVIEW 23-24

2022-2023 Financials STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES

FY23 (in thousands)

FY22 (in thousands)

$2,037

$1,881

Ticket sales and other earned revenues

$517

$306

Individual Contributions

$657

$674

Government Grants

$506

$323

$0

$254

$357

$324

$2,016

$1,784

Artistic Programs

$923

$838

Administrative & Operational Cost

$737

$591

Education Programs

$159

$101

Fundraising

$38

$102^

Marketing

$137

$152

Net Surplus/Deficit

$21

$97

Revenues

COVID-19 Emergency Support Private Grants Expenses

^Fundraising in FY22 included $70K for a Planning & Feasibility Study for a potential capital and endowment campaign.

REVENUE

EXPENSES

Ticket sales and other earned revenue 25% Private Grants 18%

Artistic Programs 46% Marketing 7% Fundraising 2% Education Programs 8%

$2,037,621 Government Grants 25%

$2,016,843 Administrative & Operational Costs 37%

Individual Contributions 32%

PROGRAM SUPPORT (contributions by designated fund) Seraphic Fire Youth Initiative 8% $168,760 Professional Choral Institute 4% $74,853

Annual Fund 88% $1,793,599

The information above reflects the FY23 unaudited financials. For our most recent audit, please visit SeraphicFire.org/About

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Will you consider a gift to Seraphic Fire?

Your support makes it possible for Seraphic Fire to present more than 40 performances annually for an audience of 6,000 throughout South Florida and nationally. Your donation further supports a robust series of education programs serving over 3,500 K-12 public school students annually, in addition to professional training programs in partnership with leading universities.

Earned income from ticket sales and performance fees only covers 40% of the expenses to present the highest quality performances of historically significant and underperformed music. We rely on donors like you to bring the nation’s finest vocalists and instrumentalists here to South Florida to perform one-of-akind concerts, to keep ticket prices affordable, and to inspire the next generation of musicians and music lovers.

Please consider a gift to help ensure another year of beautiful music and impactful educational experiences.

Learn more about donor levels and benefits by visiting SeraphicFire.org/Support

Support Seraphic Fire  Yes! I would like to support Seraphic Fire with an enclosed gift of $________________.  Yes! I would like to support Seraphic Fire with a recurring monthly credit card contribution of $________________/ month.  Yes! I would like to support the Seraphic Fire education programs with an enclosed gift of $________________.

Name: _______________________________________________________________ Phone: ______________________________________ Billing Address:_______________________________________________________ City/State/Zip: _______________________________ Donor Recognition Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Payment options  enclosed check payable to Seraphic Fire Charge my:  Visa

 MasterCard

 American Express

 Discover

Card Number: ________________________________________________________Exp. Date: ____________________________________ Signature: ___________________________________________________________ Security Code: ________________________________ Donate online at SeraphicFire.org/Support or return this form with your check or credit card information in the enclosed pre-addressed envelope to: Seraphic Fire, Inc. | 2153 Coral Way, Ste. 401 | Miami, FL 33145 | 305.285.9060 Seraphic Fire is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the Florida Division of Consumer Services. A copy of its official registration (#CH19599) and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling toll-free 1.800.435.7352 within the state or by visiting FloridaConsumerHelp.com. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state. The FEIN/Tax ID number for Seraphic Fire, Inc. is 20-0725426.

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The Transformational Power of Music Education

By Beth Braswell and Lauren Schiffer Leger

Many patrons may be somewhat familiar with the Seraphic Fire Youth Initiative which now features choral education residency, in-school workshops, and education concerts. But the roots of this highly successful program started much earlier, in 2010, when Patrick Quigley hired Shawn Crouch, who was a very successful Pulitzer Prize-nominated composer in New York, to come to Miami to create a life-changing youth music program, the Miami Choral Academy (MCA).

Kerren as a Miami Choral Academy student

“We used to talk about the transformative power of music, that it has more than entertainment value, that it has more potential,” said Crouch. “This is part of our mission, to really find the students who would not have these music opportunities” he said. “And we can change lives. Literally change lives.”

The crux of the plan was to ensure that music education was not only available but actually an integral part of the lives of elementary school children, specifically those in Title 1 low-income schools. Brett Karlin, the director of MCA after Crouch reflects on the program, “We rehearsed with the students twice a week, two hours each time. We bussed students from four different elementary schools to one central location, a Presbyterian church in Miami Shores.” Students learned how to read music and Solfege hand symbols. They learned and sang in multiple languages: Haitian Creole, French, German, Spanish, and Italian. “Word got out that Miami Choral Academy was a special program that was changing the lives of students through the power of music,” said Karlin. “Their sound was quite mature and seriously good.”

Fast forward to today. It takes time, but the seeds planted during the Miami Choral Academy are coming to fruition. No one demonstrates this as well as Kerren Dieuveille. Kerren was a student in Seraphic Fire’s Miami Choral Academy as an elementary and middle schooler. “Miami Choral Academy came to my school and offered students an opportunity to sing for their choir. I was so excited!” Kerren remembers, “I couldn’t believe I get to sing after school! My teacher even said you can make singing your job and I was thinking, ‘I can do this for work?!’”

“There were some students that were so attached and invested in the program that we allowed them to continue into middle school,” Karlin recalls. “Kerren Dieuveille was one of those special students – even as an elementary student, she demonstrated an enormous individual selfsufficiency as a musician and talented singer.”

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Kerren in singing in an opera in college

With encouragement from teachers like Karlin, Kerren auditioned for and was accepted to the choral magnet program at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School. “Mr. Karlin helped me prepare for my high school audition because I wanted to go to a performing arts high school.” Her love for music continued to develop throughout her secondary education and the connections she made with Seraphic Fire lasted. “I worked hard in high school and reached out to Mr. Karlin again for his help with college. It’s funny how he’s kind of popped up along my journey at different points, even after the program.”

“I told my parents I wanted to go to college and major in music. They were so supportive.” Since then, Kerren earned an associate’s degree in vocal performance at Miami-Dade College and a bachelor’s degree in music from Rollins College. “Now, I am a first-generation college grad and planning to continue my education in grad school, specifically in classical music. I could plan for a different career, but I wouldn’t be as happy as I am in music.”

When asked if her current success would have been possible without Miami Choral Academy, Kerren quickly says, “Doubtful. I wouldn’t have had the chance to sing otherwise.” An opportunity to participate in a chorus as an elementary schooler changed the course of this young singer’s life. That is the power of music.

To learn more about Seraphic Fire’s education programs and how to support them, visit SeraphicFire.org/Education

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Professional Choral Institute 2023 Seraphic Fire’s Professional Choral Institute (PCI) offers a two-week intensive performance and masterclass programs for singers and choral conductors designed to prepare students to work in the professional choral music industry.

PCI 2023 took place at Aspen Music Festival and School in Aspen, Colorado.

23 PCI students gained the insights, skills, and connections to take the next steps on their professional choral journeys, while encountering repertoire and experiences representative of many of the paths available to professional ensemble artists.

Some PCI highlights included: • Rehearsals and masterclasses in the lovely Snowmass Chapel •

Morning conducting topic intensives for conducting fellows

•

A lawn career panel with Patrick Dupre Quigley featuring three Seraphic Fire artists: Elisse Albian (PCI 2019), Dr. Alexandra Colaizzi (PCI 2018), and Aaron Cates (PCI 2018)

•

Student solo performances in masterclasses and in the annual church music practicum

•

Sessions with vocal faculty, including a masterclasses on “step-out” ensemble solos with John Buffet, on vocal care and maintenance with Dr. Brad Diamond, and on pursuing a varied career with Amanda Crider

•

Opera chorus immersion for a performance of Mozart’s Idomeneo with Aspen Opera Theater and VocalArts

•

An in-depth session on ensemble recording and the recorded history of Seraphic Fire with Dr. James K. Bass

•

Exploring the great outdoors and taking in the stunning surroundings on hikes and nature walks

•

A recital of choral music at Snowmass Chapel

•

Performing with Aspen Music Festival Orchestra and conductor Robert Spano in Haydn’s The Creation.

Learn more about PCI and how to support it at SeraphicFire.org/Education

Seraphic Fire’s education programs are made possible in part by our generous sponsors:

Seraphic Fire is funded by The Children’s Trust. The Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County.

Seraphic Fire Education Programs are endowed in perpetuity by The Clinton Family Fund Education Endowment with generous additional support from The Hutson-Wiley Echevarria Foundation.

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Our Donors

For donations between January 2022 and September 2023 Legacy Society Anonymous Dr. Clinton Bush Suzanne Floyd Patti & Dennis Klein Marilyn A. Moore Dr. Audrey Ross Ruth & Marvin † Sackner Cliff Whittle & Scott Cumming Founder’s Circle: $50,000+ Anonymous The Clinton Family Fund, Bruce and Martha Clinton § Dunspaugh-Dalton Foundation § FAN Artistic Works Addressing and Rethinking Equity Initiative Hutson-Wiley Echevarria Foundation § Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs § State of Florida Division of Arts & Culture National Sponsor: $20,000-$49,999 Dr. Thomas C. Boyd § Robert R. Brinker & Nancy S. Fleischman Nirupa Chaudhari & Steve Roper Funding Arts Network Meredyth Anne Dasburg Foundation Martha R. Davis & Alix Ritchie Jane Hurt § The Kirk Foundation § Miami-Dade County Youth Enrichment Program National Endowment of the Arts Quest Foundation § Mel and Barbara VanderBrug Underwriter $10,000-$19,999 Broward County Cultural Division Harry F. Duncan Foundation § Funding Arts Broward Martha Rogers Haas & Pamela Poulous Diana Hammerstein Marilyn & Bernie Horowitz Key Biscayne Community Foundation Ana & Raul Marmol Miami Beach Cultural Affairs Council Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Program Peacock Foundation, Inc. § Patrick Quigley & Rob Peccola § Margaret A. Rolando Susan & Karl Shell Sophia Sieczkowski & Joel Krauss Leonard Smith, in honor of Patrick Quigley § David L. Webb & Lynn McLaughlin §

Maestro Circle: $5,000-$9,999 A. Peter Burleigh City of Coral Gables Coral Gables Community Foundation P. R. Farnsworth & J.C. Gill James † and Billie Hairston J. Megan Kelly Priscilla & Steve Kutler Charles L. Marshall, Jr. & Richard L. Tooke Marilyn A. Moore Elizabeth Newman & John Tillson Daniel Perron & Jonathan Hogg Peter and Sara Rutenberg Sara Solomon The Stonesifer Kinsley Family Fund Deborah & Michael Troner Allan Yudacufski & Mark Mandel § Charles Sacher Williamson Cadillac-Buick-GMC WLRN Public Radio 91.3 FM Sponsor: $2,500-$4,999 Anonymous Anonymous in honor of Joanne Schulte Marcelo & Betty Alvarez William Bonn & Ruben Ceballos Alicia Celorio, Do Unto Others Trust, Inc. Marilyn Connolly Gerhard Dahl Kenneth Easterling & Diego Cardenas Enterprise Holdings, on behalf of Christopher Pennant § Maria & John Farrey § Jonathan J. Flores & Brian Levey Suzanne Floyd § Taffy Gould in memory of Marvin and Ruth Sackner Dr. Joe & Janus Greer Susie & George O. Knapp III Lyza Latham & Mark Kutzleb Dr. John Martin Foundation Diane Rahman Luis Ramirez & Kimberly Thompson Frank & Susan Salinger Cultural Initiative Maeve Anne Sandiford Daniel & Ileana Sayre JJ Schmidt Alice & Joe Smith Nina Webber Patron: $1,000-$2,499 Ronnie Arad Daniel Ayers & Tony Seguino Misty & Alvaro Bermudez Margrit & Roger Bernstein Kristi Bettendorf Sylvia Blau

Bonnie Blomberg Bruce Bolton Fredric & Joanne Boswell Blaine Branchik & Christopher Rudman Robert Braunstein in honor of Suzanne Floyd § Dr. Clinton Bush Anne Carlucci George Chesney & Sue Fiorey Katie Conley & James Glick Rev. Mary E. Conroy Ashley C. Drumm Richard & Marcy Dupere Firestone Family Foundation David Foerster & Graham Hussain-Levenstein Ellen Galkin Mary Beth and Gerardo Garcia Robert Gittlin Joan Glade de Pontet Dr. Joan & Paul Gluck Maureen & Lawrence Gragg Tim & Deborah Greene Alfredo & Luz Maria Gutierrez Judy Istock Bruce Jackson William Jaume Alfred Jonas Cathy & Evan Jones Carin Kahgan Joan Kasner Donald Keith Gloria Kline Kurt Krieger & Larry Bailey Daniel Lewis George Lindemann Veronica R. Lopez-Lopez Scott Macdonough, in memory of Gladys Macdonough Richard Mahfood Alberto & Maggie Manrara Ruth & Sanford † Markham Margaret & Serge Martin The Miami Foundation Dr. Leila Morris & Richard Boswell Betsy & Art Murphy Kathleen Newell Stanley Newman & Dr. Brian Rosenthal The James G. Pepper Fund of the Stonewall Community Michael & Mary Ellen Peyton Thomas Ragan Andrea Lynn Rice Jeanne Ann & Charles Rigl Jane Robinson Audrey Ross & William W. Culbertson, MD Dr. William Roy & Susan Kelley Leonard & Louise Schaper Joanne & John Schulte Sandra Simon Joe Leigh Simpson

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Our Donors (Continued) Murry Stegelmann Lynne & Paul Steinfurth Lou Strennen Szilagyi Family Foundation Tom & Jana Tift Mark A. Trowbridge in honor of Joanne Schulte Catherine VanderBrug in memory of Gordon VanderBrug Richard Vaughan & Walter Sherman M. Therese Vento & Peter MacNamera Joaquin Vinas & Teresa Galang-Vinas Robert Warren Robin Woodard Jane & Peter Worley Maria Jose Wright Douglas & Margaret Yoder Gregg Zavodny Dean Ziff & Jania Victoria Sustainer: $500-$999 Diane de Vries Ashley Nadine Asin & Tom van Straaten Helene Berger Linda C. Binder Carol J. Boyd Kay Casstevens Sylvia Czarnetsky Agustin Diaz Richard DiRenzo & Rev. Charles E. Humphries † Bonnie & Peter Dockter Brian R. Dunn Michael & Phyllis George Nancy Gillespie & Ulrich Lachler Frank & Roberta Helsom Kevin Hennessey Lawrence Jackson Nancy & James Katzoff Sarah Lopez-Luis Ian Macdougald Stephen Magliocco Louis Miano, in honor of Joanne Schulte Lois Miller Sandra Mullen Charles & Mary Munroe LSN Law, PA Bernard G. Perron Jim Sirbaugh Peggy Stanley Jocelyn Watkins Marjorie Weber Adam & Doris Wanner Priscilla Felisky Whitehead Jeri L. Wolfson Barbara Zwick Donor: $250-$499 Anonymous Matthew Anderson Claire Angelozzi

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JoAnne Bander David Gury & Elias Baez III Sheila & Michael Berke Robert Bickers Noble & Alexandra Cook Shirley & Bo Crane, in honor of Raul & Ana Marmol Amanda & Shawn Crouch Philip & Rebecca Curtis Steven Dloogoff The Eyler Family § Theodora Geanias Steven G. Grupe Thomas & Diana Hooton Richard Lilley & Carmen Letelier Kim Lopez Catherine Lynn Richard Macken Finlay & Joan Matheson Sarah Melcher Petsy Mezey Craig & Alice Miller Linda Morgan William P. Murphy Molly Quinn Brenda Richey Rosemarie N. Schadae Hugh Schmidt Arturo Steely Ann & Rick Stewart Katy Tabb & Matthew Kacergis in honor of Diane Ashley Dan Topp & David Cole Eleanor Williamson § Education Donor † deceased

Thank You to our 2022-23 Season Volunteers!

Ellen Anderson Bruce Dory Sue Groskreutz Brian Levey Susan Mattes Lucia Minervini David Piriano Anita Platt Cecilia Rodriguez Eric Runyan Kurt Schubert Barbara Soliday John Soliday

Become a Volunteer Seraphic Fire is looking for you!

Help us create a memorable experience for our concert goers and patrons by volunteering at one of our concerts! By volunteering with us, you will be able to see the show for free. Please send an email to judelle@seraphicfire.org with your availability or any questions.

Become a Seraphic Fire Artist Host Another valuable way to contribute to Seraphic Fire is by becoming a host! If you are interested, please send an email to Andrea@SeraphicFire.org to receive our application, and we will notify you if we have a match. We host primarily in Miami due to our rehearsal locations, as well as Naples. Hosts will receive a tax acknowledgment for their contribution at the end of the calendar year.

2023-2024 Administration and Board of Directors Administration

Board of Directors

Executive Michael M. Kaiser, Interim Executive Director Matthew Kacergis, Interim Managing Director

Joanne N. Schulte, Founding Chair

Artistic Patrick Dupre Quigley, Artistic Director Andrea Leon-Moreno, Artistic Operations Manager Alexis Aimé, Artist Contractor Finance & Operations JJ Flores, Director of Finance and Operations Val Texeira, Operations Associate Advancement Lauren Schiffer Leger, Director of Advancement & Grants Judelle White, Development Associate Olivia Pidi, Grants Manager Sofia Vidali, Box Office & Arts Administration Associate Education Suzanne Floyd, Director of Education Alexandra Colaizzi, Education Coordinator Cameron Elliott, Choral Education Liaison

Diane Ashley, Chair

Robert “Bob” Brinker, Treasurer Daniel Perron, Vice Chair Karen S. Fuller Veloz, Vice Chair Matthew Anderson Misty Bermudez Nirupa Chaudhari David Foerster Alaina Fotiu-Wojtowicz Marilyn Horowitz Megan Kelly Ana Marmol John Martin Margaret “Peggy” Rolando Mel VanderBrug Edmundo Pérez-de Cobos, Director Emeritus Michael M. Kaiser, Interim Executive Director, ex-officio Matthew Kacergis, Interim Managing Director, ex-officio Patrick Dupre Quigley, Artistic Director, ex-officio Nola Richardson, Artist Representative, ex-officio John Buffett, Artist Representative, ex-officio

NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID MIAMI, FL

2153 CORAL WAY, STE. 401 MIAMI, FLORIDA 33145

PERMIT NO. 1343

Seraphic Fire recognizes its season sponsors, national sponsors, and institutional partners.

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE SPONSORS Anonymous

NATIONAL SPONSORS Robert R. Brinker & Nancy S. Fleischman

Nirupa Chaudhari & Steve Roper

Martha R. Davis & Alix Ritchie Meredyth Anne Dasburg Foundation Jane Hurt Mel VanderBrug INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS

Seraphic Fire is sponsored by the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; the City of Coral Gables; Coral Gables Community Foundation; The Dunspaugh-Dalton Foundation; Funding Arts Network; Funding Arts Broward; The Kirk Foundation, Peacock Foundation, Inc; Quest Foundation; and Citizens Interested in Arts; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Seraphic Fire is funded by The Children’s Trust. The Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County. Programs in Broward County are made possible with the support of the Broward County Cultural Division.