Singers & Staff

Artistic Director

David Mann is a conductor, teacher, and singer active in the Washington D.C. area. He earned his Masters in Choral Conducting at Michigan State University and his Bachelors in Music Education from James Madison University. He also holds a Kodály Pedagogy certificate from DePaul University. David has led professional-level choral orchestral performances through special workshops at California State, Michigan State, Louisiana State, and Yale University. In 2018, David was recognized nationally as the winner of the American Prize in Choral Conducting - Collegiate/University Division. As a guest clinician and presenter, David has presented on developing tenor and bass voices, choral vocal pedagogy, and conducted regional honor choir events in the state of Virginia. In addition to serving as Artistic Director for Voce, he directs the choirs at Unity Reed High School in Manassas, VA and sings with the professional ensemble at St. Catherine of Siena Church.

Keyboard Artist

CJ Capen is the Director of Music Ministries for Saint John Neumann Community in Reston, VA, and Choral Director at Paul VI High School in Fairfax. He received his Master of Music degree in Accompanying under Dr. Andrew Harley at University of North Carolina, Greensboro, where he also studied harpsichord and fortepiano with Dr. Andrew Willis and jazz piano with Dr. John Salmon. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Piano Performance while also pursuing organ and choral conducting at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

In addition, he studied at the Muzička Akademija in Zagreb, Croatia under Vlejko Glodić, at Songfest in Malibu, California, and at The American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. He has served as instrumental staff accompanist at Interlochen Center for the Arts Festival in Michigan, staff accompanist at Elon University in North Carolina, accompanist for Georgetown Chorale, accompanist for Vienna Choral Society, guest conductor for the Reston Chorale's "Messiah Sing-Along", and continues to give recitals, most recently for All Saints recital series, George Mason's Osher Institute, and on tour with flautist Lauren Sileo in China.

He is a member of the National Pastoral Musicians Arlington Board, American Choral Directors Association, NAfME, and DC's Friday Morning Music Club.

Kristin Abbott (A) has been with Voce since 2015. She grew up in Reston and sang throughout high school with the Concert and Show choirs, and was a chorus member in "Oliver". She has sung at various venues such as the Bolling AFB Officer's club, as well as George Mason University and Wolf Trap, enjoying opportunities to sing with the Fairfax Symphony and National Symphony Orchestras. She has been a chorus member in performances of La Boheme, Zelda: Symphony of the Godesses, and Carmina Burana. For the past 20 years she has been a regular soloist and member of her church choir and small ensembles. She is currently serving as the President of the Voce Board of Directors.

Michael Arko (B) returns for his 13th season with Voce, most of them as a tenor. This season he will lend his versatile skills to the bass section. Michael studied classical voice at the University of California, Irvine. Upon graduation, he moved to the Washington metro area, where he has performed with numerous secular and sacred choral groups in an array of performance venues and at religious services throughout the region. He looks forward to another rewarding year of exceptionally high musicianship, musicality and wonder.

Purev Arslan (B) grew up in Alexandria VA, and has been singing in choir since middle school. He heard about Voce during a dinner party and was drawn in because of the challenging repertoire, and the huge number of music educator members in the ensemble. He has been singing with Voce since the 2017-2018 season and has loved being a part of this fantastic group! Purev is currently in his second year of teaching middle school choir at Poe Middle School in Fairfax County Public Schools.

Evan Ayars (B) is excited to be singing in his first season with Voce. He earned his bachelor's degree in Music Education from James Madison University and recently graduated with his master's degree in Music Education from George Mason University.  Evan has been the Choral Director at Chantilly High School since 2012.  Before that, he taught General Music and Chorus at Brookfield Elementary school for 6 years.  Evan served as the Tenor Section Leader and Children's Choir Director at Trinity United Methodist Church for 9 years.  Currently, Evan is the Tenor Section Leader and Children's Music Specialist at Lewinsville Presbyterian Church in McLean, VA.
Evan lives in Tysons with his partner, Karl, and dog, Dexter.
 

Jonathan Blocksom (T) joined Voce in 2021. A native of Reston, VA, he began singing in college and afterwards sung with local groups such as the Reston Chorale, Fairfax Choral Society, and most recently the Choral Arts Society of Washington. With CASW he has performed at popular local venues such as The Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, and the Capital One Arena.

Ellen Broetzmann (S) joined Voce in the fall of 2019. An Alexandria native and proud alum of Alexandria City High School Choir (formerly known as T.C. Williams High School), Ellen returned to the Northern Virginia area after earning a Bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance from Stetson University in 2016. Throughout her time at Stetson, Ellen participated in a diverse array of performances, including: operatic roles, solo recitals, serving as the soprano soloist at New Covenant Baptist Church, and as a soloist on national tours with the Stetson University Concert Choir. Other notable achievements in Ellen's musical career are performing at the Kennedy Center under the direction of Marvin Hamlisch, the Benjamin Britten Castleton Opera Festival under the direction of Lorin Maazel, the chorus of a Wolf Trap production of La Boheme, and the operatic production of the Interharmony Music Festival in Sulzbach-Rosenburg, Germany. Ellen currently works as the Operations Director of Loudoun School for Advanced Studies in Ashburn, Virginia and as the soloist for the Alexandria and Fairfax locations of the First Church of Christ Scientist.

Rachel Brown (A) has been singing with acapella chamber groups in the Northern Virginia area since 1999, joining Voce in 2013. Rachel is a nurse in Fairfax and loves to sing with Voce to create a wonderful balance during these stressful times. She was the only non- music major in her college choir in England, and enjoyed involvement in some wonderful productions such as Porgy and Bess, even having an early role of Buttercup from Pirates of Penzance! She loves the amazing diversity of the programs that Voce has presented and is delighted to be back “in person” this year! Virtual Voce was challenging but enabled us to continue to present some wonderful music.

George Cooper (T) has been singing with Voce since 2020. He has also sung with Teatro Lirico, Opera Camerata, Washington Opera Society, Riverbend Opera, the University of Pennsylvania Choral Society, and the Maryland State Boychoir. In addition to singing, he also plays the piano and composes music.

This is Naveed Easton's (B) first year with Voce. Naveed grew up in Tallahassee, Florida and spent his youth deeply involved in theater and choir. He went on to earn degrees in Media Arts at Emerson College and Choral Music Education at Florida State University. He previously taught choir in FCPS and currently works in media production. If you're reading this, he encourages you to take a moment today to remind someone important to you how much you care about them.

David Evans (B) joined Voce in 2020. He was born and raised in northern India, where he attended an international boarding school in the Himalayas. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in French Horn Performance and a Master’s Degree in Liturgical Music with a choral conducting concentration, and is certified in Orff Schulwerk. Since 1998, he has taught general music in Alexandria City Public Schools. He has been a choir director in churches of various denominations for over three decades, and is a composer and arranger of choral music. David has sung with the Washington Men’s Camerata for over 30 years. He is married to Beth, a fellow ACPS music teacher and church organist, and has three daughters, as well as an adorable two-year-old granddaughter.

Lauren Flynn (S) has had the pleasure of singing with Voce since 2018. Born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she began studying piano when she was six years old, soon followed by violin, voice, and harp. She participated in countless school choirs, orchestras, and chamber ensembles from elementary school through college, but she was most passionate about accompanying and singing in choirs. Lauren went on to earn degrees in Music (Piano Concentration) and Philosophy, and a minor in Publishing & Editing, from Susquehanna University. She previously worked at Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and taught freelance piano lessons for several years. She can now be found working in the Education department of the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Lauren is grateful to Voce for providing her with her own musical outlet on Monday evenings.

Kimberly Harrell (S) grew up attending Voce concerts to hear her mom sing.  She eventually had the thrill of being on the Voce stage singing alongside her mom, Joan Winter Skerritt.  Kim has been singing in choirs since middle school, though she took a brief excursion into a cappella in college with the Johns Hopkins University Vocal Chords.  After graduating, she returned to choral music and spent 6 years with the Capitol Hill Chorale in DC.  Kim now lives in Herndon with her husband and three young kids.  She joined Voce in 2018 and is delighted to have her own children grow up with Voce, just as she did.

Ross Hedlund (T) grew up in Culpeper VA, and has been singing in choirs since high school. He graduated from George Mason with a B.M. in Music Education in the spring of 2020. Ross has performed with University Singers, University Chorale, Opera Chorus and the National Philharmonic Choral as both a singer and conductor. He currently teaches elementary music at Guilford Elementary and Sterling Elementary in Loudoun County. Ross is thrilled to sing with so many talented musicians and is excited to perform with Voce this season.

Anna Kassinger (S) is a longtime participant in the Washington, D.C. choral community. She started singing with the Children's Chorus of Washington under Joan Gregoryk, then went on to sing with the Pomona College Choir, the Radcliffe Choral Society at Harvard University, Cathedral Choral Society under J. Reilly Lewis, and Choralis and its chamber group Echos, under Gretchen Kuhrmann. Anna currently serves as the Secretary of the Board of Directors, and is delighted to have a musical home with this talented, passionate, and generous group.

Kate Kelley (S) started life as an instrumentalist, playing first the violin and later the flute, before finding her voice in her high school choir. She received a BA in music education from Virginia Tech, where she sang with the University Chamber Singers, including performances at Carnegie Hall, and the Kansas City (Mo.) Early Music Festival. She lives and teaches elementary school music in her hometown of Alexandria, VA. Prior to that, she taught in Loudoun County Schools for eleven years. She holds certifications in World Music Drumming through Level 2, and Orff-Schulwerk through Level 3. In her non-musical life, she enjoys horseback riding, reading, and knitting. A member of Voce since 2017, and current board member, Kate is so happy to sing with this group of wonderful musicians!

Tom Korch (B) got the bug for "tonsil bands" after playing trombone in high school and at West Virginia University. During graduate school at George Washington University, he toured California and Bermuda with the GW Troubadours, an a cappella ensemble. He has also performed with the Reston Chorale, Manassas Chorale and Washington Men's Camerata (including several Kennedy Center performances), squeezing into a family and volunteering schedule that included Scout troop and district leader, soccer dad, and band parent / chaperone / pit crew. He is in his third decade as cantor and soloist for St Andrew Catholic Church in Clifton, VA, and works as a systems engineer for a government contractor. Now that their son and daughter have left the nest, he and wife Dee have checked Hawaii, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic and Netherlands off the bucket list. He joined the Voce Board of Directors in 2020, and is grateful to perform with such talented and educated musicians.

Tony Lee (T) has an atypical singing history for such a well-trained group as Voce. Until the fall of 2017, his post-college singing consisted of participating in various church choirs. While in college and a member of the Yale Glee Club, Tony enjoyed singing Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem (during Robert Shaw’s first engagement with Yale) and Carmina Burana. He has sung with the Choral Arts Society of Washington since 2017, and was pleased to sing these seminal works again with them in the autumn of 2018 and 2019, respectively. Tony was also a member of The City Choir of Washington from 2017 to 2019. He is very excited that his first foray into chamber singing with Voce began in the fall of 2019 with such an accomplished and lively group.

Kristina Meacham (A) While this is her first season with Voce, Kristi Meacham has been singing in choirs and smaller ensembles her entire life. As a younger performer she enjoyed musical theater: with leading roles such as Kim Macafee in Bye Bye Birdie, Annie Golden in Leader of the Pack, and Nancy in Oliver. As a member of Alexandria Choral Society for the past 15 seasons, Kristi has had many featured solo opportunities in works such as Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and Corigliano’s Fern Hill. Perhaps her favorite singing is in small intimate settings of small ensembles like Bella Voce, Canto di Sporanza, Pro Coro Alexandria, and Voce.

Kathryn Morgan (A) is currently a General Music Teacher and Music Therapist at Laurel Ridge Elementary School in Fairfax, Virginia. Kathryn graduated from James Madison University in 2020 with a bachelors degree in Music Education with a minor in Special Education. While at JMU she was a member of their premier choral ensemble, The Madison Singers and served as the soprano choral scholar at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Harrisonburg, VA. In 2017, Kathryn placed 3rd in her category at the Mid-Atlantic National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Auditions. Kathryn is so excited to be joining Voce for the 2021 - 2022 season.

Damone Motton (T) has been with Voce since 2003. Growing up in Fairfax, VA, he has performed throughout High School in A Capella and Show Choirs, and while in college, performed in University Singers, Men's Chorus, and Music Theater Ensembles, touring both domestically and internationally. From Wolf Trap to the National Cathedral, Damone has performed throughout the DC area and over his 18 years with Voce has served as a prior member of the Voce Board of Directors as well as a current ensemble member.

Alexis Neff (A) has enjoyed singing and performing since elementary school. Some of her most thrilling choral experiences include performing with ACDA Honor Choirs in Middle and High School. Her love of music inspired her to major in music education in college. Throughout her college career, she sang in several George Mason ensembles as well as the National Philharmonic Chorale. She graduated from George Mason University in 2020 with a B.M. in Music Education and is currently teaching general music at Potowmack Elementary. She is excited to sing with Voce for a second season.

Lisa Newton (S) has been with Voce since 2020. She is a Long Island native and has sung with various groups across the country, including most recently the San Diego Master Chorale and the San Diego Pro Arte Voices. She has a Bachelors Degree (James Madison University) and Masters Degree (Boston University) in Music Education, and a Graduate Certificate in Arts Management (University of Massachusetts- Amherst). Lisa is currently serving as the Marketing Committee Chair for the Voce Board of Directors.

Felix Polendey (T) has been with Voce since 2019. He is the Choral Director at Rocky Run Middle School in Fairfax County Public Schools. In addition, he is on the faculty of the American Kodaly Institute at Loyola University Maryland. His singing experiences range from choral singing (Carmina Burana) to operatic roles (Fenton in Falstaff). He has sung at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, The Kennedy Center, The Warner Theatre, Sidney Harman Hall, as well as the Music Center at Strathmore. He is currently the Tenor Section Leader at St. Timothy's Catholic Church in Chantilly, VA.

Alicia Powell (A) has been a member of Voce since 2014. She was a member of the East Carolina University Chamber singers, and was recently a chorus member in performances of Carmina Burana. She sings in her church choir and is currently serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors.

Elizabeth Roden (S) recently joined Voce in Spring 2021 during its virtual season, and looks forward to her first full year in-person with the group. Elizabeth has been singing ever since she could talk, and grew up in Western Loudoun County doing talent shows, children's church choir, musical theater productions, and school choruses, including VACDA All-State Chorus in 2014 and 2015. Elizabeth was also a member of a female vocal quintet, "The Songbirds" from 2011-2015, which performed with Andrews Sisters-inspired tight harmonies around the Northern Virginia region. In college, she sang all four years with The UVA University Singers, performing major works such as Bach's St. John Passion and the Bernstein Mass, and toured with the group around the East Coast and Canada. Elizabeth was a member of UVA Chamber Singers for two years as well, and has a special love for the precise blend that can be found in a smaller choral ensemble. She currently serves on the Voce Board of Directors, helping with everything from photography to event planning to donor stewardship.

Elizabeth Scheland (A) has been with Voce since Virtual Voce 2020. She has sung in choirs her entire life, including high school and college choirs, church choirs, and community choirs. She has sung with the New Dominion Chorale. Elizabeth has also sung in church and community choirs in Europe while living abroad with her family.

Fiona Torres (S), oddly enough, was directed by Voce’s Keyboard Artist, CJ Capen back in high school at Paul VI in Fairfax. She also sang in James Madison University’s Madison Singers alongside Voce’s Artistic Director, David Mann, and fellow Voce soprano, Lisa Newton. She recently sang with the Fairfax Choral Society and is excited for her first season with Voce. She also has a diabetic alert dog that joins her during rehearsals to sniff out and alert her when her blood sugar is out of range.

Kristine Varney (S) started playing viola in 3rd grade and became interested in choral singing in high school, but she has fond memories of family sing-alongs long before that. Kristine has sung in a number of choral groups through the years, including the Houston Cecilia Chamber Choir, the Houston Choral Society, the Young New Yorkers' Chorus, the Duke University Chapel Choir, and the Middlebury College Chamber Singers. By day she works at Foxcroft School in Middleburg, VA, as the Director of STEM Education. Interested in the intersection of music and physics, Kristine wrote her senior thesis in college on the physics of the voice. Kristine is currently enrolled in a weekend doctoral program in Educational Leadership at Vanderbilt University and looks forward to having some free time next year!

Margie Woods (A) has been singing with Voce since 2019. She has sung previously with the Master Chorale of Washington, the Washington Chorus, and Fairfax Choral Society, and is a guest chorister with the Choral Arts Society of Washington. She has performed at the Kennedy Center, Strathmore Center for the Arts, and Wolf Trap Performing Arts Center. Margie has taught middle school and high school choir with Fairfax County Public Schools for twenty years. She is currently teaching at Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church, VA. Margie holds a PhD in music education from George Mason University.