Meet the Artists

(click the link above for Maestro Rossi's Biography)

SOPRANO

Margaret Andraso (PA)

Soprano Margaret Andraso, originally from Western NY, lives in Erie, PA. She holds vocal performance degrees from State University of New York at Buffalo (BM) and Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (MM). Margaret is a member of Lake Erie Choral Artists and was one of its founding members in 2001. She is a performing member of LECA, serves as General Manager, and also programs the music for their concerts. As a member of many fine choirs over the past 30+ years, Margaret has had the good fortune to travel and sing around the world in Poland, Germany, Scotland, Wales, Austria, France, and England. As a member of St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral Choir in Erie since 2001, she sang services in residence at Canterbury Cathedral, Chichester Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford, England, The American Cathedral in Paris, and the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. Margaret is equally comfortable as a soloist and has performed with the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra at the historic Warner Theatre, Erie Philharmonic Opera, Erie Opera Theatre, Erie Chamber Orchestra, Erie Philharmonic Chorus, Erie Renaissance Singers, the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Paul, and Temple Anshe Hesed. Margaret is thrilled to be in sunny Virginia Beach to sing once again with Transcendence.

Jenny Bent (CA)

Dr. Jenny Bent is Professor of Music and Director of Choral and Vocal Activities at Sonoma State University. With degrees from Boston University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dr. Bent's expertise spans voice performance, choral conducting, and choral literature. Described by the San Francisco Classical Voice as “superb” with “excellent diction and well-controlled dynamics,” Dr. Bent’s choirs have earned unanimous superior ratings and command performances at festivals throughout California and have performed under her baton at such venues as Carnegie Hall in New York City and Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Her ensemble SonoVoce was recently honored to perform at the CA All-State Music Educators Conference (CASMEC). Recognized for her achievements as a choral educator, Dr. Bent received the 2019 CMEA Bay Section Outstanding Choral Educator Award and the 2023 CMEA Pearson/Scott Foresman/Silver Burdett Choral Educator Award. She brings over a decade of high school teaching experience, notably at the Marin School of the Arts. Beyond her academic work, Dr. Bent contributes to the choral music community as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and conference presenter for organizations including CMEA, ACDA, and Golden State. From 2016-2023, she served on the board of the California Choral Directors Association (CCDA), and she currently holds the positions of Repertoire & Resources Collegiate Choirs Coordinator for National ACDA and Western Region Representative for the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO). From 2007-2014, Dr. Bent shared her passion for choral music as a host of "The Choir Loft" on KRCB-FM. She is also a proud (and semi-obnoxious) baseball mom whose favorite moments are watching her two sons do what they love.

Lisa DeAngelis (NY)

Lisa DeAngelis is a multi-faceted artist and professional who began singing at age nine with Anima-Glen Ellyn Children's Chorus. After receiving her BME in Music Education (Voice) and graduating with the highest honors from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she trained as a teacher of the Alexander Technique with Joan and Alex Murray. As a versatile musician, Lisa's voice effortlessly lends itself to various musical styles, from early and new music to jazz and cabaret. She has appeared on stage with the DuPage Opera Theatre and Grant Park Music Festival Chorus and has worked as a soloist, section leader, and guest conductor at churches in Champaign and Chicago, IL. She has performed in recital with Richard Robert Rossi and is pleased to have been a member of Transcendence since its inception. Lisa currently resides in New York City and works in private personal management. Lisa is a published author (Embracing the Unknown, New Degree Press), speaker, and holistic change practitioner. Learn more at: www.lisadeangelis.com.

Teresa Lenssen (WA)

Teresa’s passion for choral music began in high school and led her to study music education at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. While there, she sang in the choirs at both Saint Vincent and Seton Hill colleges as well as the semi-professional chorus, the Saint Vincent Camerata, under the direction of Maestro Richard Robert Rossi. After college, she moved back to her hometown of San Antonio, TX for two years where she sang in both the San Antonio Mastersingers and with the San Antonio Choral Society. Feeling called to ministry, she then joined Life Action Ministries in Niles, MI, a group that toured and sang in churches. She spent 8-1/2 years with that ministry as a singer, music director for one of the teams and eventually overseeing the music and training of all four touring teams from the headquarters. After meeting her husband Brent on a missions trip to Romania, she moved to the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She has taught middle school music, led her church children’s music ministry and served as soprano section leader for the Bellingham Chamber Chorale. Her true dedication is teaching private voice lessons to children and teenagers and has maintained a thriving studio for nearly 20 years. She lives with her husband, Brent, and daughter, Noelle, in Lynden, WA.

Corbin Pinto (VA)

Corbin Thomas Pinto is the Visual Performing Arts Academy Vocal Director and Artistic Director of the Virginia Children's Chorus. She graduated magnum cum laude from James Madison University with a bachelor's degree in music education (vocal concentration). She earned her master's in music, graduating summa cum laude from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has been a choral director in Virginia Beach, VA for twenty-three years. Ms. Pinto served in state VCDA office from 2020-2026 and was selected as the Virginia Music Educators Association’s Outstanding Music Educator in November 2021. She is passionate about teaching the next generation to love music and to improve their voice in a healthy way. She performed with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus for nine years as a core soprano, currently performs with the Virginia Chorale, and has performed as a soloist in many venues around the Hampton Roads area.

Regina Rossi Valentine (VA)

In addition to being an accomplished singer with numerous credits to her name, Regina Rossi is also a professional voiceover artist, actress, and published author. Stage credits include Mother Superior (Nunsense), Irene Molloy (Hello Dolly), Velma (Hairspray), Miss Andrew / Birdwoman (Mary Poppins), Lady Beaconsfield (Jekyll & Hyde), Co-starring in “Johnny Mercer & Me” @ the historic Lucas Theatre in Savannah, GA and many others. She has been the featured guest soloist with both the Eastern Symphony Orchestra & Symphonicity, has sung with the prestigious Virginia Chorale & was lead singer with The Hotel Paradise Roof Garden Orchestra. For over 3 decades she has done voiceover work to include big names such as Fisher-Price, Ritz-Carlton, Operation SMILE, Kellogg, Lowes, etc. Regina has also been a soloist in the church for 45 years (multiple denominations), carrying on the tradition of her parents. In 2021 she published and released her book, “I Loved You More, Choosing My Child Over My Narcissistic Ex”, her true life account of struggle & survival, derived from more than 20 years of documentation. For more info & to see live performances, check out her websites: www.ReginaRossi.com

ALTO

Mikayla Beck (IL)

Mikayla Beck is a 2022 graduate of Eastern Illinois University, where she earned her MA in Music with a concentration in Vocal Performance. During her residency at EIU, she was an active soloist and performer with the Music and Theatre Department. Her performance credits include Duruflé’s Pie Jesu, Mozart’s The Impresario (Goldentrill), Little Women (Marmee), Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi (Zita), Alec Wilder’s Sunday Excursion (Veronica), as well as featured scenes from Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief (Miss Todd) and Mozart’s Così fan Tutte (Dorabella). A passionate traveler, Mikayla finds great joy in exploring the world through music. Her adventures led to her European debut in Arezzo, Italy, where she performed “Journey to the Past” from Anastasia at the historic Fortezza Medicea. During the same residency, she portrayed Madre Superiora in Umberto Giordano’s Mese Mariano. Since 2022, she has continued to blend travel and performance as a member of The Transcendence Choir. Mikayla currently serves as the music teacher at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Mount Carmel, IL, and as the liturgical director at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Returning to her hometown has allowed her to reconnect with the Brubeck Fine Arts Center, where she has supported numerous productions, including Boo, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and The Wizard of Oz, in which she appeared as Glinda the Good Witch. She made her directing debut in 2024 at the Brubeck Fine Arts Center with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Jr. Most recently, she directed Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, marking another meaningful milestone in her artistic journey.

Kelsey Jones (VA)

Kelsey (Harrison) Jones is a mezzo-soprano originally from Charlotte, NC. After taking a hiatus from performing to care for her father and start a family of her own, she is grateful to be invited to sing with this talented group! Kelsey has been proud to call Galilee her church home since 2023, where she serves as the alto section leader to the adult choir and assistant to the children's choir. Having earned a Master's degree from The New England Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor's degree from The University of South Carolina, she spent a gap year in Germany studying under the American soprano Julie Davies at the Staatstheater Darmstadt. Upon her return to the States, she became a resident artist with Opera Carolina. Kelsey has been a featured artist with Bach Akademie of Charlotte, Carolina Catholic Chorale, Choral Arts Society of Davidson, DeKalb Choral Guild, Capitol Opera Richmond, Pilgrim Festival Chorus, Beth Morrison Projects, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, Teatro Lirico D'Europa, Palmetto Opera, Columbia International University Ambassador Singers, Richard Crittenden Opera Studio, and ViVAce Opera. Operatic roles include Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro), Dorothée (Cendrillon), Mrs. Nolan (The Medium), Valetto (L'incoronazione di Poppea), La Maestra delle Novizie (Suor Angelica), Dritte Dame (Die Zauberflöte), Mother Jeanne (Dialogues of the Carmelites), and Dorabella (Così fan tutte). Kelsey is currently fulfilling her dream role as she prepares to become a mother of two!

Lisa Layman (PA)

Soprano Lisa Layman is an accomplished oratorio and opera singer, and voice instructor. Her operatic realm spans nearly thirty years and her repertoire includes the heroines of Puccini, Verdi, Bellini, Mozart, Bizet, Donizetti among others. She has sung at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Avery Fisher Hall in New York City, and at the Holder’s International Music Festival in Barbados,West Indies. Her work as an administrator includes management of a private HIV/AIDS friendly dental practice in New York City. During that time, Lisa became keenly aware of how the arts and wellness could and should be more intertwined by way of service for the larger community. In creating space for her musical passion, the two grew into an extraordinary opportunity when she later became the Ryan White Program Coordinator for NOVA Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, FL. She helped create and also supervise the management of a fourteen chair HIV/AIDS Dental Clinic funded solely from the Ryan White Care Act. This powerful experience ultimately led Lisa to teaching voice and opera, where she has proudly served on the voice faculty at SUNY Fredonia, and serves as Executive Director of the Western New York Chamber Orchestra.

Katherine Schrock (VA)

Katherine Sanford Schrock is a versatile artist in the operatic and concert realms. She has performed as a principal artist with organizations such as the Virginia Opera, Nashville Opera, Opera Colorado, Opera San Jose, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Chorale Society, among others. She holds music degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Maryland.

Ainsley Ryan Showalter (PA)

Mezzo soprano Ainsley Ryan Showalter has performed numerous concert, oratorio and operatic roles. With a B.A. in Music from Dartmouth College, Ainsley has also taught extensively, most specifically while adjudicating the National Institute of the Allied Arts Foundation’s Eisteddfod Festival and outreach while in residence in Zimbabwe. Ainsley has performed roles such as Polina with the New York opera company, One World Symphony, in their production of Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame. Other New York performances include the role of Erika in Samuel Barber's Vanessa, First Maid in Richard Strauss's Elektra, Auntie in Britten's Peter Grimes, the Page in Strauss's Salomé, Sextus in Handel's Giulio Cesare, the world premiere of Stan Grill's In Flight and Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice; other performances include Prince Orlofsky in Johann Strauss's Die Fledermaus with the Natchez Opera (2 seasons in residence) and the Sandman in Liederkranz Opera Theater's production of Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel. Solo oratorio engagements include Dvorak's Stabat Mater, the Duruflé Requiem, the Mozart Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria and Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil. Ainsley currently serves on the Board of Governors and both of the Artistic Advisory and Development Committees for the Erie Philharmonic and sits in the Director’s Circle for the Mercyhurst Institute of Arts & Culture at Mercyhurst University. Ainsley is thrilled to sing once again with TRANSCENDENCE.

TBA

Forthcoming...

TENOR

Joe Braeger (PA)

Joe Braeger, prior to his glorious retirement, taught middle/high school vocal music for 33 years at Cassadaga Valley High School in Chautauqua County. In addition to conducting 4 choruses with way too many kids enrolled and excited about singing, he directed 33 school musicals and has been the vocal coach for several theatrical productions at Jamestown Community College. He graduated from Harborcreek High School, received his B.A. in Music Ed. from Edinboro University and completed his Masters degree in Music Ed. from SUNY Fredonia. He has sung with Chautauqua Chamber Singers for over 25 years and sings with the CMP Chorale. He currently is the General Manager of the Chautauqua County Community Music Project (a 501(c) 3 that promotes high quality choral music in WNY) as well as a proud grandfather, gardener, traveler, and beekeeper.

George Milosh (PA)

George Milosh is a singer, teacher and conductor based in Aliquippa, PA. George has been seen onstage as Rodolfo in La Boheme (SERIO), John Adams in 1776 (Center Theatre Players), Hero in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (Center Theatre Players), Prince Charming in Pauline Viardot's Cendrillon (Pittsburgh Festival Opera), Tamino in The Magic Flute (West Virginia University), and Acis in Acis and Galatea (Central City Opera). Recently, George has been seen in concert as the tenor soloist in Verdi's Requiem and Beethoven's Mass in C, both with the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra. He has also been seen singing solos in Bach's St. John Passion with Resonance Works Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Bach's Magnificat and Handel's Messiah and Chandos Anthems with the Pittsburgh Camerata and Chatham Baroque. Other concert solo credits include Carmina Burana with the Butler Symphony Orchestra and Beethoven's Mass in C and Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, both with the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh. George currently serves as the Music Director at Saint Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church in Aliquippa, PA, as well as for the Tsar Lazar Men's Choir, a group of singers from around the Tri State Area who specialize in Slavic music written for men's voices. Both groups have performed to great acclaim in concerts and in worship throughout the United States, Canada and Serbia. George holds a Bachelor of Music degree from The Boston Conservatory and a Master of Music from West Virginia University.

Allen Rotert (VA)

Allen Rotert is an energetic vocal and piano performer of both sacred and contemporary Christian music for Hope Lutheran Church in Virginia Beach. He was born in Seoul, South Korea and holds a Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts from Eastern Illinois University, and a Professional in Human Resources certification. He studied orchestral and choral conducting and instrumental music education where his primary instrument was oboe and secondary was flute. He is qualified to teach instrumental music in two states. Allen is currently serving in the Navy as a Human Resources Officer and has been stationed in 6 different locations to include Washington D.C. Before transitioning to the Human Resources community, was a Naval Flight Officer and flew the E-6B Mercury with the “Roughnecks” of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 7 and operationally with the “Shadows” of VQ-4. He currently lives with his wife Pam, son William, and daughter Emma.

Royce Strider (PA)

Royce Strider is best known throughout the U.S.A. as a versatile and charismatic singer and performer. Based in the Philadelphia area, his 2025/2026 season saw him as a soloist and chorister with Vox AmaDeus, the Philadelphia Symphonic Choir, the Princeton Festival and New Jersey Lyric Opera. With an affinity for early music and chamber collaboration, Royce completed training with Seraphic Fire’s Professional Choral Institute at the 2021 Aspen Music Festival, as well as in Baroque performance at the Cincinnati College - Conservatory of Music Baroque Collective program. Royce has performed throughout the country with organizations such as the Princeton Singers, Philadelphia Chorale, Pittsburgh Camerata, Natchez Festival of Music, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Painted Sky Opera, Ohio Light Opera, and is a founding member of Transcendence. Royce lives with his wife and son, and loves good food, good wine, and his not-so-good cats, Hamlet and Horatio.

Brandon Vogt (PA)

Forthcoming...

Brent Weber (PA)

Brent Weber is known as a singer of Opera and Oratorio, a choral conductor, and a stage director. He has been heard on many stages throughout the United States and Canada as a leading tenor in the operas of La Traviata, Die Zauberflöte, Rigoletto, Madama Butterfly, La Bohème, Luisa Miller, and Don Carlo. Highlighted performances in oratorio include Bach's Magnificat and Mozart's Mass in C at Carnegie Hall in New York City, and Rossini's Stabat Mater at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Weber’s Broadway credits in New York City include, "Encores, Great American Musicals" premiere production of Fiorello, with additional productions of Call Me Madame, and Lady in the Dark. For over three years, he performed the role of Piangi in The Phantom of the Opera in Vancouver and Toronto, Canada. Currently, Weber is the Conductor of the Fredonia Camerata, and is a Lecturer of Voice, Conducting and Opera History at Fredonia State University. He has also been stage-director for the productions of The Merry Widow with Hillman Opera, Don Giovanni, Music Man, My Fair Lady, Tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber, Little Women by Mark Adamo, and most recently, The Sound of Music for the Western New York Chamber Orchestra. This fall, he looks forward to stage direct Leoncovallo’s, Pagliacci with Buffalo Opera Unlimited and with Fredonia Camerata where he will prepare the Fredonia Camerata Ensemble for the Masterworks program opener with, Vier Gesänge, Op. 17 by J. Brahms and WNYCO in the spring.

BASS

Chris Butler (VA)

Christopher Butler is an active participant in choral and sacred music communities, with a particular appreciation for the Anglican and Catholic liturgical traditions. Originally from Jamestown, New York, he grew up in the vibrant music program at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, where he sang in the choir and occasionally served as a guest pianist and organist. Christopher has performed with ensembles throughout Western New York and Pennsylvania, including the Chautauqua Chamber Singers, Penn State Choirs, and the Erie Philharmonic Chorus. Prior to beginning law school, he served as a baritone at the Cathedral of St. Paul in Erie, Pennsylvania, and previously worked with the School of Music at Chautauqua Institution. Now based in Washington, DC, Christopher maintains a strong presence in sacred choral music spaces within the Catholic tradition, especially at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Professionally, he works in the energy sector and is currently pursuing a law degree at the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America. Following law school, he will join Norton Rose Fulbright in Austin, Texas, where he hopes to continue supporting and promoting high-quality choral music in the community.

Benjamin Filippone (PA)

Benjamin Filippone is active throughout the Pittsburgh area as a choir conductor and voice teacher. He directs the university chorus at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and teaches musicianship skills courses, music history, and choir at Community College of Allegheny County. He serves as music director for the Mon Yough Chorale and EastShore Chorale. He performed the role of Ben in Menotti's "The Telephone" and recitals at the Maiski Opera Festival in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, and performed world premieres as a soloist and ensemble singer with OvreArts. He holds a BA in music education from Grove City College, a MM in vocal performance from Duquesne University, and studied choral conducting at the University of Arizona. He has appeared as the guest conductor for the Westmoreland County Music Educators Association Jr. High Chorus Festival, served as the chorus master for Undercroft Opera, and participated for three summers as a conductor with the Sarteano Choral Conducting Workshop with Simon Carrington in Sarteano, Italy.

Larry Giddins (VA)

Dr. Larry Jay Giddens is a bass-baritone, educator, administrator, and arts entrepreneur whose work bridges performance, scholarship, and artistic development. He serves as a Teaching Associate Professor of Voice and at Old Dominion University’s Diehn School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia, where he mentors emerging singers and develops innovative approaches to collegiate music recruitment and training. He holds a Doctor of Music Education from Liberty University, a Master of Music Education from Old Dominion University, and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Colorado. He has built a reputation as both a performer and an advocate for expanding professional pathways for artists. His performance experience spans opera, concert repertoire, and musical theater, including appearances in recitals, outreach concerts, and collaborative productions throughout the United States, and abroad. In addition to his academic work, he is the founder of Vocaletics, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to supporting young singers through performance opportunities, mentorship, and career development. His research and writing explore parallels between athletics and the performing arts, particularly in recruitment, training systems, and professional preparation for emerging artists. Through his teaching, scholarship, and performance work, Dr. Giddens remains committed to building stronger artistic ecosystems that support musicians' creative and professional lives.

Collin McCormick (PA)

Collin McCormick is a young music educator and performer proudly serving as a Vocal Music Teacher in the Mt. Lebanon School District, where he teaches students in grades 1 through 5. He earned his music education degree from Duquesne University, studying voice under renowned teacher (...and Transcendence tenor) Brent Weber. His background in vocal performance continues to inform both his teaching and artistic work. In addition to performing with Transcendence, Collin sings with the Pittsburgh-based funk cover band “Sliverline,” which released its debut live album in October. He is also entering his fifth year as Assistant Marching Band Director at Big Beaver Falls Area High School, where he contributes to the continued growth of the program. Collin is excited to continue to share his voice at the highest level with Transcendence!

Ian Young (PA)

Ian Young performs in the greater Philadelphia region as a section leader in the Mendelssohn Chorus and a professional core bass at Church of the Good Shepherd. As a soloist, Ian has performed a diverse repertoire, including the roles of Frank in Die Fledermaus, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, and Simone in Gianni Schicchi. Ian holds a particular affinity for contemporary music, having premiered an opera titled “On Our Street” in 2019 as part of the Compōs-it Opera festival. He also commissioned a song cycle set to poems by Emily Dickinson for his 2019 AMS recital. Ian is a graduate of Duquesne University, where he studied under Professor Brent Weber and earned a Master of Music in Voice Performance. Prior to his studies at Duquesne, Ian graduated Summa Cum Laude from Carnegie Mellon University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Vocal Performance. He subsequently completed Carnegie Mellon’s Advanced Music Studies certificate program on a full scholarship in 2019. During his undergraduate studies, Ian actively participated in various vocal ensembles, including the Carnegie Mellon University choir and the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh.

TBA

Forthcoming......

Special Guest Artists

Vince Zentner, harp

I have been a part of the Hampton Roads musical community since 1995. Way back then I was a member of the Continental Army Band located at historic Fort Monroe. I fell in love with the area and when my time with the army was complete I was able to come back and make Norfolk my home. I'm originally from Niagara, Wisconsin and had the luxury of a small town childhood. Summer music programs at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay and Madison as well as the National Music Camp at the Interlochen Center for the Arts gave me a taste of what life on the "outside" could hold and my passion grew. I went off to college at Saint Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin and earned a Bachelor of Music degree with a combined emphasis in flute and clarinet performance. I was also exposed to the harp and was instantly hooked Post college I enslisted into the army as a clarinet player. The steady pay allowed me to purchase my first harp and begin my harp studies. I was lucky enough to be stationed at Ft. Devens near Boston, the Presidio of San Francisco, Fort Monroe and West Point. All of these location made it easy to find remarkable educators that helped me along with my harp studies. My teachers include Sara Erickson, Doug Rioth, Karen Gottlieb, Elisa Dicken, Dewey Owens and Lucile Lawrence. My army carreer ended as a clarint player and harpist with the U.S. Military Academy Band at West Point, New York, one of the Army's three special bands. I returned to Hampton Roads in January of 2002 and began carving out a niche in the local performance scene. I have performed with the areas finests organizations to include the Virginia Symphony, Virginia Chorale, Virginia Opera, Virginia Musical Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Symphonicity (the symphony orchestra of Virginia Beach), The Virginia Wind Symphony as well as various traveling productions that appear at local theatres.