Seraphic Fire
Seraphic Fire is a national “All Star” ensemble of professional singers chosen for their exceptional talent. Seraphic Fire flies these renowned artists to South Florida for intensive rehearsals followed by engaging performance tours.
James Bass, bass-baritone, is the director of choral studies at the University of South Florida in Tampa. James received his doctorate in music from the University of Miami. James serves as the artistic director and conductor of the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, the official chorus of the Florida Orchestra, and is the chorus master of Seraphic Fire.
Cameron Beauchamp, bass, lives in Austin, Texas, and regularly sings with Conspirare, Blue Heron, Cut Circle, Schola Cantorum and Exsultemus, Roomful of Teeth, New Trinity Baroque, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and is co-director of the Austin-based Convergence Vocal Ensemble. Cameron has been an artist in residence at Stanford University, the University of Utah, the University of North Texas, Williams College, College of the Holy Cross, Harvard University and Mass MoCA. Cameron has recorded on Harmonia Mundi, Pro Organo, GIA, Edition Lilac, Klavier and PBS.
Misty Leah Bermudez, mezzo soprano, has performed with Seraphic Fire since its inception. Misty has appeared as a soloist with the Southwest Florida Symphony, the Master Chorale of South Florida and the New World Symphony. Misty is the director of music at St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church in Weston, Fla., and maintains a private voice studio. She received a master of music degree in vocal performance from the University of Miami and lives in Miami with her husband, guitarist and composer Alvaro Bermudez, and their two children.
Carolina Castells, soprano, received her master of music degree from Indiana University where she performed the roles of Magda in La rondine and Antonia in Les Contes d’Hoffmann. Carolina was a finalist for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. This summer, Carolina was an apprentice artist with Des Moines Metro Opera.
Vincent Davies, tenor, received his bachelor of music degree from the University of Miami Frost School of Music. Vincent is returning for his eighth season with Seraphic Fire. A versatile soloist in both oratorio and opera, his past roles have included Nanki-Poo in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado and Rinuccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi with the University of Miami Opera Theater.
Eric Dudley, tenor, is a member of the choir at Trinity Church, Wall Street, in New York, and sings regularly with the New York Virtuoso Singers, Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity and the Collegiate Chorale. Eric is also a pianist, composer and conductor whose work has included tenures as assistant conductor with the Cincinnati and Princeton Symphony Orchestras and recent guest engagements in Finland and Australia.
Rebecca Duren, soprano, is described by the New York Times as having a “clear, bright soprano,” and hailed as “the most versatile performer in the Baltimore-Washington area” (The Baltimore City Paper). Highlights in her performing career include numerous appearances with American Opera Theater including the role of Jonathas in M.A. Charpentier’s David et Jonathas (Brooklyn Academy of Music), Ascanio and Cupid in Cavalli’s La Didone (Washington, DC Early Music Festival), and as Galatea in Acis and Galatea: A Circus Opera (Baltimore and Midwest tour).
Graham Fandrei, baritone, has performed with Florida Grand Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, and was part of the original cast of Baz Luhrmann’s La Boheme on Broadway. He attended both the New England Conservatory and the Juilliard School.
Bryon Grohman, tenor, has received international recognition for his performances in opera, oratorio, and concert repertoire. Bryon has performed leading roles with Glimmerglass Opera, Chicago Opera Theatre, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Opera Circle of Cleveland, Opera Boston, Opera Europa Monte-Carlo, the Tanglewood Music Festival and Longwood Opera, Boston. As a concert soloist, Bryon has performed with the Boston Symphony, the New World Symphony, the Bloomington Early Music Festival, the Weil Music Institute at Carnegie Hall, the Calvin Oratorio Society, and the Masterworks Chorus of the Palm Beaches. He earned his doctorate of music in vocal performance and literature from Indiana University and serves as assistant professor of Voice and Vocal Pedagogy at Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Sara Guttenberg, soprano, sings with professional choirs across the United States. Notable accomplishments include solos with the Oregon Bach Festival and a featured ensemble solo on the GRAMMY-winning recording of Bolcom’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Sara is on the voice and choral conducting faculty at Southern Utah University.
Emily Marvosh, mezzo-soprano, is active in opera and oratorio in the Boston area, regularly performing with Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Boston, the Handel and Haydn Society, the Back Bay Chorale, and L’academie. Emily is also a frequent soloist with the Marsh Chapel Choir Bach Cantata Series. Forays into new music include the role of Meg in the New England premiere of Mark Adamo’s Little Women, as well as several world premieres with the Lorelei ensemble and Juventas New Music Ensemble.
Gitanjali Mathur, soprano, finished her higher studies in voice performance at Indiana University, along with minors in Mathematics and Computer Science. Gitanjali lives in Austin, Texas, where she is a full-time member of Conspirare, and appears on the ensemble’s Grammy-nominated recording of The Threshold of Night. She was twice nominated in the Best Singer category for the Austin Critics Table Awards.
Thomas McCargar, baritone, launched his singing career with the Grammy award-winning men’s ensemble Chanticleer, touring extensively in the United States, Europe and Japan. He now lives in New York City, where he is a member of the acclaimed Trinity Wall Street Choir, and the Grammy-nominated early music ensemble Pomerium. Other New York engagements include Early Music New York, the New York Virtuoso Singers, VOX Vocal ensemble, and Musica Sacra.
Julia Mintzer, mezzo-soprano, is a graduate of The Juilliard School and the Boston University Opera Institute, and has sung with the Wolf Trap Opera Company as a studio artist. Julia has performed operatic roles with Institut Canadien d’Art Vocal, the Hot Springs Music Festival, the Opera Institute, the Juilliard Opera Workshop, and the Chautauqua Institution. She has been accepted to the Rachmaninoff Vocal Competition this coming spring, and will be directing a new production of Il Tabarro with Garden State Opera in October.
Reginald L. Mobley, countertenor, spent his formative years singing baritone, then tenor, before making the switch to alto. Since then, he has performed as a soloist in such works as Carmina Burana, Messiah, Judas Maccabeus, Dixit Dominus, St. John Passion, and many of the cantatas of J.S. Bach. He is pursuing a degree in voice from Florida State University in Tallahassee.
Stefanie Moore, soprano, has a voice of rare purity and warmth. Her performances have been hailed as “Standout” (San Antonio Express News), “Soothing and lovely” (Austin American Statesman), and “Graceful” ( Santa Fe New Mexican). She currently resides in Baltimore, MD and travels constantly as a concert/oratorio soloist and as a member of Grammy nominated choral group Conspirare.
Kathryn Mueller, soprano, delights audiences in both concert and operatic performances. She has appeared as a soloist with the Washington Bach Consort, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Firebird Orchestra, Arizona Opera, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, New Trinity Baroque, and Tucson Chamber Artists. She recently toured Indonesia on a musical Peace Tour with the Swara Sonora Trio. An accomplished ensemble singer as well, Kathryn has sung with the Handel and Haydn Society, the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. Kathryn holds music degrees from Brown University and The University of Arizona, and now happily makes her home in Tucson, Arizona.
Nacole Palmer, soprano, from New York City, has been praised recently by The New York Times as “most impressive,” “gorgeous,” “lovely,” “precise, brightly projected” and for her “depth and nuance.”A frequent oratorio and concert soloist, Nacole recently made her acclaimed Weill Hall at Carnegie debut with the Clarion Music Society in selections from Graun’s Cleopatra e Cesare. Other credits include Mozart’s Mass in C Minor, Handel’s Messiah, Purcell’s King Arthur, Carissimi’s Jephte, and numerous operatic roles.
Joey Quigley, baritone, is the artistic administrator of Seraphic Fire, and a new resident of Miami. Joey has sung with Seraphic Fire for the past three seasons, and recently made his operatic debut as Sicarrone in Tosca with New Orleans Opera. Joey received his master in music from Rice University in 2009 as a student of Dr. Stephen King.
Stefan Reed, tenor, received his bachelor in music from George Mason University and his master of music from the New England Conservatory. Stefan is enjoying an active performance schedule as a promising young tenor in Boston. Recent solo engagements have included a leading role with Opera Boston in Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins, Zadock in Handel’s Solomon and Jonathan in Handel’s Saul with the Marsh Chapel Choir & Collegium, among other appearances. This is Stefan’s fifth season with Seraphic Fire.
Sam Spears, tenor, is Assistant Professor of Music at Fairmont State University in Fairmont, W.Va., where he is Director of Choral and Vocal Activities. He graduated from the University of Miami in 2009 with a DMA in Choral Conducting. Sam is one of the founding members of Seraphic Fire.
Darrin Stafford, tenor, earned a bachelor in music education from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, and his master in jazz voice from the University of Miami. He lives in Los Angeles where he has been pursuing a career as a singer/songwriter. He works steadily as a keyboardist and singer, and recently has had the opportunity to play and sing backup for such artists as Broadway star Shoshana Bean and pop star Taylor Dayne.
Gabrielle Tinto, soprano, began her vocal studies in Syracuse, N.Y., as a pupil of Helen Boatwright. After receiving her bachelor in music and a master in music from Northwestern University and the University of Miami, respectively, Gabrielle has pursued a career as a vocal chamber artist. Most recently, Gabrielle has performed with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Seraphic Fire and the New World Symphony.
Matthew Tresler, tenor, is the director of choral and vocal studies at Irvine Valley College in Irvine, Calif. Matt also sings with Conspirare, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and Bach Collegium San Diego. Solo engagements this year include the Bach B Minor Mass in Arizona, Bach Magnificat in Southern California, and the Monteverdi Vespers in Hawaii. This is Matt’s eighth season with Seraphic Fire.
