Kendall Joseph
Kendall was born and raised on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago. He is a recent graduate of the State University of New York (SUNY) at Plattsburgh where he received a bachelor’s degree in music. While at SUNY-Plattsburgh, he played the roles of Jud Fry in Oklahoma! and Adolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone. In Trinidad, Kendall belongs to the Young Artists Collective of the Picoplat Music Development Foundation. With Picoplat he has performed in operas such as Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. Kendall hopes to pursue his master’s degree in vocal performance very soon.
Paul Brumleve
Paul is a classical percussionist and performs with groups in both Chicago and Saint Louis. He earned his bachelor’s degree in percussion performance from Indiana University and his master’s degree in percussion performance from DePaul University, where he served as a graduate assistant. Some of the groups he has performed with include the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra. He is excited to be joining the Cornerstone Chorale and Brass for the first time this year.
Brandon Bird
Brandon is based out of Southern California. He has performed with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Longmont Symphony, and the Colorado Wind Ensemble. A passionate chamber musician, he was a founding member of Chicago’s Lakeshore Brass and a member of the Northwestern Trombone Choir that won the 2017 International Trombone Association Competition. Brandon earned his BM from the University of Colorado, Boulder where he studied with Dr. Bill Stanley. He earned his MM from Northwestern University where he studied with Michael Mulcahy, Randy Hawes, Doug Wright, Tim Higgins, and Chris Davis.
Nick Kemp
Nick is a freelance trombonist, music educator, and composer currently based in the Washington, D.C. area. He is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he studied with members of the Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, San Francisco, and St. Paul Chamber Orchestras. While based in the Chicago area, he freelanced extensively, playing in diverse ensembles such as the Northbrook Symphony, the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest, the Bill Porter Big Band, and many more. In 2017, he was a member of the ITF’s Emory Remington award-winning Northwestern Trombone Choir and was featured in a winner’s recital at the University of Redlands. As a composer, Nick’s incidental music for the 2016 production of Macbeth in the Basement, premiered at the DC Fringe Festival, was hailed as “the star of the technical show… fantastic” (DC Metro Theatre Arts) and “eerie and inspiring” (Maryland Theatre Guide).
Cristian Santiago
Christian is a recent graduate of Blinn College (Brenham, TX) with an Associate’s degree in drama and theater. He was cast in the roles of Jonny in Zombie Prom, Akela in Junglebook, and Mr. Cocker in Back to the 80s. With a passion for music, he is hoping to find a career in the entertainment industry.
Wanda Grueneberg
Wanda is honored to be joining the Cornerstone Chorale and Brass for this season’s tour. She is retired from Lutheran Church of the Atonement in Florissant, MO where she worked as parish administrator. Wanda, a native Missourian, has traveled to fifty states and twenty-nine countries while working as a coordinator with a large high school exchange program. She is thrilled to be travelling again.
William Taitel
Will is from Rockaway, NJ and very happy to be a part of the Cornerstone Chorale and Brass. He is a recent graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. Some of his favorite theater roles include Javert in Les Miserables, Doctor Henry Jekyll and Mister Edward Hyde in Jekyll and Hyde, Tom Joad in Grapes of Wrath and Dave in Almost, Maine.
Vaughn Page
Vaughn is originally from Peachtree, GA, and currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force, and a graduate of El Camino College (Torrence, CA) with an Associate’s degree in Applied and Fine Arts. He is a voiceover artist having trained with Kalmenson & Kalmenson and Reed Rudy Voice.
Johanna Ballou
Johanna completed her studies at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (Cardiff, Wales, UK) where she studied with Daniel Martyn Lewis. Other teachers include Rolf Hind, Seth Carlin, Vera Park, William Phemister, and members of the Grammy Award-winning ensemble Eighth Blackbird (Chicago, IL).
Patrick Doyle, DMA
Patrick is a passionate performer and arranger of chamber music. He performs throughout Kansas City’s classical music scene, playing with orchestras, chamber groups, musical theater companies, and the occasional touring circus. He also plays flugelhorn in Iowa’s critically acclaimed Tallgrass Brass Band.
Dot Kontak
Dot is a graduate of Valparaiso University with a bachelor’s degree in social work and a minor in music. At Valpo, she sang in the University and Chamber Choirs under the direction of Dr. Larry Fleming with whom she performed on a European tour participating in the International Church Music Festival.
Christie Hart
Christie hails from St. Louis, MO, and is a first-time member of The Cornerstone Chorale and Brass. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in voice from Truman State University, and a master’s degree in gerontology from Western Illinois University.
Christopher David Harris
Chris is a New York City-based, award winning singer and actor. He is a native of Poquoson, VA, and a former member of the United States Air Force Singing Sergeants. Chris has been featured on stage and screen across the United States, and is excited to be returning for his second Cornerstone tour.
Stephanie Rubeo
Stephanie, an EMC musical theater artist and singer from Philadelphia is pleased to perform once again with The Cornerstone Chorale and Brass. She received her bachelor’s degree in theater from DeSales University (Center Valley, PA).
Kira Alvarez
Kira has been seen both on stage and television. She has lent her vocals to numerous stage shows, concert and recordings. She has sung in dozens of cities across the U.S. and Europe, and performed in such notable places as Notre Dame in Paris, France, and St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy.
Gary Lessmann
Gary practices emergency medicine in St. Louis, MO. He holds degrees from Valparaiso University, St. Louis University School of Medicine, and completed a family medicine residency at Naval Hospital, Jacksonville, FL. He is a retired U.S. Navy Captain.
Jessica Wax
Jessica is a mezzo-soprano from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She received her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Louisiana State University, where she performed in La Traviata, The Twelfth-Night, Orfeo ed Euridice and played the role of “Mrs. Anderssen” in A Little Night Music.
Lauren Harris
Lauren is currently pursuing a doctorate in horn performance at the University of Missouri‐Kansas City (UMKC) where she studies with Martin Hackleman. She earned her bachelor’s degree in horn performance from The University of Tennessee (Knoxville) and a master’s degree from West Virginia University (WVU; Morgantown).
Laura Saylor
Laura is completing a doctorate in brass performance and pedagogy at the University of Iowa, where she has been a member of the Iowa Brass Quintet. She studied music education at Messiah College (Mechanicsburg, PA), and has a master’s degree in trumpet performance from Boston University (Boston, MA), with additional chamber music study at the University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM).
Alex J. Smith
Alex is elated to be back on the road with Cornerstone for his second tour. Originally hailing from Rockford, IL, Alex received his BFA in musical theatre from Rockford University, and then performed regionally in the Midwest for two years. He now resides in Rochester, MN, with his beautiful wife, Emma, and their two cats, Cyril and Louise.
Joe Mosier
Joe is a native of St Louis, MO, and studied at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL). He sang with the University singers at UMSL, and played the role of Sancho Panza in Man of La Mancha; Pozzo in El Capitan; the Defendant in Trial By Jury; the boyfriend in The Boyfriend, Sailor 3 and a Nazi in Cabaret; and Henry in Joshua’s Boots. He studied voice with Dr. Mark Madsen, and was twice named all-collegiate singer. Joe is the lead singer in a popular band called Big Ticket Blues Band. He currrently teaches voice lessons, and is the label representative for Wah Studios in St. Louis, MO.
Robert McFletcher-Jones
Robert, a native of Battle Creek, MI, earned his master’s degree in music education from Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MI). On land, he most recently performed the role of Hud in the 50th anniversary concert of Hair, starring Tony nominee Constantine Maroulis and Remember Jones. At sea, he was featured in Broadway’s After Midnight on Norwegian Cruise Lines, starring Tony nominee Brenda Braxton, Marva Hicks and Sharon Wilkins. Robert is best recognized for his cabaret shows The Soul Music Experience, and L.O.V.E. Previous performance credits include Belize in Angels in America, and Fred in Smokey Joe’s Cafe. I am only one, but still I am one.
Emily Hettervig
Emily is thrilled to be joining her second tour of The Cornerstone Chorale and Brass! Originally from a small town in North Dakota, Emily studied at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York.
Karen Burris
Karen is a native of Belguim, WI, and earned a bachelor’s degree in vocal and instrumental music from The University of Wisconsin-Platteville. She has performed throughout the country and on cruise ships as a singer, actress and instrumentalist. She currently resides in Chicago, IL and spends much of her time performing as her alter ego, Mary Macaroni.
Emmillienne Bellaire
Emmillienne was born in Houston, TX. After graduating high school at the age of 17, she moved to New York City to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). She soon transferred to Los Angeles, CA to complete her studies at the AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts, graduating in 2017.
Eric Aultman
Eric earned his BFA in musical theater from Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX). Some of his professional credits include Bye, Bye Birdie! and My Fair Lady (Lyric Stage, Dallas, TX) as well as Urban Cowboy (TUTS, Houston, TX).
Talia Marie Aull
Talia Marie is an Atlanta-based singer and actress, where she also teaches music to infants and toddlers with The Music Class. She recently appeared as Lynne in Rogers & Hammerstein’s A Grand Night for Singing, and The Younger Woman in Stephen Sondheim’s Putting It Together (The Castle Players).
Bruce Vantine
Bruce is the founder and conductor of The Cornerstone Chorale & Brass, a nationally recruited, paid professional touring ensemble, performing fine choral music augmented with narration. Cornerstone has presented 463 performances in the United States and Canada, including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Carnegie Hall in New York. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) where he studied under Paul J. Christiansen; a master’s degree from Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI) where he worked with composers H. Owen Reed and Jere Hutcheson; and a doctorate in music from the University of Illinois – Champaign-Urbana, where he studied with Harold Decker. His published pieces are performed nationwide. Vantine also is the conductor and artistic director of the Bel Canto Chorus of St. Louis, and director of the adult choir at The Lutheran Church of the Atonement in Florissant, Missouri. He served on the faculty of The University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) Department of Music from 1980 – 1993.
Lucinda Vantine
Cindy is a graduate of Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) where she sang in the Concordia Choir under the direction of Paul J. Christiansen. She taught music in the public schools of North Dakota and Minnesota, and was director of university events at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) for 34 years.