The Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola

Douglas Purcell has been critically acclaimed for the “strength, beauty and effortless top” of his lyric tenor. In recent seasons of Sacred Music in a Sacred Space, he has been soloist in Haydn Dixit Dominus, Handel Harmoniemesse, Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil, and the special St. Ignatius Jesuits in America: Zipoli and his World concert. Mr. Purcell has performed with The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, and New York City Ballet. In frequent appearances with MasterVoices (née Collegiate Chorale), he has been a soloist in Purcell’s Dido and Æneas, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Beethoven’s Fidelio and Choral Fantasy at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, as well as Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms in New York. Other solo appearances include American Symphony Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Mark Morris Dance Group, and Westchester Symphony. He is featured on the Helicon Classics recording with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Zubin Mehta of Bach’s Cantata 140. 

Wendy Baker, soprano, has a Masters in Music Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music and she obtained a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Clayton State College. She has been heard as a soloist in works including Handel Messiah and Dixit Dominus, Saint-Saëns Oratorio de Noël, Poulenc Gloria, Vivaldi Gloria, Faure Requiem, Brahms Requiem, Haydn Stabat Mater, Theresienmesse and Harmoniemesse, Mozart Requiem, Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music and Dona Nobis Pacem and Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle. She has sung the roles of Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), Giuletta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), Gilda (Rigoletto), Madame Heartthrob (The Impresario), Countess (Le Nozze di Figaro), and the title roles in Suor Angelica and Lucia di Lammermoor.

The recipient of numerous awards, Wendy was a Jensen Foundation National Finalist, Oratorio Society of New York Semi-Finalist, Gerda Lissner National Finalist and Grant Winner, and a Prize Winner in the Met District and Regional competitions.

She has had the privilege of traveling to Israel and the Salzburg Music Festival where she sang as the soprano soloist in the Bloch Sacred Service under the baton of Zubin Mehta. She is honored to be a member of the Saint Ignatius Loyola Choir. www.wendybakersoprano.com

Soprano Sarah Abigail Griffiths has been hailed for her “glowing tone, effortless facility and vivid expressivity” (Dallas Morning News), and has appeared as soloist and chorister with professional ensembles throughout the United States. She can be heard on recordings with Armonia Celeste (Centaur) and New York Virtuoso Singers (Naxos), and she is featured singing Alice Parker’s song cycle Dickinson: On Recollecting in a 2017 recording for Gothic. She has performed U.S. premieres by Bob Chilcott and Thea Musgrave and world premieres by Katherine Hoover, Edward Smaldone, and Martha Sullivan. She holds degrees from the University of North Texas, Westminster Choir College, and Earlham College, and is an adjunct professor at Ramapo College and William Paterson University.

Kate Maroney is a passionate believer in the deeply transformative, fully humanizing power of music and in its ability to foster empathy in the community of performers and listeners alike. She particularly values collaborations with kind and generous colleagues who share this conviction. Recognized for “vibrant and colorful” singing (The New York Times) Kate’s recent soloist appearances include with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Gare St. Lazare Ireland, Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, New York City Ballet, Santa Fe Desert Chorale and Symphony, Seraphic Fire, Berkshire Choral Festival, TENET, Carmel Bach Festival, Opera Grand Rapids, New York Baroque Incorporated at Trinity Wall Street, LA Opera, Lincoln Center Festival, Oregon Bach Festival, Musica Sacra, Bach Collegium San Diego, Princeton Pro Musica, Bach Vespers Holy Trinity, Mark Morris Dance Group, Yale Choral Artists, American Opera Projects, Berkshire Bach Society, and Clarion. In addition to noted interpretations of concert and oratorio repertoire from Bach to Mendelssohn, Kate is sought after by composers and has premiered works and collaborated closely with Philip Glass, John Corigliano, David Lang, Martin Bresnick, Julia Wolfe, Missy Mazzoli, Hannah Lash, Nina Young, Dominick Argento, Christopher Cerrone, Daron Hagen, Matthew Welch, Paola Prestini, Ted Hearne, Lisa Bielawa, and Scott Wheeler. Kate toured the world for several years singing Einstein on the Beach and learning how to count numbers really fast. She holds a D.M.A. from Eastman, degrees from SUNY Purchase and Yale, teaches voice pedagogy at Mannes (The New School), and resides in Brooklyn with musician-husband Red Wierenga, son Ossian, and two adorable felines names Misha and Ayler. For schedule and more info: http://www.katemaroney.com

Soprano Elisa Singer Strom enjoys a versatile career, ranging from opera to contemporary, early, and sacred music. Recent solo performances include Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Fairfield County Chorale, and Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle as well as Brahms Requiem with the choir of St. Ignatius Loyola. An active collaborative artist, Ms. Singer Strom regularly performs choral music throughout the New York area with groups such as Musica Sacra, New York Choral Artists, Voices of Ascension, choir of St. John the Divine, Park Avenue Synagogue, and more. Elisa earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, and her master’s from the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Bruce Rameker performs as both a baritone and a countertenor and has appeared as a soloist on the stages of Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Town Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and the Spoleto Festival in a diverse repertoire that spans from ancient music with the Waverly Consort to tangos of Piazzola. He has sung with Chicago Opera Theater, Skylight Opera Theatre, New York City Opera, and Anchorage Opera. Recordings include Just Another Hour with the Trillium Ensemble featuring the music of Richard Pearson Thomas and One Body which was written for him by John Kennedy to feature both vocal ranges. Born in Wisconsin, he is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Hailed as “a true contralto, with a big, deep, resonant projection that can fill a hall,” (New London Day) Heather Petrie is a familiar voice at St Ignatius Loyola.  She was the 2019 second prize winner in the Lyndon Woodside Oratorio Competition and will make her Carnegie Hall debut this December as the Alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Oratorio Society of New York.  She has appeared with Voices of Ascension, the American Symphony Orchestra, the NY Philharmonic, and Musica Sacra. In addition to numerous roles, she has been a member of the opera chorus at Bard Summerscape, the Princeton Festival, New York City Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera Extra Chorus.  Heather is a founding member of the critically acclaimed, eight-voice treble group Etherea Vocal Ensemble, and is prominently featured on both of their recordings, released by Delos.  Recently, she and other members of the St Ignatius Choir formed an early music quartet called Caladrius, and gave their first concert this summer. She holds degrees from Bard College and SUNY Purchase Conservatory.  More information can be found at www.heatherpetriecontralto.com   

Kameron began his musical studies at the age of 5 in the sleepy seaside town of Ocean City, NJ and quickly found his passion through music.  After years of intense study and dedication, Kameron has made it a mission of his to utilize his musical tools as a vehicle for his artistry and to find ways to be more innovative and creative in our ever-changing world.

Kameron is currently a professional member of the touring ensemble, Choral Chameleon, and volunteers on the side as a Marketing Associate to help implement various Marketing and Business strategies to better the choir and help bring innovative concerts to the musical community.

He is also a returning member and singer with the professional ensemble Mastersingers of Wilmington and can be heard around the New York City area with groups like the St. Ignatius Choir and Empire City Mens Chorus.

When not performing on stage, Kameron remains active as a private voice instructor to students of all ages. His teaching philosophy is based in invoking critical thinking skills to allow students to explore and broaden their musical horizons.

In the 2019-2020 season, Kameron was selected to perform as a young artist with Opera Southwest and understudied the leading role in the recently unearthed operatic comedy “Alí Baba”.

He looks forward to performing as Agenore in “Il re Pastore” with Little Opera Theater of New York and as Guiseppe in “La Traviata” with City Lyric Opera, both in New York City.

Mr. Ghanavati’s notable roles include Ruggiero in “La Liberazione di Ruggiero” (Opera Ithaca), Nerone in “L’incoronazione di Poppea” (Eastman Opera Theater), William-King Noel in the world premiere of “The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace” (Opera Ithaca), Belmonte in “Die Entführung aus dem serail” (UD Opera Theater), Laurie in and Mark Adamo’s “Little Women” (UD Opera Theater).

Kameron is a recent graduate of the Eastman School of Music (2018) where he studied under Robert Swensen and is also a graduate from the University of Delaware (2016) under the tutelage of Dr. Blake Smith. While at the University of Delaware, Kameron was the co-recipient of the prestigious F. Warren James Memorial Award, which is awarded to outstanding voice majors who posses and demonstrate high artistry.

Robert Reuter has served as the Associate Director of Music at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York City since 2012 and works closely with director K. Scott Warren in shaping the church’s vibrant liturgical music program and concert series, Concerts at St. Ignatius.

 Since joining the music staff in 2007, Robert has had the pleasure of working with all of the church’s professional and volunteer ensembles.  He currently directs the 50-member Parish Community Choir, which can be heard at many major liturgies, as well as the popular Christmas and spring concerts.  Past performances include Vivaldi Gloria, Bach Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, Poulenc Gloria, and Bassi Carol Symphony.

 Robert is a member of, and occasionally conducts, the professional Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola, which offers repertoire at liturgies and concerts ranging from Gregorian chant to the latest choral masterpieces. Past conducting performances with this ensemble include Palestrina Missa Sine Nomine a 6, Poulenc Messe en sol majeur, and Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem.

 When not contributing to the musical aspects of the Concerts at St. Ignatius series, Robert enjoys being the behind-the-scenes “go-to-guy” in his position as Technical & Logistics Coordinator.  Responsibilities include crafting detailed schematics for each concert, running the lighting and sound systems, and helping to ensure an overall smooth concert experience for the musicians and audience members alike.

Tenor James Archie Worley has been a member of the professional choir at St. Ignatius Loyola since 1999. He has appeared as a soloist with the American Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the American Composers Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in the Fields, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Little Orchestra Society, the Santa Fe Symphony, the Chattanooga Symphony, the Midland Symphony Orchestra, and the Brooklyn Philharmonic. He has also appeared as a soloist with numerous choral groups in New York City and across the country. He has been engaged as a cover artist by the Metropolitan Opera, and has sung roles at the Portland Opera Repertory Theatre, the Bard Music Festival, Mississippi Opera, the Pocket Opera Players, the New York City Opera VOX Festival, and with the Opera Orchestra of New York. Mr. Worley holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Georgia, a Master of Arts Degree from Hunter College of the City University of New York, and is an alumnus of the Manhattan School of Music. He is a DMA candidate in vocal performance at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Tim Krol’s repertoire spans from early music to modern classical and more. For nine years, Tim performed and toured worldwide with Chanticleer, known as “America’s Orchestra of Voices.” His discography includes over a dozen Chanticleer recordings, including the Grammy-winning album, Colors of Love. Tim can also be heard on two Grammy-nominated albums with Clarion Music Society: Steinberg’s Passion Week, and Kastalsky’s Memory Eternal. Numerous solo recordings of Tim can be found by searching his name on YouTube.

Neil Netherly, Bass-Baritone, has appeared as a soloist in various performance venues around the NYC area and abroad. Most notable of his solo concert appearances in the NYC area include Christus in Bach’s Saint John Passion, The Duruflé Requiem, Saint-Saëns Christmas Oratorio, and most recently, Haydn’s Harmoniemesse. Mr. Netherly has also had the honor of performing with the Grammy Award-winning ensemble Roomful of Teeth and is a former Extra Chorus member of the Metropolitan Opera.

A graduate of Louisiana State University, Mr. Netherly studied Vocal Performance under the artistic direction of world-renowned Soprano Martina Arroyo and did his post-graduate studies at Indiana University under the tutelage of world-renowned Bass-Baritone Giorgio Tozzi.

Puerto-Rican born baritone, violinist, and violist José Pietri-Coimbre has appeared as a soloist and ensemble performer in all instruments. He has presented solo art song recitals in the United States and Europe and has appeared as soloist with the S.E.M. Ensemble, Early Music New York, Music at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian, and Master Voices with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, among others. In addition to opera credits, he was a member of the Puerto Rico Opera Chorus and was a frequent oratorio soloist in the Island. Mr. Pietri-Coimbre also sings regularly with Musica Sacra and Bard Festival Singers, among others. He also keeps a busy schedule as a freelance violinist and violist in the New York Metro area, and additionally as a passionate educator and visual artist.