Join us in making exciting, holiday music come alive with singers, instrumentalists, and soloists from all over Sonoma County. Your "hosts" for the annual Redwood Empire Sing-Along Messiah are the dedicated committee members who work year round to bring you the best audience-participation musical event of the season. They, and countless other individuals and businesses, have donated many hours, goods and services to provide this special event.

2008 Soloists

Brandy Noveh

Originally from New Orleans, Brandy Noveh studied voice at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, Loyola University, and Boston University Tanglewood Institute.  Moving to Northern California, she completed a BA in music education at Humboldt State University.  Her stage roles include Monica (The Medium), Josephine (H.M.S. Pinafore), and Lily (The Secret Garden).  She can most recently be seen as a member of the Sonoma County Chamber Singers.  Besides her love for classical singing, Brandy enjoys singing jazz with her guitarist husband, Isaac.  Upon moving to Santa Rosa in 2002, Brandy taught kindergarten and started a family.  She currently teaches elementary music in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa and is mother to two small children.

Dana Alexander

Dana Alexander is in her tenth year as Director of Choral Music at Montgomery High School, where she also teaches group piano classes.  Mrs. Alexander received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Fresno State University, and her Master of Arts in Choral Conducting from San Jose State, where she studied with renowned choral conductor Dr. Charlene Archibeque.  Since relocating to the North Bay in 1999, Mrs. Alexander has performed regularly with choral ensembles in the community, including the Sonoma County Bach Choir and vocal jazz ensemble, Take Note. Mrs. Alexander has also performed with the acclaimed Bay Area choral ensemble, The Choral Project.  Mrs. Alexander currently studies with internationally acclaimed contralto Karen Clark at Sonoma State University, and has studied with Jenni Samuelson and Helene Joseph-Weil.  Mrs. Alexander resides in Santa Rosa with her husband, piano accompanist Chris Alexander, along with their cat. She is excited to once again be performing as Alto soloist for the Redwood Empire Sing-Along Messiah.

Richard Riley

Richard Riley, lyric tenor, began his musical studies at the Settlement School of Music, a branch of the Curtis Institute of Music In Philadelphia. He is a member of the San Francisco Opera Chorus and sang in the 1993-1994 productions of Die Meistersinger (Wagner), I Vespri Siciliani (Verdi), La Boheme (Puccini), and Turandot (Puccini) which was broadcast on PBS.   Mr. Riley has sang with the Berkeley Opera Company, the San Francisco Russian Opera Company and the Oakland Lyric Opera Company.  Mr. Riley has sang Handel's Messiah as well as most of the Bach cantatas with the Oakland Festival Chorus. He has appeared with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus in the Beethoven 9th Symphony and the Berlioz Requiem.  Comfortable in opera, spirituals, gospel hymns, musical theater and ballads, Mr. Riley frequently performs a cappella. His CD titled "IHear Music in the Air" has received critical acclaim. Mr. Riley also teaches voice at studio in San Francisco and Santa Rosa and is a frequent soloist at Hanna Boy's Center and other Bay Area Churches.

David Irvine

David Irvine has been serving as the full-time Director of Worship at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Sonoma since 1994 where he oversees the music, art and drama programs of the church.  This fall he has also assumed the position as Artistic Director/Conductor of the 100-plus voice Sonoma Valley Chorale with whom he has served as Associate Conductor for the past five years.  He recently returned from a tour of eastern Europe with the Consort Chorale of Marin County where he serves as an associate conductor. David is a product of Chapman College where he studied choral conducting with William Hall and Larry Ball.  Irvine has studied voice with Jonathan Mack, Janet Smith and is currently studying with Richard Riley.  David has appeared as Baritone soloist with the Consort Chorale, the Sonoma County Bach Choir and is thrilled to again be singing for the Redwood Empire Sing-Along Messiah.

Angel Recitative Singers

Vivienne Luthin

Vivienne Luthin is a first soprano in the Concert Group of the Santa Rosa Children’s Chorus, directed by Carole Menke. A sixth grade honor student at St. Rose School, Vivienne joined the Children’s Chorus in the fall of 2006. In addition to singing, she acts, plays piano, enjoys photography, art, volleyball, swimming, computers, math and science. Vivienne also loves animals, being outdoors and spending time with her family and friends.

Mariah Thompson

Mariah Thompson is a 10 year-old fifth grader who attends Sequoia Elementary School. She has been a member of the Santa Rosa Children’s Chorus under the direction of Carol Menke for almost four years. She also plays the alto saxophone in her school band and in the marching band. In addition to her love of music, she enjoys basketball, soccer, the outdoors, spending time with her friends and family, Girl Scouts, and acting.

 Orchestra

Celebrate Santa Rosa’s Baroque Sinfonia in its 32nd season! Originally patterned after the orchestra of Haydn's time, the Sinfonia is composed of volunteer musicians from all over Sonoma County. Sponsored by the Music Department at Santa Rosa Junior College, it performs four double concerts each year in Sonoma and Santa Rosa. In This year Nick Xenelis became the fourth director of the group. Since that time the Sinfonia has extended its repertoire beyond the Baroque era to include such masters from Mozart to Bartok.

On-Stage Chorus

The Santa Rosa Symphonic Chorus has been in existence since 1934, when it was founded by Chester Beck as the Sonoma County Chorus. Currently under the direction of R. Daniel Earl, this group performs significant choral works from a range of musical periods, with an emphasis on rarely performed master works.