2025 Singing Festival

What is the Redwood Empire Singing Festival?
This is a day devoted to developing performance skills and collegiality for students of singing.
The best way to practice performing and auditioning is to, well, practice!
​Our festival is a supportive environment for singers to have growth experiences.

Participating in this festival can be helpful to singers in many ways:

• Give singers time and space to practice and gain performance skills
• Give singers the opportunity to practice auditioning for colleges, or to get roles in performances/shows 
• Give students and their teachers outside feedback from other industry professionals
• Give students the opportunity for family and friends to hear them sing in the Green Music Center
• Gives students the opportunity to win scholarship money to help them continue their study of singing​

SINGING FESTIVAL 2025  --  ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

 FOUR DIVISIONS
Division I: Ages 10-14
Division II: Ages 15-18 (still in High School)
Division III: Post High School ages 18-24
Division IV: Ages 25 and above
 
In all Divisions, both songs are required to be memorized.
Total time for both songs is 8 minutes – INCLUDING:
Introduction of 1) performer’s name, 2) title of composition and 3) composer

COMMERCIAL MUSIC  CATEGORY
Requirements are two songs, prepared and memorized:
Language:  one or two in English; one may be in a foreign language (optional). 
Repertoire:  Two contrasting contemporary songs, NOT from a musical or stage production.  One song may be an original composition (optional).  
Students may accompany themselves.
Student may bring in and use backing tracks. 
A microphone for the singer will be provided in the adjudication room. 

CLASSICAL CATEGORY requirements are two songs, prepared and memorized:
Language:  one in English and, in Div. II-IV, one in a foreign language. 
Repertoire:  For all divisions, one must be an Art Song.
The other song must be an Art Song of a different period, a classical folk song including classical gospel,
Opera, Operetta, or Oratorio.

MUSICAL THEATER CATEGORY requirements are two songs, prepared and memorized:
Both songs from a staged Broadway, Off-Broadway production, or film musical.  
ONLY Division I may use one song from a movie score.
Singers should ensure that contrasting selections represent the spectrum of their vocal and dramatic abilities (Classical, Contemporary, Pop/Rock) and use a variety of vocalisms (belt, mix, legit).

If you would like the NATS accompanist to play for you, you will need to submit clean PDFs of your sheet music to [email protected]  
​After we process your registration and sheet music submission, you'll receive an email containing your accompanist's contact details. This allows you the opportunity to schedule a rehearsal with them in advance, if desired. *Please note, any rehearsal time must be organized and funded by you, at a cost of $40 per half-hour (paid to your pianist). To ensure accompanists have sufficient availability, we strongly recommend scheduling rehearsals well before the week leading up to the competition.

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General Festival Information Sheet for Students

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Classical Division - Schroeder Hall

10:00 AM  - Group Begins

• Avery Bai (Accompanist: Melinda Moreaux)
  
• Imogen Fable Schvimmer (Accompanist: Melinda Moreaux)
  
• Feliciana M. Casas Guerrero (Accompanist: Tetyana Goodrich)
  
• Addison Newman (Accompanist: Ted Von Pohle)
  

10:50 AM - Group Begins

• Shin-Ki Chien-Nakano (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)
  
• Dennis Hebenstreit (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)
  
• Derek delos Reyes (Accompanist: Ellen Patterson)
  
• Zoe Gieseker (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)
  
• Jalexis Herman (Accompanist: Ellen Patterson)
  

11:50 AM - Group Begins

• Leila Beltran (Accompanist: Ellen Patterson)
  
• Kyra Grant (Accompanist: Ellen Patterson)
  
• Sam Martin (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)
  
• Kaitlyn Price (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)
  
• Marc Ejurango (Accompanist: Ellen Patterson)
  

1:50 PM - Group Begins

• Kaela Mariano (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)
  
• Milton Perez (Accompanist: Ellen Patterson)
  
• Yasnay Botello (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)
  
• Kevin Ruiz (Accompanist: Nancy Hayashibara?)
  
• Jenni Heikura (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)
  

2:50 PM - Group Begins

• Aidan Cumming (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)
  
• Jim Roth (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)
  
• Maija Calcagno (Accompanist: Mark Osten)
  
• Richard Aragundi (Accompanist: Mark Osten)
  

3:50 PM - Group Begins

• Whitney Lawson (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)
  
• David Taber (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)
  
• Ben Covone (Accompanist: Ellen Patterson)
  
• Bob Brown (Accompanist: Ellen Patterson)
  

John Cassidy (Accompanist: Yvonne Wormer)

Musical Theater Division - Room 1028

​9:30 AM Group Start

• Kimberly Groverman (Accompanist: Tetyana Goodhart)
  
• Ezzie Marcotte (Accompanist: Nathan)
  
• Nathanael Koross (Accompanist: Ted Von Pohle)
  
• Jack James (Accompanist: Ted von Pohle)
  
• Bronach Bowles (Accompanist: Abigail Strock)
  
• Alexis Meier (Accompanist: Melinda Moreaux)
  
• Beckett Hepp (Accompanist: Melinda Moreaux)
  
• Gianna Byrd (Accompanist: Melinda Moreaux)
  

11:00 AM Group Start

• Addison Newman (Accompanist: Ted Von Pohle)
  
• Imogen Fable Schvimmer (Accompanist: Melinda Moreaux)
  
• Avery Bai (Accompanist: Melinda Moreaux)
  

11:40 AM Group Start

• Marie-charlotte Guion (Accompanist: Tetyana Goodhart)
  
• Dugan Perotti-Kline (Accompanist: Ted Von Pohle)
  
• Nora Murray (Accompanist: Mark Osten)
  
• Eden Gianola-Norris (Accompanist: Tetyana Goodhart)
  
• Kaela Mariano (Accompanist: Tetyana Goodhart)
  
• Gabriel Adelman (Accompanist: Melinda Moreaux)
  

1:40 PM Group Start

• Whitney Lawson (Accompanist: Tetyana Goodhart)
  
• Kristin Isaacs (Accompanist: Tetyana Goodhart)
  
• John Cassidy (Accompanist: Tetyana Goodhart)
  
• Joe Persinger (Accompanist: Tetyana Goodhart)
  

2:30 PM Group Start

• Leila Beltran (Accompanist: Ellen Patterson)
  
• Marc Ejurano (Accompanist: Ellen Patterson)
  
• Elliot Choate (Accompanist: Mark Osten)
  

Laura Sandoval (Accompanist: Melinda Moreaux)

Commercial Music - Room 1028

3:30 PM  Group Start

• Nathanael Koross (Accompanist: None (Backing Tracks))
  
• Bronach Bowles (Accompanist: Abigail Strock)
  
• Autumn Terradista (Accompanist: Mark Osten)
  
• Beckett Hepp (Accompanist: Melinda Moreaux)
  
• Shin-Ki Chien-Nakano (Accompanist: Abigail Rowland Strock)
  
• Ronan Kidd (Accompanist: Abigail Strock)
  
• Alexis Meier (Accompanist: Melinda Moreaux)
  
• Pualena Hale (Accompanist: None (Backing Tracks))
  

5:00 PM Group Start

• Ryan Woodard (Accompanist: Self (Guitar))
  
• Brittney Talbot (Accompanist: None (Backing Tracks))
  
• Laura Sandoval (Accompanist: Melinda Moreaux)
  
• Sabrina Lee (Accompanist: None (Backing Tracks))
  
• Aidan Royal (Accompanist: Cris Walker)
  

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Meet our Adjudicators 

THERESA CARDINALE
Mezzo-Soprano Theresa Cardinale is a highly experienced mezzo-soprano and vocal pedagogue with over 30 years of professional singing and 25 years of teaching experience. She holds a Master’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy from Holy Names University in Oakland and a Bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology from the State University of New York at Albany. Her extensive training includes studies with esteemed vocal instructors such as Cheryl Keller, Maria Louisa Cioni in Milan, Barbara Aurora, Janet Parlova, and Edwin Barlow.
With a background spanning classical, musical theater, and early music, Ms. Cardinale brings a comprehensive understanding of vocal technique, performance practice, and stylistic interpretation to her work. Her expertise includes breath management, resonance balancing, diction, register transition, and expressive phrasing. She has conducted vocal workshops and master classes for community choruses and church choirs and has served as an adjudicator for numerous vocal competitions and scholarship auditions, including those for the East Bay Opera League, Pacific Musical Society, Contra Costa Performing Arts, and NATS chapters in both the Redwood and San Francisco Bay Areas.
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Ms. Cardinale is a dedicated advocate for vocal health and artistry, guiding singers of all levels in refining their technique and deepening their interpretive skills. Her commitment to ongoing professional development is reflected in her continued attendance at national and international voice pedagogy conventions, as well as training in acting through the American Conservatory Theater’s Summer Training Congress. She is a longstanding member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and has held leadership roles within the NATS San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, including serving as Chair of the NATS Student Auditions.

SHARON DAVIS
Sharon began her career with the Valley Music Hall in Salt Lake City, featured in Oklahoma, Carnival and Take Me Along under the direction of Art Linkletter. She studied at the University of Nevada, Reno, under the direction of Ted Puffer and took leading roles in the Nevada Opera Company. While in Nevada, she claimed the title of “Miss Nevada” and participated in the Miss America Pageant. Two of the roles she performed are Adele in Die Fledermaus and “Cherubino” in The Marriage of Figaro. Upon winning the Utah Division of the San Francisco Opera Auditions she went on to participate in the Merola Opera Program, singing the title role of Polly Peachum in the Beggar’s Opera. She was the recipient of the prestigious Karl Kritz Memorial Award. Miss Davis went on to join San Francisco Opera’s Western Opera Theatre and toured with the company for four years and later sang in Spring Opera with the San Francisco Opera Company.
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Sharon appeared twice as guest soloist with the San Francisco Symphony in their Pop’s Concert Series conducted by the late Arthur Fiedler.
She has performed with opera companies in Uah, Nevada, and the Bay Area, singing in Madama Butterfly (Cio-cio-san), La Boheme (Mimi), La Traviata (Violetta), La Nozze di figaro (The Countess), The Elixir of Love (Adina), Cosi fan tutte, (Fiordiligi), The Merry Widow (The Widow).
Ms Davis has also been a featured soloist with symphany orchestras and choral groups her in the Bay Area. She is also at home on the recital stage.
Sharon makes her home in San Francisco and continues to perform as well as maintaining an active vocal studio.

JOHNATHAN BLUE
Blue has spent the last 15 years working in education as an elementary teacher, music instructor, and administrator. He is now the Education Director of 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, CA. As well as being a seasoned classroom teacher, he holds a professional conservatory certificate of Integrated Music and Theatre from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. He is also trained in Fitzmaurice Voicework and Linklater Technique. When he’s not directing children's theatre, Blue enjoys working as a performer, costumer, and choreographer in Sonoma and Napa County.

ALI CECCHETTI 
Ali has private vocal studios in Los Angeles and Sonoma, California, is a certified vocal coach, and songwriter.  She is known for her work in the entertainment industry working with TV, film and recording artists.  Ali offers a range of vocal techniques and services, including music theory, performance and songwriting skills.  Creating a fun, positive and professional atmosphere, Ali customizes each session according to her client’s needs and goals to help them achieve their true potential.  A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Ali is an award winning, published songwriter and international performer. She makes it her mission “to give all my clients the confidence, knowledge and techniques to make their mark in the entertainment industry.

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