The Altos

Paula Brekken

Paula Brekken, mezzo soprano, is a native of Casper, WY. She came to Kansas City to attend UMKC and graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor’s in Music Education. Paula taught vocal music in the public schools for 7 years. In January of 2007 she was a chosen participant for the St. Matthew Passion under the direction of Helmuth Rilling at Carnegie Hall. Currently, Paula is in her 18th year at Crossroads Church as music director and organist/accompanist. She is happily married to Mike, has daughters Sonia, 8, Risa, 6 and Becca, 2

Elise Peterson, soprano, has recently returned to the area to accept the position
of vocal director at PioneerTrail Middle School, Olathe. She has taught high
school vocal music for the past 15 years in Garnett and Hays, as well as maintaining
a private voice studio, directing a variety of festival and honor choirs, and producing
fifteen high school musicals. She is the State Choral Chair for the Kansas Music Educators Association through 2011, and is on the board of the Kansas Choral Directors Association. Elise has sung with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus, performed lead roles in
Emporia State University’s productions of The Secret Marriage and Hansel and Gretel, and was featured as the mezzo-soprano in the solo quartet at Fort Hays State
University’s performance of the Mozart Requiem. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education from Emporia State.

Cassandra Sutherland

Cassaundra Sutherland, mezzo soprano, received her degree in Music Education from the Conservatory of Music and Dance at UMKC this past May. She teaches Vocal Music at Lakewood Middle School in Blue Valley and is in her second year with the Chorale.

Meredith Barreth

Meredith Barreth, alto, completed her Bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance at Jacksonville State University. She holds the Master's in Music from Florida International University where she served as the graduate teaching assistant for the vocal area. Several roles to her credit include Filia in Jephthah, Carolina in Il Matrimonio Segreto, as well as being a featured soloist for Rutter's Requiem. While in Florida, Mrs. Barreth taught at the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. Mrs. Barreth is singing her fifth season this year with the Kansas City Chorale. She and her husband Ben are proud parents to Gwen and Zeke.

Julia Scozzafava

This is Julia Scozzafava's second season with the Chorale. Julia came to Kansas City 12 years ago to work on her Master's degree in Voice Performance at UMKC which she completed in 2003, after finishing her Bachelor's degree at the University of Wyoming. Julia has performed frequently with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, where you may have seen her in the roles of Third Lady in Die Zauberflote, Page in Salome, or Loma Williams in Cold Sassy Tree. Locally Julia has also been heard with the New Ear Ensemble and as a alumni soloist in Beethoven's Missa Solemnis with the UMKC symphony orchestra. Julia was an apprentice artist with the Sante Fe Opera, made her Chicago debut as Magda in The Consul with the Chicago Chamber Opera, and was a semi-finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition in 2005. Julia lives in Overland Park with her husband and three boys and is pursuing a Master's in Theological Studies at St. Paul's School of Theology.

Barbara Meyer

Barbara Meyer, contralto, is in her second 25 years with the Kansas City Chorale. One of the founding singers, she also has served on the Chorale Board of Directors. Barbara is employed by Hallmark Cards, is a former choir director for Antioch Community Church, and currently is co-director of Children's Choirs and section leader at Rolling Hills Church. Ms. Meyer is featured on the Chorale's Nimbus CD “Alleluia, An American Hymnal.” Meyer has been a featured soloist with the Kansas City Chorale and the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra and performed for several years with the Robert Shaw Festival Singers.