Seraphic Saturday Podcast: Episode 9

Logan S. Shieldscountertenor, is elated to begin his fifth season with Chanticleer. A peculiarly proud Michigander, Mr. Shields has studied vocal performance at Western Michigan University and Grand Valley State University. While living in Grand Rapids, he performed with St. Mark’s Episcopal, Schola Choir of the Diocese, and OperaGR. Most recently, he worked with an array of singers from many of America’s top choirs in the professional ensemble Audivi, based in Ann Arbor, under the direction of Noah Horn. Outside of the classical realm he has been featured in DownBeat Magazine’s Student Music Awards, winning “Best Blues/Pop/Rock Group of 2014” for his contributions on the Aaron Garcia Band’s album, Glass Girl. Other passions include craft beer, absurdism, freestyle rap, pugs, and spending time with his partner, Gabrielle.

Andrew Van Allsburgis thrilled to begin his fifth season with Chanticleer. Originally from Holland, Michigan, Andrew received his Bachelors of Music Education from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI. During his undergraduate tenure, Andrew performed with the University Chorale directed by Dr. James Bass, and recorded and released an album of Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 with the Miami-based professional choir Seraphic Fire directed by Patrick Dupré Quigley. In addition, Andrew conducted the choir of the early music ensemble Collegium Musicum, and won a Downbeat Award with the vocal jazz ensemble, Gold Company, under the direction of the late Dr. Steve Zegree. A versatile performer, Andrew has performed globally for various cruise lines, production companies, contemporary a cappella groups, musicals, and has made TV appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Kerry Mayostudied voice and choral conducting at the University of South Florida (BM ’11, MM ’15) and works in the Tampa Bay area as a soloist, conductor, and maintains an active private voice studio. Kerry is the youth choral director and cantor trainer for St. Patrick Catholic Church in Tampa. Her most recent projects include preparing choruses for TFO’s Maestro Michael Francis for “Sing Out Tampa Bay” and singing backup for Broadway legends Susan Egan and Kristin Chenoweth with the Sarasota Orchestra. Kerry is also a member of The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, the symphonic chorus of The Florida Orchestra, where she is the alto section leader and has appeared as a soloist.

Maxwell Aryis a graduate of the University of North Texas where he studied voice with Dr. Jeffrey Snider. Max is engaging actively in DFW as a soloist and ensemble singer with notable ensemble credits for the 2019-2020 season that include: Orpheus Chamber Singers, Verdigris Ensemble, Incarnatus, Dallas Chamber Choir, and Dallas Bach Society. As a soloist, Max has been a featured performer for the 2018 UNT Donor’s Gala, as well as the tenor soloist in the UNT University Singers’ performance of Mendelssohn’s Ave Maria, and tenor soloist in Beethoven’s Mass in C with the Lewisville Civic Chorale.