Concentus Members

Conductor

Gwen Gassler, conductor Buffalo native Gwendolyn Hall Gassler earned a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Donald Neuen. Her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Colgate University included conducting studies with Marietta Cheng, organ performance with Mary Ann Dodd, and an Early Music seminar in Switzerland.

Ms. Gassler has worked as a professional church musician in both Buffalo and Rochester. She served as the assistant conductor of the Rochester Oratorio Society for 20 years, and conducted the High Holy Days ceremonies for Temple Sinai for 6 years. She co-founded Concentus in 2001 with Edna Huelsenbeck, who is now based in California, where she is founder and director of Pacific Women's Chorus.

Collaborator and Accompanist

Actively pursuing her DMA in Collaborative Piano and Chamber Music at Eastman School of Music, Kristen Ditlow is a consummate musical partner and friend of Concentus.

A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory and Westminster Choir College, Karen has extensive experience serving as piano faculty, music director, vocal coach and academic lecturer. She comes to the Rochester area after having served for seven years as the Director of Music at St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and as Staff Pianist, Coach and Repetiteur for the Curtis Institute of Music.

During her educational years, Ms. Ditlow was awarded fellowships to study twentieth-century Italian composers in at Centro Studi Italiani in Urbania, Italy and to collaborate with such artists as Phyllis Curtin, Lucy Shelton, Dawn Upshaw and Craig Smith as part of her vocal piano fellowship with the Tanglewood Music Center. She also served the San Francisco Opera Center as apprentice coach and collaborated with such artists as Martin Katz, Carol Vaness and Lotfi Mansouri.

Ms. Ditlow was recently Head Vocal Coach, Head of Music Staff and Assistant Conductor of Opera in the Ozarks.

The Singers

Group picture

  • Glenda Brayman is a charter member of Concentus and studies voice with Patricia Alexander at the Eastman School of Music Community Division. She has also sung with Rochester Oratorio Society, Eastman Rochester Chorus, and Eastman Community Chamber Chorus. She has three children, and enjoys sailing and biking with her husband, Howard.
  • Beth Cross-Wilhelm is president of Songbird Research, providing legal research services to attorneys nationwide.  A graduate of Ohio University, she is a proud and active member of the Rochester Rotary Club, serving on their Board of Directors and as chair of the Club’s Adopt-a-School Committee.  Beth has sung with various ensembles in the Rochester area including Musica Spei and Rochester Oratorio Society; enjoys knitting, reading and traveling; and lives with her husband Roger in Pittsford.
  • Julie Christensen is a founding member of Concentus, returning for the 2010-2011 season. Julie is a Health Project Coordinator for the University of Rochester and is pursuing her PhD. She has sung with ROS, ERC, Syracuse Oratorio Society, and has performed and toured with Nick and the Nice Guys. She also teaches front ensemble percussion and is the associate director of the Greece Central School District’s Blue Knights Marching Band.
  • Kathy Cronin, a graduate of New England Conservatory, has performed opera and oratorio works in Switzerland, France and across the USA. A founding member of “The Three Sopranos” of Hot Springs, AR, Kathy has sung with Rochester Oratorio Society, Eastman Rochester Chorus and Madrigalia, and leads major account programs at Pharos Systems International.
  • Tansy Deutsch finds that singing with Concentus is a perfect balance to her work as a psychologist in independent practice. She and her partner of 25 years live in the city, where they always have a plethora of creative projects brewing, including gardening, making music, writing poetry, raising sea creatures, dreaming of travel, and caring for aging parents. It is a very good life!
  • Cathy Heckert is an RN, currently practicing in the field of developmental disabilities. Cathy is very involved with the music programs at the Open Door Baptist Church as a soloist and as a member of Voices of Praise. She has two children and lives in Brockport with her wonderful husband, George.
  • Donna Himmelberg is a high school chemistry teacher in Fairport, where she is a proud participant in NASA’s Teaching From Space program. She lives a busy, full life with her husband, John, and two sons, Andrew & Joe. Donna has also sung with the Rochester Oratorio Society and is involved with the athletic and musical activities of her family.
  • Dede Holmes is the bee’s knees, and brings enthusiasm and joy to every project. A graduate of Syracuse University (Go Big Orange!) and Nazareth College, she is an anchor member of our alto section. Dede directs the Children’s Choirs at First Presbyterian, and sings not only classical music, but also jazz, blues and rock and roll.
  • Johanna Johnson is a Northern California girl, transplanted to Webster to serve as pastor of two small Lutheran churches. Trained primarily as an oboist, Johanna has grown increasingly interested in singing, especially with other women, and is delighted to be a part of Concentus. She enjoys pine-covered mountains, avocados, dogs, thrift shops, and her ukelele, and can often be caught mindlessly harmonizing.
  • Kara Juszczak is a social worker with CompassionNet, and lives with her husband and two sons in North Chili. Kara studied vocal performance at SUNY Geneseo with Pamela Kurau, and joined Concentus to fuel her passion for singing after graduate school. Kara serves Concentus as rehearsal and concert manager and Secretary of the Board of Directors, and balances all of these wonderful parts of life with yoga and meditation practice.
  • Rebecca Kolstad, Soprano, lives with Paul and their Daughter Sarah in Pittsford. She works with her family owned business as a Manufacturer’s Representative in the construction market. Rebecca serves as the Chair of the Concentus Board of Directors, and enjoys spending her free time singing with Concentus. She has also sung locally with Eastman Rochester Chorus and the Opera Theatre of Rochester.
  • Karen Kral is a charter member of Concentus and acts as Music Librarian.  Karen is also a long time member of the Rochester Oratorio Society.  In addition to musical interests she is an active volunteer with Community Darkroom and TechAge.  When not singing or volunteering she enjoys traveling and spending time in the artistic garden created by husband Jerry.
  • Ana Liss developed her Alto craft performing with the Ithaca College Women’s Chorale during her undergraduate years, and it brought her such joy!  Ana spent a few years anchoring the morning news in Elmira, NY and worked as a reporter at 13 WHAM News. She has since earned an MPA from the University of Pennsylvania. Ana works for the Center for Governmental Research, a non-profit public policy think tank. Ana also sings with the Eastman-Rochester Chorus.
  • Kate McCurdy joins Concentus after graduating with honors from Williams College, and fresh from her certification as a professional scuba diving instructor. A recent honors graduate of Williams, Kate has also sung with the Eastman-Rochester Chorale and Nik and the Nice Guys. Concentus cherishes our time singing with Kate, as she plans to attend law school in the fall!
  • Michelle Newkirk (on sabbatical) has the best job in town. She is a visiting LPN in pediatrics and has created a private practice devoted to Bach Flower Therapy and emotional and physical wellness for all. She is a staff member of Center of Hope Training Junction.
  • Kelly Petro is a high school music teacher in Irondequoit, where she actively directs  and creates new choral and dramatic musical experiences for her students, spanning over a dozen groups, classes, ensembles, and performance productions. Very active in music since graduating from college, Kelly is pleased to be singing again for pleasure and personal learning.  Kelly and her husband, John, live in Irondequoit.
  • Katherine Schumacher has served the arts and cultural community of Rochester in many board and community leadership positions, including the Hochstein Music School, RPO, Friends of Eastman Opera and Concentus. Katherine studies voice with Riki Connaughton at Hochstein and sings with the Rochester Oratorio Society and the Third Presbyterian church choir. She and her husband Jon live in Pittsford.
  • Nina Varon admires everything beautiful and gracious, from arts to nature. Having sung her entire life, Nina now returns to small ensemble singing as she joins Concentus. She is proudly raising 3 children with her husband, Professor Neil Varon. Graduated in Slovakia with a love of languages, she is now pursuing her professional translating career.
  • Janice Whaley (on sabbatical) is the founder and owner of a firm that provides outstanding medical transcription services. A core member of our alto section and Concentus charter member, Janice has formerly sung with Rochester Oratorio Society and Rochester Chapter of the Sweet Adelines.
  • Denise Young is part of the lifeblood of Concentus, and has flexibly and gleefully sung in both our alto and soprano sections. Active with her family and local community, Denise is an Education Specialist in the Public Employees Federation, AFL-CIO.