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Choir & Members

Meet Our Choir

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Randy Spitzer

Artistic Director

Randy Spitzer served as the chairman of the board of directors of Cora Voce from 2003 until 2006, and in the fall of 2006, he was named Artistic and Executive Director. After graduating from Pacific Lutheran University, Randy taught public school choral music in Federal Way, Colville and Spokane, Washington while also serving as President of the Eastern Washington Music Educators Association and Vice President of Washington Music Educators Association. Mr. Spitzer has also been a featured baritone soloist with various choirs, orchestras, opera companies and musical theater groups.

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Betty Zaloudeck

Assistant Conductor

Betty Zaloudek-Moore graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a BA in Secondary music Education. She taught in the public school system 10 years as a choral director, drama coach, and math instructor. Betty’s musical experiences include being choir director at Asbury Methodist, Little Church on the Prairie, Fircrest United Methodist, St. Nicolas Catholic Church, and most recently, First Lutheran in Tacoma. She has also sung and been an assistant conductor in community choirs including Gloriana Chamber Singers, Tacoma Master Chorale, and the past 16 years with Cora Voce.

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Danete O'Neal

Accompanist/Pianist

Danete is a highly regarded collaborative pianist and graduate from Western Washington University with degree in Piano Performance. She is currently the choral pianist and director at Bryn Mawr United Methodist Church, accompanist for the Lucinda Maxey Vocal studio, and choral accompanist for the Boeing Employees Choir as well as Cora Voce. Her wide ranging experience includes Northwest Music Festivals, Washington State Music Teachers Association Conferences, Music Educators National Conferences, and Performing Arts Festival of the Eastside. 

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Jon Lackey

Tenor/Vocal Coach

Jon garners international acclaim with a voice that is a unique blend of helden and lyric tenor performed with incredible prowess – due largely to studying the bel canto singing technique under master teachers like Ilse Metternich and mentors like the Richard Strauss Family and acclaimed baritone Gérard Souzay. He has performed for major broadcasts like BBC and PBS, as well as U.S. Presidents and royalty. His many honors include being the Top National Finalist in the prestigious National Federation of Music Clubs Voice Competition and inclusion in esteemed performances across the world like Salle Gaveau in Paris and the Seattle Symphony.

Meet Our Board

President

Wayne Lackman

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Treasurer

Linda Dugger

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Secretary

Patty Howland​

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Other Members

Lisa Mills, Betty Zaloudek-Moore,

Dale Forrey, Lindsay Delmarter

Leo Blodgett

  • University of Washington, '75 BA; Gonzaga University 68-70.
    Current member Calvary Pres Church choir, baritone.

  • Musical Theatre: Heavier than Air Family Theatre, ManeStage Theatre, Broadway on the Side

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 Sue Brabham

  • Northwest Christian College '74 (Eugene OR) BA Christian Education; NCU Choir and Ambassador Choir; Arkansas State University '80 (Jonesboro, AR) BB Accounting

  • Tacoma Master Chorale, musical theater productions and musical revues as a featured soloist, First Christian Church (Tacoma WA) choir, Queen Anne Christian Church  (Seattle), First Christian Church (Weiner AR)

 

Bonni Jean Cazier

  • SUNY Fredonia '94, BS Music Therapy, Vocal Performance; Chamber Singers, Vocal Jazz Ensemble 

  • New York Swing Exchange, Ars Nova Singers (Boulder, CO), Church choir director, hand bell ringer, piano teacher

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 Alisyn Christensen

  • Luther College '10 BA in Music (oboe performance) and Music Education; Central Washington University '15 MM in Orchestral Conducting (cognate in oboe performance)

  • Teacher and freelance musician/conductor in various Tacoma and Seattle organizations. Directs and directs youth theatre at Tacoma Little Theatre

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 Karen Christensen

  • Concordia College (Moorhead MN) '80 BA Music; Concordia Choir, musical theater 

  • Master Chorale, Community theater (Lakewood Playhouse, Tacoma Musical Playhouse, Gig Harbor, Ft Lewis)

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 Lindsay Delmarter

  • Whitworth College '05, BA in Vocal Performance; Whitworth Choir, Opera Workshop, musical theater, co-lead the weekly worship service

  • Seattle Performing Arts Fellowship; ManeStage Theatre; guest soloist; church choir director

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 Linda Dugger

  • UW '77 BA in Psychology & Education; PLU '83 MA in Education Leadership

  • Church choir director/pianist/organist, accompanist, founder and director of the Anderson Island Chorale, member of the Pierce College Fort Steilacoom Chamber & Concert Choirs, retired educator

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 Jeremy Dupea

  • CWU '11 BA Music Education with a specialization in choral conducting

  • Currently teaches general music education and conducts a children's choir at Brownsville Elementary School in Kitsap County

  • Bremerton Symphony Chorale, Bremerton Community Theater, Central Stage Theater of County Kitsap (CSTOCK); Choir director, piano/organ for St. Anthony's Episcopal Church in Silverdale

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 Kent Edmonds

  • Western Washington State College '67 BA English

  • Bremerton Symphony Chorus, Tacoma Symphony Chorus, Summit Avenue Presbyterian Church Choir; other community choirs and church choirs, founding member and soloist with New Whatcom Choral Society, soloist with Olympic College 40th anniversary celebration

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 Dale Forrey

  • PLU '77 BA Music Education; University Chorale, Choir of the West, Musical theater,  Children's theater, Opera workshop; Lewis and Clark College '78 MM Ed.

  • Founder and director of the Tapestry Women's Choir, Co-Founder Occasional Theater Group, Washington/Idaho Symphony Chorale, Oregon Repertory Singers, Mid-Columbia Chorale, community theater and church choirs

 

Lynn Forrey

  • PLU '77 BM Organ Performance; University Chorale

  • Church Musician, Handbell director, taught piano & organ, accompanist, Tapestry Women's Choir, Washington/Idaho Symphony Chorale, Occasional Theater Group & other community theater, Oregon Suzuki Institute

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 Ivan Gorne

  • PLU '70 BA Music Education; Choir of the West, musical theater, Ambassador Quartet, president of the choir and student manager of '70 European tour

  • Southern Oregon University Repertory Singers; Seattle Bach Choir

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 Marsha Gorne

  • PLU '71 BA Education; Choir of the West, Madrigals, Mixed Quartet, Opera Workshop, musicals

  • Paid soloist at Little Church on the Prairie, Lakewood, WA; various choral groups in Everett, WA, Seattle Bach Choir

 

 Beverly Hoback

  • PLU '75 BA Education; PLU; University Chorale, Choir of the West; Cornish College of the Arts '82 BM Composition, Cornish Chamber Choir

  • Folk Trio, "The Arrangement", semi-professional and professional musical theater productions in the Puget Sound and in Coeur d'Alene, ID, Kindred Gathering  (annual West Coast folk music festival), church choir; currently elementary music teacher

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 Pat Howland

  • PLU '79 BA Music Education; University Chorale, Choir of the West - alto section leader, Opera Workshop

  • Retired Operations Manager, Branch Manager, and Regional Vice President at J.W. Pepper of Tacoma

  • New Sound Singers, church choir director, pianist and vocalist at South Tacoma Baptist Church, Italy Choir Tour, Tacoma Symphony Chorale, Lyrica Ladies' Ensemble, pianist and vocalist at Crossroads Neighborhood Church, Bremerton, WA

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 Diane Kinnunen

  • PLU '75 BA Education, Choir of the West, Swing Choir, Joyful Noise; PLU '82, BS Nursing

  • Taught elementary school and music; civic groups, director church choir, piano teacher

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 Erin Kling

  • Pierce Community College AA ‘97; chamber choir, concert choir and jazz choir. Central Washington University ‘2000 BA Education; concert choir. Leslie University MA education.

  • Tacoma Master Chorale, musical theater productions, First Christian Church (Tacoma WA)

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 Bernie Kuehn

  • PLU '70 BA Music Education; PLU '75 MM Conducting; Choir of the West, conductor of Rainier House Male Chorus and Hong Women's Choir; church choir director. PLU student congregation, Parkland Methodist, First Covenant, and Christ Episcopal

  • Retired high school choir director (Hillsboro OR); Director of Ensembles at Pacific University (Forest Grove, OR); founding conductor of the Oregon Chorale

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 Jon Lackey

  • PLU '76 BA Vocal Performance, Choir of the West, Opera Workshop, Joyful Noise, and Spiritborne

  • Career as a Concert Tenor: international critical acclaim, performing with symphony orchestras, oratorio societies, and solo recital stage. Recording Artist. Music Educator teaching at university level.

  • Organist/Choir Director at Peace Lutheran in West Seattle

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 Vickie Lackman

  • PLU '79 Vocal Performance, Choir of the West, Opera Workshop, MSU '83 K-23 Music Ed

  • Previous public school music teacher and private piano and vocal coach

  • Performed with several choirs and guest soloists in multiple choir and symphony concerts.

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 Wayne Lackman

  • PLU '78, BA in Music Education. - PLU '87 MA in Choral Conducting. Studied with Maurice Skones, Dick Sparks, and Rodney Eichenberger; Choir of the West and Opera Workshop.

  • HS Choir Director, Clinician, Adjudicator, Community and Church Choir Director, Musical Theater Director

  • First Music Educator to be inducted into WIAA Hall of Fame

  • Performed with Choral Union, Montana Chorale, ,Billings Symphony, Gloriana

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Arlyn Lawrence

  • University of Maryland '85

  • Writer/Editor, former piano teacher and accompanist, quartet, church choirs

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 Shannan Lunde

  • GHHS Meistersingers and Vocal Motion '04-'06. UCC Choir '03-'07

  • Actor with Encore! Theater in various productions including Les Miserables, Brigadoon, Oliver! and others​​

 

Karen Moats

  • TCC '77 AA; TCC Chorus and the Show Choir, attended Washington State University

  • Handbell ringer and certified handbell director, church choir director and singer

​Steve Moon​

  • Augustana College (Rock Island IL) '87 BS Biology and Environmental Studies; Choir, Band, Jazz Band

  • City Cantabile Choir (Seattle), Tacoma Master Chorale, Tacoma Symphony Chorus, Bremerton Symphony Chorale

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Daisy Nau

  • Whitworth College '05 BA Vocal Performance; Whitworth Choir, Chamber Singers, Opera Workshop, paid performance internship with Spokane Metropolitan Opera '03-'05

  • Musical theatre:  Seattle Performing Arts Fellowship, ManeStage Theatre; guest soloist; teach private voice and beginning piano

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Chris Olsen  

  • PLU '88 BFA Communications/Public Relations,Minor in Music; Choir Of The West

  • Contracting Officer, US Dept of Defense, Bangor, WA

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Paul Olsen

  • PLU '67 BA Math; PLU '74 MM; Choir of the West, Madrigals, musicals, Ambassador Quartet

  • Fort Lewis Soldier's Chorus; singing waiter at Steve's Gay 90's Restaurant in Tacoma; Gilbert & Sullivan operettas, civic choirs; church choir director in Wyoming, Florida, Oregon, Washington; currently choir director at Luther Memorial Lutheran Church (Seattle, WA)

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Danete O'Neal

  • WWU '86 BM Piano Performance/Accompanying; attended PLU Summer Music Camp '78-'80

  • Pianist/Organist/Bell Choir Director- First Presbyterian Church,  Bellingham, WA; freelance accompanist; currently Pianist/Organist, Normandy Park United Congregational Church, Staff Accompanist Boeing Employees Choir including 3 concert tours to Europe, Australia and New Zealand

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 Carol Petersen

  • St. Olaf College '72 BA Biology, Public Health; UCLA '80, retired microbiologist, math/science substitute teacher.

  • Manitou Singers, Women's Chorus, Community choirs: Tapestry, Washington-Idaho Concert Chorale, Anchorage Concert Chorus, church choirs.

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 Glenn Petersen

  • St. Olaf College '71 BA in philosophy & history; folk song groups. Graduate Theological Union '74 MA in systematic and philosophical theology; Yale Divinity School '76 M.Div.

  • California Bach Society, Washington-Idaho Concert Chorale and Chamber Choir, and Alaska Chamber Singers, Church Choirs

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 Arlene Phillip

  • Oberlin College Choir, University of Puget Sound Adelphians and Madrigal Singers, President of Sigma Alpha Iota; Masters in vocal performance San Jose State - performed in the Opera Theater

  • Performed Opera, Oratorio and Musical Theater in Germany, California and Washington including the Carmel Bach Festival, Lake Chelan Bach Fest, Seattle Opera Chorus and Seattle Symphony Chorale Currently teaching voice and piano.

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 Doug Phillip

  • University of Montana - University Chorus and Opera Workshop. MD from University of Washington

  • Currently a retired physician and newly published author. Performed Opera, Oratorio and Musical Theater in Germany, California and Washington including the Carmel Bach Festival, Lake Chelan Bach Fest, Seattle Opera Chorus and Seattle Symphony Chorale

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Ruth Pitingoro

  • PLU '77 BA in Education; Lesley University '80 MA in Computer Education.

  • Sang in PLU University Chorale and Choral Union, Glorianna Chamber Singers, Tacoma Symphony Chorus and currently a choir member of Christ Episcopal Church of Puyallup.

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 Cameron Pruitt

  • Berklee College of Music, Bachelor of Music 2000, Songwriting Major, Voice Principal

  • GHHS Choral alumni, Peninsula Community Choir, Music Pastor at Olympic View Baptist Church

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 Frances Rankos

  • Attended PLU '68-'69, Choir of the West, Camerata Madrigal Singers

  • UPS Civic Chorus; PLU Choral Union; PLU Opera Workshop; Tacoma Opera Chorus, Celebration in Song, Tacoma Symphony Chorus; various musicals and Gilbert & Sullivan productions at Tacoma Little Theater, Chinook Theater, Freighthouse Theater, Capitol Playhouse, Olympia Chorale, Abby Players and Lakewood Playhouse

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 Bev Richardson

  • PLU '72 BA Education; PLU '79 MM Composition; University Chorale, Choir of the West

  • PLU Choral Union; writer of elementary musicals and arranger for the Orff Instrumentarium; direct Elementary Honor Choir, drum groups, and marimba band; teach private piano lessons; currently music specialist at Brookdale Elementary (Parkland, WA)

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 Jon Rodin

  • PLU '86 BS Engineering Physics; University Chorale, Choir of the West, Mayfest Dancers

  • PLU Choral Union, Singer in church choirs, vocal ensembles, barbershop quartet, soloist for special events, handbell ringer

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 Erwin Rosin

  • PLU '83 BS Biology; University Chorale.

  • Actor at Tacoma Little Theater, Mountain Players, Village Theatre; Founding member of the Messiah Players community theatre group at Messiah Lutheran Church

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 Phedre Schifano

  • Washington State Solo & Ensemble winner '98-'00, Puget Sound NATS Studetn Adjuciation Competition '08 Classical Avocational First Place Winner

  • GHHS Choir Program (including Meistersingers) '96-'00, Everett Community College Choir '03-'04, Edmonds Community College Choir '07-'08, Bremerton Symphony Choral '18-present

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 David Schinkel

  • California State University (Sacramento) '85 BA Fine Arts; CSU Orchestra

  • Guest flutist with the Band of the West, Travis AFB, Gig Harbor Symphony

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 Walayn Sharples

  • PLU '74 BA Choir of the West; Jazz Choir

  • Elementary and special education teacher, Seattle area stage and musical theater actress and voiceover artist, theater teaching artist for Driftwood, Village Theater, Centerstage, Second Story Repertory, Kirkland Choral Society, Seattle Peace Chorus, Puget Sound Revels, church choirs

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 Heather Shaw

  • De Anza College, AA in Music; DeAnza Chorale, DeAnza Women Singers, Santa Clara Chorale

  • Teacher of beginning voice & music theory, Seattle Choral Company, Manestage Theatre Company, West Valley Light Opera

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 Steve Smith

  • PLU  '81 BA Psychology; University Chorale; PLU '86 MA Education/Counseling

  • Church choirs

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 Laurie Spitzer

  • PLU '72 BA Education; Choir of the West, University Orchestra; Lesley College '87 MA Creative Arts; Orff Schulwerk Levels I-III '90 UC (SantaCruz); SPU adjunct professor

  • Retired choral music educator, church choirs, folk duo, children's choirs

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 Randy Spitzer

  • PLU '74 BA Music Education; Choir of the West, Ambassador Quartet, Musical theater,  Children's theater, Opera workshop

  • Currently artistic director of Cora Voce; past director high schools and junior high schools and church choirs; adjudicator and clinician; guest soloist with various choirs and orchestras; roles in opera  and musical theater, folk duo; past president EWMEA, past vice president WMEA

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 Karen Van Lier

  • Augustana College (Sioux Falls SD) '63 BA Religion, English and Theater; Chapel Choir, Women's Choir, accompanist for student voice lessons; musical theater

  • Church choirs in Sioux Falls, SD; Panama Canal Zone; San Diego, CA; London, England and Stanwood, WA; community choirs in Marysville and Everett; Methodist handbell choir in Stanwood; currently singing in Mirinesse Women's Choir (Seattle), Seattle Bach Choir

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 Betty Zaloudek-Moore

  • PLU '81 BA Music Education; continuing education at PLU and UPS '83-'89

  • Director of church choirs; Assistant Conductor Tacoma Master Chorale, Glorianna Chamber Singers; Soloist

Meet Our Members

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