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GALLERY AND MEDIA
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Originally from San Diego, Therese Pallares lives and breathes the Southern California lifestyle. Working as a REALTOR®, Therese brings the values that make living in San Diego so great into the heart of her business, warmth with a sunny disposition.
ABOUT MUSICA VITALE
Musica Vitale is a professional ensemble presenting a cappella chamber works of Western European and Slavic origin from the last 300 years. The ensemble’s mission is to revive and rediscover neglected repertoire of the Classical, Romantic, and post-Romantic eras, maintaining the highest artistic standards, preserving the heritage of vocal chamber music, and bringing enrichment to the community through public performances.
Vitale--or vital, of life--translates into the choices of the ensemble’s repertoire, emphasizing the works of Romantic and Contemporary periods of Music History, emotionally open and charged with expression.
An ensemble of some of San Diego's finest singers offers an audible feast of choral colors and timbres, equally successful in singing with delicacy and finesse as in Robert Schumann’s ‘Romanzen und Balladen’, and with the richness and warmth of Sergey Rachmaninov’s Vespers.
Musica Vitale has been bringing music to life since 2005, when a group of professional singers from the San Diego Opera Chorus and Sacred Heart Church came together to perform a benefit concert for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. At this concert, the group revealed its unique potential and Musica Vitale was born.
During these years of exceptional music making, the group became one of the premier ensembles in the county and won the hearts of a larger San Diego following.
OUR BOARD AND OFFICERS
Elena Vizuet
Artistic Director
Mrs. Vizuet is an International Music Educator and Performer with more than 30 years of experience. Mrs. Vizuet has an MA degree in Choral Conducting and an MA in Music Education from the prestigious Ural Conservatory, Russia. She also has a BA, Cum Laude, in Choral Conducting and Music Education from Chelyabinsk Music College, Russia. Mrs. Vizuet has worked as a professional singer, pianist, music instructor, conductor, and impresario for decades.
She performed internationally in venues such as Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, Rachmaninov Hall of Moscow Conservatory, Chelyabinsk Opera Theater, Vidago Concert Hall in Budapest, Casa de Kultura in Mexico, and in more than 100 productions with San Diego Opera, USA. She is a Founder an Artistic Director of Vocal Ensemble Musica Vitale, a non -profit art organization. Please visit www.Musicavitale.com
Mrs. Vizuet held position of a Teaching Artist with the San Diego Opera company in the program "Opera for Kids by Kids"; taught voice and conducting classes to undergraduate students of Chelyabinsk Music College, Russia; and Mesa City College, USA. Through her mentorship and guidance Mrs. Vizuet opened doors to professional music world to many opera singers who now sing with leading Opera Theaters in Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as professional Choral Groups, Music Colleges and Schools.
Lisa Parente
Artistic Manager and Board Member
Ms. Parente has an MM degree in Vocal Performance from the Peabody Conservatory, and a BM in Vocal Performance from San Diego State University. She has been seen in many operas, such as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, Amore in L’incoronazione di Poppea, and Dew Fairy in Hänsel und Gretel. Lisa has also been an artist with San Diego Opera’s Opera Exposed! She has been featured as the soloist in Poulenc’s Gloria, the soprano soloist in Faure’s Requiem, and many more. Lisa has experience in graphic design and digital marketing.
Carola Yee
Treasurer
Carola Yee is a dedicated accounting professional supporting an independent, woman-owned company for the past seven years, where precision, integrity and collaboration guide her work.
An active member of Crown City Chorale, she brings the same sense of harmony and commitment to her musical community as she does to her professional life.
She approaches personal and professional growth with curiosity and openness, continually seeking opportunities to expand her skills, deepen her connections, and contribute meaningfully to the communities she values.
Raffi Mikaelian
Assistant Conductor
Raffi Mikaelian is the Artistic director & Conductor of the Paros Chamber Choir and Conductor at
The National Opera & Ballet Theatre of Armenia.
He obtained his Masters and Postgraduate degree in Choral conducting and a Bachelor in Orchestra Conducting at the Yerevan State Conservatory and Artist Diploma in orchestra conducting from the San Diego State University.
Raffi Mikaelian is well known in Armenia for his performances with the “Paros” chamber
choir, “Havatamq” female choir and Armenian Orchestras. Since 2009, he has been Artistic
Director of the “Paros'' chamber choir (consisting mainly of singers with physical disabilities)
and has led them to four silver medals in the “World Choir Games” in Riga, Latvia (2014) and
Sochi, Russia (2016). He was awarded the First Prize and Best Conductor Prize at the “Kolozha Blagovest” Competition in Grodno, Belarus in 2014 with the “Havatamq” female choir.
Mikaelian is founder and conductor of Voce Dell’orchestra in Los Angeles where they
mainly perform at the St.Leon Armenian Cathedral in Burbank, CA alongside the “Shnorhali”
choir. He is also assistant conductor and Board member of “Musica Vitale” in Coronado, CA
since 2018. Guest conducting appearances have included work with the “Open Arts Community
Choir” in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the St. Petersburg Youth Orchestra in Russia. Mikaelian
premiered T.Mansurian’s “Requiem” in San Diego with “Musica Vitale”.
In 2022 Raffi Mikaelian was appointed conductor at the “National Opera & BalletTheater of Armenia” where he regularly performs.
International tours include: Armenia, Austria, Belarus, France, Iran, Latvia, Lebanon, Northern
Ireland (UK), Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Syria, U.A.E. and the U.S.A.
Catherine Marchall
Board President
Catherine Marshall serves as the Director of Liturgical Music at St. Thérèse of Carmel Catholic Church in Del Mar, where she directs the parish choir, youth and young adult choir, and children's choirs.
Passionate about choral singing, Catherine holds an Artist Diploma in Choral Conducting from San Diego State University where she served as assistant conductor for all choirs.
Coming to the church music world from an instrumental background, Catherine earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Flute Performance.
Catherine performs professionally throughout San Diego as a flutist and soprano and enjoys working regularly as both a performer and conductor.
Sharon Hall
Secretary
Sharon is a recent member of the Coronado City Chorale. Although not a trained musician, she savors all genres of music and actively seeks and attends concerts and performances. She earned an Ed.D at The George Washington University in Washington, DC and served in the field of education at the local, state, and federal levels. She is an avid international traveler. Sharon recently moved to California from Maryland to be closer to her sons and their families. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Coronado Public Library and for the Friends of the Coronado Public Library.
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Mary Blair
Board Member
Mary Blair is Professor and Incoming Chair of Sociology at UC San Diego.
She has published two award-winning academic books, multiple research articles, and teaches about how culture, meaning, and a devotion to excellence can shape lives and communities.
Mary is an avid amateur musician and sings as a volunteer in two choirs.
As a Board Member, she is honored to support Musica Vitale, Coronado's premier classical music ensemble, which makes excellent music accessible to the island and beyond.
Martin Green
Assistant Conductor
San Diego native Martin Green enjoys a multi-faceted career as organist, singer, and conductor. He has played as both as solo recitalist and accompanist throughout the US, Mexico, Canada, and abroad. Martin has made guest appearances with the San Diego Symphony and has also appeared on NPR’s “Pipedreams Live.”
He has prepared choirs and accompanied for such notable conductors as Sir David Willcocks, John Rutter, Marvin Hamlisch, Jahja Ling, Martin Neary, and Duaine Wolfe. Martin is the Organist and Choirmaster of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral near Balboa Park, San Diego.
As a singer, he has enjoyed being a member of many of the San Diego region’s professional chorale ensembles. He has appeared as a baritone and counter-tenor soloist in a wide range of venues in Southern California and Mexico from small churches to symphony orchestras.
With a passion for teaching, he is active as a clinician both for choral and organ events, and enjoys given both choral and organ masterclasses. He has conducted three recordings with the St. Paul’s Cathedral boy and girl choristers and appears on a number of other recordings as organist or singer.
Donna Dixon
Member of the Board
PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY:
Michael and Carol Kearney
Dr. William Propp
John Peeling
Charles and Ivonne Webb
Vicky Sheridan
Michael Lutz
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