Milton Community Concerts
at First Parish
A Musical Marathon
Celebrating Ten Years of Milton Community Concerts
Saturday, October 26th from 2:00-9:00pm​
A special free MCC musical event will be taking place in Milton on Saturday, October 26, featuring dozens of talented musicians from all over New England. “A Musical Marathon Fundraiser: Ten Years of Milton Community Concerts” will take place at First Parish of Milton, 535 Canton Avenue. This unique concert will provide a full day and evening of music for the entire family, featuring outstanding performers from the past nine years of concerts. Audiences are invited to “come as you are” and “come and go as you please” from 2-5pm in the afternoon and from 6-9pm in the evening. Dinner will be available between 5-6pm, providing a chance to meet and talk with the performers.
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From 2:00-5:00pm a series of mini-concerts will be taking place in the historic Meetinghouse at First Parish:
2:00-3:00pm – soprano Yoonjeong Yoo and baritone Philip Lima
3:00-3:30pm – jazz/folk pianist and world-class juggler Stuart Ryerse
3:30-4:00pm – tenor David Won
4:00-4:30pm – sopranos Sarah Callinan and Jane Shivick
4:30-5:00pm – jazz accordionist Cory Pesaturo
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Dinner will be available from 5:00-6:00pm for purchase.
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From 6:00-9:00pm will be a concert called “Showstoppers”, during which many of MCC’s past performers will get a chance to shine with their one favorite aria, musical theater selection, or instrumental piece.
Performers for "Showstoppers" are: Sarah Callinan, Jane Shivick, Tamara Ryan, Emily Tweedy, Grace Allendorf, Ron Williams, Roselin Osser, Heather Gallagher, David Won, Carina Digianfilippo, Betsy Hinkle, Daon Drisdom, Deborah Selig, Alexandra Dietrich, Brian Landry, Patrice Teidemann, Vanessa Naghdi, Melynda Davis, Tahanee Aluwihare, Jennifer Sgroe, Elaine Daiber, Olga Lisovskaya, Bingchuan Wan
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Admission is FREE for this entire event (except for dinner), and much-needed donations will be accepted to support Milton Community Concerts.
Artist Headshots and Bios
Praised for her ‘pure, lustrous voice’ and ‘Lucille Ball-like energy,’ soprano Sarah Callinan has performed a wide variety of operatic roles across the U.S. Some favorite roles include Despina in Così Fan Tutte, Blondchen in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the title role in La Fille du Régiment, Gilda in Rigoletto, Amina in La Sonnambula, and Norina in Don Pasquale. Most recently, she sang her first Violetta in La Traviata and reprised the role of Rosina in Barber of Seville with Opera Theater of Connecticut. She sang the soprano solos in Handel’s Messiah with Music Worcester. She performed with Opera Theater of Connecticut at the Sanibel Music Festival for Andrew Llyod Webber: Superstar of Song and Stage, as well as concerts featuring the music of Lerner & Loewe, and Gilbert & Sullivan. Other recent engagements include creating the role of Doria/Young Woman in the world premiere of Giacomo’s Muse with Barn Opera, A Tribute to Jenny Lind for the Scandinavian Athletic Club’s annual Midsummer Festival, Intimacy & Imagination, a concert of new music by Tony Solitro at the Longy School of Music, as well as a series of performances with Opera on Tap - Boston. When she isn’t performing, Sarah is a highly sought-after voice teacher. She maintains studios at Mount Holyoke College, Worcester State University, The Hanover Conservatory, the Joy of Music Program, and a private home studio. She also teaches at the Vocal Intensive Program in Hartford every summer. She is passionate about our national parks and enjoys road trips and hiking with her dog Finch.
Meet Stuart and Victoria, two storytellers who have chosen 'acoustic indie folk duo' as their narrative medium.
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These songbirds and sweethearts live and sing at eachother’s sides, in both Boston and Toronto, where they tell their tales in inseparable harmony.
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They met—guitar in hand—shortly after Stuart completed his Bachelor of Music at New England Conservatory. Together they began fusing the flavours of Canadian folk revival with classically-influenced compositions.
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With their first recording underway, the only place to hear them is right here, right now. So take off your shoes, close your eyes, and let your ears lead you on an Imaginary Expedition.
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Baritone Philip Lima is a New Bedford, MA native who has sung leading operatic roles in Germany and for regional American opera companies in repertoire ranging from traditional favorites to important works of twentieth century masters, along with comic masterworks of Gilbert and Sullivan. Of particular note have been his featured roles in the world premieres of operas by jazz greats Leslie Burrs, Nathan Davis, and Mary Watkins, and by award-winning composer Larry Bell.
Mr. Lima has appeared as vocal soloist with the Boston Pops and numerous leading ensembles across the United States and in Italy, Korea, and Ukraine in traditional choral masterpieces and important modern concert works, including Lee Hoiby’s setting of the “I Have a Dream” speech of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mr. Lima is featured on the recording of pioneering African-American composer Florence Price’s Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight that won the 2020 American Prize for the Performance of American Music.
Mr. Lima serves as the Assistant Chair of Berklee College of Music’s Voice Department. www.philiplima.com
Cory Pesaturo is an American musician from Cumberland, Rhode Island. Pesaturo is an accordion player, who also plays the piano, clarinet, and saxophone. He began playing at the age of nine, and in 2002, became the youngest person to win the National Accordion Championship.[1] He most recently won the 2011 Primus Ikaalinen World Championship and was the first ever American contestant.[2] Additionally, Pesaturo won the Coupe Mondiale World Digital Accordion Championship in Auckland, New Zealand, and became the first American to win a World Accordion Championship since Peter Soave 25 years earlier.[3] In June 2009, he won the Leavenworth International Championship, and International Jazz Championship. Pesaturo performed in 5 different continents during 2009; some countries included Canada, Italy, New Zealand, Tunisia and Japan. Cory is one of only four accordionists in history to win a World Championship on both acoustic and electronic accordion, and is the only person to also win a world championship in jazz.
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He was accepted on the accordion at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA where he studied Contemporary Improvisation and a variety of music styles, including Italianand French folk music, Bulgarian and Jewish music, Classical music and Jazz. He became the second person to major in and graduate as an accordionist at the New England Conservatory.
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Pesaturo performs live, playing the accordion, piano, clarinet and saxophone. His past performances have included filling in for an ill Myron Floren, the accordionist on The Lawrence Welk Show at the age of 12, performing on four occasions at the White House, and playing at six other public events and private functions for President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. In 1999 he performed at a State Dinner held for the President of Hungary.
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In 2008, Roland named Pesaturo as part of their team of four American accordionists which will promote Roland's V-Accordion. Pesaturo performed for Roland at the Music Trade show NAMM in 2009 and was featured with Eddie Montiero, backed by pianist Rick DePiro and drummer Mike Snyder in a Concert for international press and NAMM dignitaries. Pesaturo has also performed with different symphony orchestras around the country, including the Brockton Symphony Orchestra in 2003.
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His music has been played for various Formula 1 races on SPEED TV and now NBC Sports starting in 2007, on the Velocityprogram "Chasing Classic Cars", and also at various Concours around the United States such as the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. He has also combined his interest in statistics and sports with his appearance on the "100 Year Anniversary of Fenway Park" album in 2012, with current and past Boston Red Sox players, and journalists.
Soprano Jane Shivick has garnered high praise for her extraordinary vocal abilities. The NY Times praised her for her “character and vocal richness.” The Globe affirms that “Shivick has a voice evenly glamorous throughout its compass and an engaging stage presence.” Equally at home in opera, oratorio, concert, and recital, Ms. Shivick made her Symphony Hall debut with The Boston Pops Orchestra under the batons of Keith Lockhart & Steven Mercurio. She is a frequent guest soloist at Holiday Pops and has performed Górecki’s Sorrowful Songs with Lockhart, among her many credits. She made her NYC operatic debut in the title role of Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos. A Nat’l Winner in the renowned Metropolitan Opera Auditions, she made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Maestro Sir Charles MacKerras. She has performed at the Aspen Opera Theater Center working directly with Maestro Julius Rudel and her performances have been heard on many New England radio stations. Ms. Shivick is an alumnus of Assumption University and the Aspen Music Festival & School. She teaches privately at several locations and recently expanded her Worcester studio, the JMS School of Singing, to include Shrewsbury, MA. www.janeshivick.com
Soprano Yoonjeong Yoo is a native of Incheon, South Korea. Yoonjeong is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at University of Connecticut studying with Dr. Constance Rock and is a graduate teaching assistant. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Sookmyung Women's University, Master of Music degree from New England Conservatory in Boston, and Professional Studies Diploma from Mannes School of Music in New York. She sang the role of Amore in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice with Camerata New York Orchestra. At NEC, she played Queen of the Night in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Ruth in John Musto’s Later the Same Evening. She was the winner of the 2020 Orpheus Competition Bel Canto Award, a finalist in the 2018 Classical Singer Competition, and was an Apprentice Artist at the 2019 Nahant Music Festival. She also participated in the 2019 Martina Arroyo Prelude program in New York, covering Adele in Strauss' Die Fledermaus.
Tenor David Won is a popular recitalist and concert singer based in the Greater Boston area. He has performed around USA as well as the world, including Dominican Republic, Malta, Ukraine, Italy, South Korea, Taiwan, Romania, etc.
He has collaborated with many performers like Maria Lyudko, sop, Dominika Zamara, sop, Jason Camilleri, trumpet, Milica Lawrence, piano, etc.
Over the years he has also collaborated with many living composers like Lina Tonia of Greece, Stefan Shema of France, Sonja Beets of France, Bartolomeo Cosenza of Italy, Dr. Hyun Kook of South Korea, Konstancja Kochaniac of Poland, Carol Koffinke of Pembroke, MA, Mark Hayes of Kansas City, MO, Kenneth LaFave of Scottsdale, AZ, Darya Afanasieva of Myrnohrad, Donetsk region, Ukraine.
He was a featured soloist at the 9/11 memorial service in 2015 at the Massachusetts Statehouse. In 2013 he was a featured soloist in the Great Mass in C Minor by Mozart with Chorus pro Musica and the New England Philarmonic, under the direction of Dr. Betsy Burleigh. Since December of 2014 he has coached regularly with Timothy Steele and has performed about 160 full recitals.
Tenor David Won entered Seoul Theological Seminary to study Church Music in 1980, then transferred to Seattle Pacific University, where he received a BA in religion, 1983. In 1986 he received a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary, and in 1993 a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. He has always been deeply involved in music, particularly choral music. He has sung with Soong Sil OB Chorus, Korea Broadcasting Station Chorus, Harvard Glee Club, Church of the Advent of Boston under the direction of Dr. Edith Ho (to whose musicianship he is deeply indebted), and recently Chorus pro Musica of Boston. With these groups he has sung as a chorister and as a soloist.
He would like to offer a special thanks to Mr. Young Jun Kim, his first voice teacher of more than 45 years ago. During a very difficult time in David's life he provided encouragement and was kind, generous, genius, and hilarious.
His first CD, “Only Love” featuring Pascal Szymczak’s works was released in December of 2017, and his second CD “Languages of Love” in February of 2018.
Timothy Steele is an active vocal coach, collaborative pianist, and conductor, and
is currently in his thirty-first year on the opera faculty at New England
Conservatory. He has conducted for outreach tours with the Boston Lyric Opera
(more than 200 performances for school children) and is a former music director
for Opera Providence. He has served as conductor/pianist for more than 200
operatic productions with 33 companies, including Opera Theatre of St. Louis,
Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Wolf Trap Opera, Central City
Opera, and Opera Maine. For workshops and rehearsals he assisted with the
Pulitzer Prize-winning opera MADAME WHITE SNAKE in productions in Boston and
Taiwan.
He has played for thousands of opera auditions and competitions, assisted as
recording producer for two award-winning recordings, and as a vocal coach has
worked with both young singers and seasoned professionals. He is currently the
producer of Milton Community Concerts and is the music director/organist at
historic First Parish Church in Milton, MA. In Boston he has performed with
Emmanuel Music (where he played for a decade of weekly Bach cantatas), the
Handel and Haydn Society, and the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company,
among others.
A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Timothy received his Bachelor of Music from Drake
University and a Master of Music from the University of Southern California,
where he studied collaborative piano with Gwendolyn Koldofsky.