Meet The Singers

Choir marks the seasons of life for Wendy. She credits her Evergreen High School director, Bill Loper, with her belief that choir is community. Wendy studied vocal performance at UNC Greeley, earning a minor in music. She went on to sing with the Women’s Chorus at DU, the Colorado Women’s Chorus, and delighted in her years singing with Harmony: A Colorado Chorale, a joyful LGBTQIA+ inclusive chorus. Wendy came to Safonia in awe of their talent and dedication. Wendy is an educator and operational leader at Rocky Mountain Public Media. She lives in Broomfield with her two sons and husband and is always up for a hike, a good book, and forever–fluffy cats.

Allyse Brennan began singing in choir at age 12 and never left! She has sung at different community events and performed with the New Mexico All-State choirs for 3 years. Choir became much more than a place to sing; it was where she met her husband and many lifelong friends. She went on to study Music Education at New Mexico State University.

After moving to Colorado, Allyse taught elementary music, choir, and drama in the Bennett School District while singing with Safonia. She has spent the past year at home raising her first daughter and is so grateful for the community and shared love of music she has found in Safonia!

Anne fell in love with singing at an early age and it is a love affair that has never subsided. She studied music at DePauw University in Greencastle, IN, where she was a member of several choirs as well as played various opera roles. Being a native of Chicago, Anne has spent over 20 years in Denver working for Jeffco Public Schools. Currently a school administrator, Anne is thrilled about the opportunity to be back engaging in her first passion of singing in a choral ensemble.

Sarah thinks singing feels good. Preferably singing loud, barefoot, and with good friends. She knew she had found her dream job when coworkers commented that she was singing while she worked. Sarah is and will always be so grateful for any opportunity to share music with others. “Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn and to sing at dusk was to heal the world through joy.” -Terry Tempest Williams

When Megan walks into a room, you know it! Her contagious energy and laughing smile encourages everyone to enjoy whatever is happening around them. Her parents were singers and performers, which prodded Megan to sing and perform. Megan sang with a women’s ensemble that travelled to Carnegie Hall for a spectacular performance her junior year of high school, trained operatically at the University of Wyoming while singing in the women’s chorus, and finally co-founded a women’s a capella ensemble as a way to enjoy even more genres of musical performance. Safonia is lucky to have her enthusiasm and musical knowledge.

During the week, Melissa is a Program Manager at Development Pathways, a nonprofit that supports individuals, with intellectual and developmental disabilities, access services and supports. During down time, I love listening to books on tape and podcasts, gardening, and baking. Music has always been part of Melissa’s life. She sang four-part harmony in the Mennonite church, in a community children’s choir, and throughout her school career. Her favorite choral memory was singing in her college women’s choir.

​Born into a family of musicians, Kathy has been involved in music from a very young age, playing the piano and singing. She has sung in and served as accompanist for multiple school and church choirs and had a 30+-year tenure with the Trinity United Methodist Church Chancel Choir. Also, while at Trinity, Kathy taught Early Childhood Music Classes, served as director for the Children’s and Youth Choirs, and was the Assistant to the Director of Music & Arts. Kathy works at Regis University as the Administrative Coordinator for the Department of Fine & Performing Arts. She is incredibly grateful to be singing again with these gifted musicians!

As a founding member of The Bettys – the University of Wyoming’s female a capella group – Rebecca is a wealth of talent and knowledge in the Soprano II section. Her musical experiences range from high school all-state choir, University of Wyoming choirs, and the local treble a cappella group Pitch Snapped, to arranging music. She spends her days as a structural engineer and enjoys crafting, reading, traveling, making spreadsheets, and watching movies, that is, when she’s not spending time with her husband and six-year-old son at Grand Lake.

Katie has been singing for as long as she can remember. She has enjoyed being a part of many choirs over the years. From the children’s choir in her church to Girls’ 21 and Meistersingers at Cherry Creek High School, to high school and collegiate marching band, her musical experience is vast and varied. Her other choir experiences include 2014 and 2015 Colorado All-State choirs, Parker Chorale, and 1 year with Safonia. Outside of singing, Katie works as an epidemiologist at the Colorado Department of Public Health. She also enjoys crochet and walking her beloved pup Harry, two times a day!

The best words to describe this talented musician are “well-rounded” and “experienced.” Faith studied Vocal Performance at Roosevelt University and has since sung Baritone in a competitive barbershop group, Christmas Madrigal cast member, Soprano I in the Roosevelt University Choir and Colorado Chorale, Faith is skilled in any number of musical genres. She even managed and sang as the lead singer in the local blues soul band, Velvet Compass. Faith continues to pursue her love of music in all areas of her life.

Caitlin’s musical influences are so many and diverse it’s hard to know where to start. Though now disbanded, she sang in the Matt Nasi Band (find them on itunes or spotify!); she helped create, and sang in the a capella group The Bettys at the University of Wyoming, where she also sang in the women’s chorus Bel Canto and Collegiate Chorale; and claims to have been singing in auditioned choirs since eighth grade in Colorado Springs. Caitlin has sung every voice part in Safonia except Alto 2, but thrives and prefers the high notes as a Soprano 1. She counts the diverse music of Adele, the Secret Sisters, Maggie Rogers, The Lone Bellow, and Brandi Carlile as favorites in her current playlist. And some Tswift, cause why not?

Gena brings a steady, bright presence to our Alto 2 section. Her musical experience runs the gamut. She has a deep and abiding love for Madrigals and plays the banjo – a true Renaissance woman! She is a talented vocalist, performing in her college’s smaller, eight-person ensemble at McMurry University. She also sang in their concert choir where Gena lived out every choir-nerd’s dream and met her husband! When she isn’t singing, you can find Gena in the classroom or lab as a professor of Microbiology and Virology. She also enjoys trail running, needlepoint, and reading.

Robyn has been singing as long as they can remember. Their parents tell them that around the age of 5, Robyn interrupted a sermon at church to sing "Jesus Loves Me." The first time Robyn was in choir was in the 4th grade and has kept choir a part of their life ever since. Their favorite place where they have sung was the Broadmoor for the Colorado Music Educators Association when their high school was chosen to be a part of it!  The choir even got to stay in a room for a night. Currently, Robyn is a student at MSU Denver and will graduate in Spring 2024. Robyn is pursuing an independent degree program in Victim Advocacy in Nonprofits and minoring in music. After college, they plan to stick with Safonia and find a job helping victims recover from difficult situations - maybe even finding something to do with music!

A product of the wonderful music program at Centaurus High School, Laura participated in the women’s choir as well as show choir. Selected for the 1999 Colorado All-State Women’s choir and the 2000 Colorado All-State Mixed Choir, Laura brings a powerful mix of skilled sight-reading, enthusiasm and a love of women’s ensemble music to Safonia. Serving as Safonia’s Assistant Artistic Director has enabled Laura to expand her leadership and teaching skills. She brings an entirely different element to the Safonia sound with her abilities.

Andrea literally began her choir experiences when she was four or five ~ in fact, she says there is not a time she can remember when she wasn’t singing in a choir. Traveling and performing with other musicians was a dream come true for Andrea in college, where she sang in Bel Canto, Chamber Choir, and the Women’s World Music choir. A teacher by trade, she currently spends her time caring for her small children, spending time outside, and dreaming of future travel destinations.

We believe that Caroline was one of the original Sirens – the women that Odysseus and his men had the pleasure of listening to on their great voyage – because her musicianship and ethereal range seems so effortless, you could listen to her sing all the time. Youth chorus, high school choirs and the College of William and Mary women’s chorus all have helped Caroline to hone her skills. Some of her fondest memories are singing with the Cleftomaniacs – an a capella ensemble at W&M. Running with her much loved dog Gatsby, reading, and knitting vie for Caroline’s free time when she’s not singing with Safonia or working as a licensed clinical social worker.

Adria’s love of music started as a young child when she and her dad would sing duets to the oldies on road trips with the family. She was classically trained on the violin at 5 and began singing around that age as well. She has performed in a number of settings including musical theater, small chamber choirs, show choirs, acapella groups, large university and community choirs and as a singer/songwriter and guitar player for a number of bands throughout the years. As a licensed clinical social worker working in Aurora Public Schools, she understands that the world needs the healing power that music. She participates in Choral music to put positive, loving energy into the world for herself and others. Adria was welcomed into Safonia in January of 2018 and she feels honored to sing alongside such wonderfully talented and inspiring women.