Meet Our Performers

Alexis Balkowitsch soprano Alexis is a southwest Washington native who studied music at Western Washington University. She has performed with various musical and theater groups in the Vancouver and Bellingham areas. Currently, she performs with the Vancouver Master Chorale and the VMC Chamber Choir. She is a frequent soloist with VMC, including performances as the soprano soloist in Brahms’ Requiem and The Angel in Respighi’s Laud to the Nativity. She studies voice with Jana Hart.

Alexis Balkowitsch
soprano

Alexis is a southwest Washington native who studied music at Western Washington University. She has performed with various musical and theater groups in the Vancouver and Bellingham areas. Currently, she performs with the Vancouver Master Chorale and the VMC Chamber Choir. She is a frequent soloist with VMC, including performances as the soprano soloist in Brahms’ Requiem and The Angel in Respighi’s Laud to the Nativity. She studies voice with Jana Hart.

Barbara Choltco mezzo-sopranoBarbara received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the Eastman School of Music. Before moving to Washington, she was a church soloist in the Pennsylvania/ New Jersey area and performed with the Boheme Opera Company in Trenton, NJ. Barbara has performed as a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony and its Chamber Music Ensemble. She has been an instructor at Clark College and currently teaches opera appreciation at senior living communities as well as teaching voice privately.

Barbara Choltco
mezzo-soprano

Barbara received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the Eastman School of Music. Before moving to Washington, she was a church soloist in the Pennsylvania/ New Jersey area and performed with the Boheme Opera Company in Trenton, NJ. Barbara has performed as a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony and its Chamber Music Ensemble. She has been an instructor at Clark College and currently teaches opera appreciation at senior living communities as well as teaching voice privately.

Detelinka Dimitrova pianist Detelinka is a Bulgarian-born accompanist and collaborative pianist who works with Clark College, Camas school district, and other local institutions.  She earned her MFA in piano performance from the Pancho Vladigerov National Academy of Music in Sofia, and has toured more than 20 countries on five continents as accompanist for the Bulgarian National Radio Children’s Choir and Chicago Children’s Choir. She moved to the Northwest from Bozeman, Montana, where she accompanied for Montana State University and maintained a full piano studio.

Detelinka Dimitrova
pianist

Detelinka is a Bulgarian-born accompanist and collaborative pianist who works with Clark College, Camas school district, and other local institutions.  She earned her MFA in piano performance from the Pancho Vladigerov National Academy of Music in Sofia, and has toured more than 20 countries on five continents as accompanist for the Bulgarian National Radio Children’s Choir and Chicago Children’s Choir. She moved to the Northwest from Bozeman, Montana, where she accompanied for Montana State University and maintained a full piano studio.

ChristyAnne Ford mezzo-sopranoChristyAnne co-authored Opera the Great! Her work throughout the Northwest spans gospel, musical theater, oratorio, opera and recital repertoire; she has performed with Lakewood Theater, Opera Theater of Oregon, Portland Chamber Orchestra, and the Olympia, Walla Walla and Columbia symphonies. She has worked with such renowned artists as Tito Capobianco and Marilyn Horne, and won first place at the district Metropolitan Opera auditions in 2004.

ChristyAnne Ford
mezzo-soprano

ChristyAnne co-authored Opera the Great! Her work throughout the Northwest spans gospel, musical theater, oratorio, opera and recital repertoire; she has performed with Lakewood Theater, Opera Theater of Oregon, Portland Chamber Orchestra, and the Olympia, Walla Walla and Columbia symphonies. She has worked with such renowned artists as Tito Capobianco and Marilyn Horne, and won first place at the district Metropolitan Opera auditions in 2004.

Kathryn Hobbie pianistKathryn has performed with a variety of instrumentalists and vocalists including the Vancouver Symphony, VSO Chamber Series, Vancouver Children’s Opera, and Olympia Chorale and Light Opera. She toured Europe and performed in Boston’s Symphony Hall with the Chamber Singers of Mount Holyoke College, where she earned her music degree, and continues her piano studies through the Golandsky Institute.

Kathryn Hobbie
pianist

Kathryn has performed with a variety of instrumentalists and vocalists including the Vancouver Symphony, VSO Chamber Series, Vancouver Children’s Opera, and Olympia Chorale and Light Opera. She toured Europe and performed in Boston’s Symphony Hall with the Chamber Singers of Mount Holyoke College, where she earned her music degree, and continues her piano studies through the Golandsky Institute.

Bruce Kyte baritoneSince 2005, Bruce has performed as a singer and actor in a wide variety of productions in Portland/Vancouver. His favorites include Rent (the role of Angel) at Clark College, selections from Don Giovanni with the Clark College Opera Workshop, and Aida with Portland Opera. He has studied with April Duvic at Clark College and Thomas Harper at the University of Washington.

Bruce Kyte
baritone

Since 2005, Bruce has performed as a singer and actor in a wide variety of productions in Portland/Vancouver. His favorites include Rent (the role of Angel) at Clark College, selections from Don Giovanni with the Clark College Opera Workshop, and Aida with Portland Opera. He has studied with April Duvic at Clark College and Thomas Harper at the University of Washington.

Amy Cole Palmer sopranoA private vocal teacher, Amy has sung roles in several operas including Emmy in Albert Herring and Armchair in L’enfant et les Sortileges with Portland Opera, and Gretel in Hansel and Gretel with Vancouver Children’s Opera. She has been a featured soloist with the Oregon and Vancouver symphonies, performed at New York’s Carnegie Hall, toured Europe with the Portland State University Chamber Choir and was soprano soloist on the CD On American Shores.

Amy Cole Palmer
soprano

A private vocal teacher, Amy has sung roles in several operas including Emmy in Albert Herring and Armchair in L’enfant et les Sortileges with Portland Opera, and Gretel in Hansel and Gretel with Vancouver Children’s Opera. She has been a featured soloist with the Oregon and Vancouver symphonies, performed at New York’s Carnegie Hall, toured Europe with the Portland State University Chamber Choir and was soprano soloist on the CD On American Shores.

Paul Sadilek bassPaul has appeared on opera and concert stages for nearly three decades. Favorite roles include Bartolo in The Marriage of Figaro and the Major-General in Pirates of Penzance. A regular with Portland Opera Chorus, Paul has been a soloist with Bach Cantata Choir, Oregon Repertory Singers, Portland Baroque Orchestra and the Oregon Symphony. He holds a B.A. from Portland State University, where he played principal roles in six opera productions.

Paul Sadilek
bass

Paul has appeared on opera and concert stages for nearly three decades. Favorite roles include Bartolo in The Marriage of Figaro and the Major-General in Pirates of Penzance. A regular with Portland Opera Chorus, Paul has been a soloist with Bach Cantata Choir, Oregon Repertory Singers, Portland Baroque Orchestra and the Oregon Symphony. He holds a B.A. from Portland State University, where he played principal roles in six opera productions.

 

Behind the Scenes

Our work would not be possible without the dedication of our amazing volunteers!

Board of Directors

Barbara Choltco, president
Alexis Balkowitsch
Kathryn Hobbie
Marlia Jenkins