Musicians

	Dr. David A. Billings is Director of Music Ministries and Organist at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh. Previously, he was the Director of Music and Organist at Oakmont Presbyterian Church and the Minister of Music at Parkwood Presbyterian Church, Allison Park. Dr. Billings has also been the Accompanist for the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale since 1989. As a recitalist, he has performed throughout the North America and Great Britain. Dr. Billings is a past Dean of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and a former Chairman of the Organ Artists Series of Pittsburgh. Some of his performances have been featured on WQED-FM. Dr. Billings earned a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University, where he studied organ and harpsichord with June Miller. He received his master’s and doctoral degrees from the Eastman School of Music, where he was a student of the renowned American organist David Craighead. Dr. Billings was also formerly an Adjunct Professor of Organ and Sacred Music at Duquesne University.
	Guy Russo has had a tremendous career in Pittsburgh as a choral director (Sewickley Academy, Ben Avon Presbyterian Church, the Ellis School, the Pittsburgh Savoyards and Carnegie Mellon's Pre-college Choir program) and as a tenor soloist (First Presbyterian Church, Temple Sinai, Rodef Shalom, Shadyside Presbyterian Church and Calvery Episcopal Church, Shadyside). Guy has also appeared as a soloist for many other musical organizations (the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale, opera productions, etc.). In 2009, Guy sang the role of the Evangelist for the performance of Bach's "St. John Passion" here at FCPC. Guy also composes, and recently has enjoyed writing Introits and Benediction Responses for the Chancel Choir.
	Daphne Alderson’s diverse, eclectic career as lyric contralto includes opera, oratorio, chamber music and cabaret throughout the United States, Canada and Italy. This Fall, Daphne made her debut with Microscopic Opera as Agnes in Tobias Picker’s, Fantastic Mr. Fox, which followed her performance as Mere Jeanne in Pittsburgh Opera’s critically acclaimed production of Poulenc’s DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette calls her, “An artist of dignified passion,” (Handel’s MESSIAH) and an artist of “Beautifully rendered love songs.” In a career that began in opera, she broke new ground by launching a cabaret/concert touring career in shows commissioned for Heinz Chapel in Pittsburgh. An American in Paris, World War II, toured the Northeastern United States. Songs That Oscar Taught Me (originally commissioned for the Carnegie in Carnegie) toured extensively through the MidAtlantic U.S. Her new show, ALL HEART, ALL JUDY will tour through 2012. Her roles include Purcell’s Sorceress, La Zia Principessa, Rossini’s L’Italiana, Hansel, and Desiree in *A Little Night Music* that include Central City Opera, Chatham Baroque, Opera North, Wheeling Symphony and Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh. Recent projects include appearances at the Whittaker Center for the Performing Arts in Harrisburg, Bricolage Theatre, IonSound Project, chamber music with members of the Pittsburgh Symphony and tours in Central and South America with guitarist, John Marcinizyn. She is an Associate Professor of Voice at Seton Hill University.
	Cynthia Harding, lyric soprano, has performed internationally as well as in her own backyard of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This past year has been quite busy being featured in performances of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum by Stephen Sondheim, Cabaret by Kander and Ebb; and 1940’s Radio Show by Walton Jones, and was most recently seen in the title role in Puccini’s Suor Angelica in March 2011 as part of Puccini’s Il Trittico. With a love of both classical music and musical theater and a drive to perform as much as possible, this year seems to have proven to be successful! Ms. Harding performed as soloist for Mendelssohn’s Saint Paul in April. She has performed with the acclaimed Syracuse Symphony Orchestra as part of their Stained Glass Series. She was heard as soloist with the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh in performances of Felix Mendelssohn’s ELIJAH with glowing reviews in both the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and the Tribune Review. Ms. Harding was a featured artist during a two week concert tour of Spain with the American Festival Orchestra that performed a world premier of Leonardo Balada’s Torquemada Opera Suite. Other performances include concerts with the McKeesport Symphony, Messiah at St. Vincent’s College, along with the North Pittsburgh Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Oratorio Society, Westmoreland Symphony, Pittsburgh Concert Chorale, and the Pittsburgh Symphony. Ms. Harding has also sung with the C.W. Post Summer Opera Festival and the Pittsburgh Opera Theater. Ms. Harding is a winner in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, Great Lakes Region. She was born and raised in the suburbs of Syracuse and spent much of her early training under the guidance of Helen Boatwright. Upon moving to Pittsburgh she continued her studies with Metropolitan Opera great Mildred Miller and is currently studying with Diana Walters. She was formerly soloist for Rodef Shalom Temple in Shadyside and is currently soprano soloist for Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church.
	Andrew Boag, Tenor, is a Pittsburgh native who received his B.A. from Muskingum University, where he was awarded the Mary Bartlett Reynolds Award for excellence in music. Mr. Boag has sung the tenor leads in The Sorcerer and Pirates of Penzance with the Savoryards and the title roles in The Tales of Hoffmann and Pygmalion with Undercroft Opera. He covered the role of Rinuccio in Opera Theater of Pittsburgh's production of Puccini's Gianni Schicchi and sang the role of Nemorino in Undercroft Opera's production of L'elisir D'amore. He sang the role of Alfredo Germont in Verdi's La Traviata with Undercroft Opera and Mr. White in Kupper's The Monkey's Paw with Microscopic Opera. As a special guest of Duquesne University's Music Department, he sang the role of Tamino in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte under the baton of renowned and recently deceased maestro Sydney Harth. The following year, he played the role of Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi under the same University. Mr. Andrews is currently the tenor section leader at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church, and studies voice under Ross Dacal.
	Zachary Wood is the new Bass Soloist/Section leader here at FCPC. Zachary is a recent of graduate of Slippery Rock University, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree of Music in Vocal Performance. During his time there, Zachary studied voice with Dr. Colleen Gray and was a member of the University Chamber and Concert Choirs, as well as the Brass and Wind ensembles as a tuba player. Zachary has been an active member with the Pittsburgh Opera Company since the fall of 2009, where he is currently working on upcoming productions. Zachary has also been an active church vocalist for five years, most recently with Trinity Cathedral in Pittsburgh. Zachary grew up in the town of Waynesboro, PA, located approximately thirty miles west of Gettysburg. Zachary currently resides in Oakmont.
	Carol received her Bachelors Degree in Music Education from North Park College and Theological Seminary (now North Park University) of Chicago, Illinois. After graduation and marriage to Lawrence Young, they moved to Pittsburgh. Her first teaching assignment was as a music instructor in the Gateway School District in Monroeville. When her children entered school, Carol began teaching at the Good Shepherd Nursery School in Fox Chapel. She is currently teaching music at Shady Side Academy Junior School, a position she has held since 1989. Carol is on the executive board of the Pittsburgh Golden Triangle Chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. Carol and Larry joined Fox Chapel Presbyterian church in 1986. Shortly thereafter, Carol joined the choir and has been singing with them ever since. Her love of music and children led her to work with the children of FCPC in musical ways. She became the Director of the Children’s Choir and for many years was the Director of Music for FCPC’s Vacation Bible School.

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