Kantorei KC gathers musicians of the highest caliber from within our community. It is our mission to bring music to KC performed by professional KC musicians, teachers, and performers.
Kantorei KC Board of Directors:
- President-Katie Murphy
- Vice President- Dr. Stephanie Henry
- Secretary- Alex Russell
- Melodye Moore
- Ken Moore
- Kim Williams
- Lynne O’Dell
Chris Munce
Tenor, Artistic Director, Founder
Chris Munce is an accomplished choral performer, conductor, educator, clinician and arts administrator, and most recently the host of The Choralosophy Podcast. As a performer/conductor he is a member of Kantorei KC, as well as its founder and Artistic Director. Under Mr. Munce’s direction, Kantorei has recorded and published three albums, and has been an invited featured performer at National and State ACDA conventions as well as the National American Guild of Organists convention. At Lee’s Summit High, Mr. Munce has lead his choirs to performances at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC, the Missouri Music Educators Convention, Alice Tulley Hall at Lincoln Center and on a Masterclass with the multiple Grammy Award winning vocal group Chanticleer. Most recently, his school district awarded him with its “Excellence in Teaching” award for 2019.
Media reviews of his directed recordings with Kantorei KC include praise from the KC Star for “Music and Sweet Poetry” for its “lush and full bodied sound…gorgeous singing.” The Observer (London) called “To Bethlehem” one of the best Choral albums of the year and “the most interesting festive album.” He has also performed with the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers, and the Grammy Winning Kansas City Chorale. Chris was fortunate to be a part of the Chorale’s Grammy Nominated album, “Rheinberger: Sacred Choral Works.”
Email me: kantoreikc@gmail.com
Paul Davidson
Bass/Baritone-Program Manager
Paul Davidson joined Kantorei KC in 2014. He is a voting member of the Recording Academy, and soloist on the Grammy®-winning albums Grechaninov: Passion Week (2007) and Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil (2015). He has performed as a professional musician in South Korea, England, Canada, the District of Columbia and fourteen US States. He performs with the professional ensembles Kansas City Chorale and Cecilia Ensemble of Augusta, GA, in addition to working for three churches and a community choir. He lives in Kansas City, KS where he maintains a private voice studio and produces his own summer concert series.
Email me: paul.davidson.bass@gmail.com
Jack Gerding
Baritone
Jack Gerding (baritone) graduated from Pepperdine University with a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Music in the Spring of 2022. While at Pepperdine, he had the chance to perform operatic roles such as Dr. Falke (Die Fledermaus), Gianni Schicchi (Gianni Schicchi), Pandolfe (Cendrillon), and Count Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro). He also enjoyed his performances in the musicals, playing the roles of Sam (Mamma Mia!) and Henry Ford (Ragtime). Jack was also able to study abroad in Pepperdine’s Heidelberg Music Program, where he performed various opera scenes and choral works. Now, he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in accounting through Western Governors University. Jack is a proud Kansas City native who is looking forward to performing music in his home city again.
Suzanne Isbell
Soprano/Alto
There are few hats in the classical music world soprano Suzanne Isbell hasn’t worn, from teaching kindergartners to conducting local semi-pro orchestras; singing backup for one of Shakira’s albums to having her choral arrangements recorded on Grammy-nominated albums; being a soloist under noted conductor Michael Tilson Thomas to accompanying for local high school choirs. Suzanne did her BA in Music at California State University, Stanislaus, and her Masters of Music in Voice from The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. She then went on to complete the coursework for a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Miami, but passing her dissertation defense proved a struggle. A few years ago, Suzanne switched from being a full-time musician to a career in retail. She currently manages the Kansas City Store for Tuft & Needle, and continues to dabble in music through church work and a variety of gigs.
Beth Munce
Soprano– founding member
Beth Kakacek-Munce, a coloratura soprano, is renowned for her “beautifully effortless” and “stunning” singing. Beth is passionate about the choral arts and actively sings in several professional choral ensembles and as a featured soloist for chamber works. Beth has sung with Kantorei of Kansas City since its inception in 2009 and has been a featured soloist on Kantorei’s albums “To Bethlehem,” and “Music and Sweet Poetry,” recorded by the London-based label, Resonus Classics. Beth has also been a member of the Grammy-award winning Kansas City Chorale and was fortunate to add her voice to the recording of “The Sacred Works of Joseph Reinberger” which was nominated for two Grammy Awards. Recent projects Beth has enjoyed lending her voice to include performing the production of the Medieval musical play of “Daniel” under the direction of Anne Azema, a collaboration with Boston Camerata and KC’s Te Deum Antiqua. Beth has also recently performed the soprano solos for Handel’s Dixit Dominus under the baton of Dr. Jacob Narverud, the soprano solos for The Biber Requiem under the direction of Matthew Shepard as well as the soprano solos for Handel’s Messiah under the direction of Dr. William Baker. Beth also frequently lends her voice to professional demo recording projects under the direction of Ben Spalding. Prior to the 2020 Covid-19 shut down for the arts, Beth was in rehearsals for “A Night’s Tale: A Tournament of Love” collaborating once again with The Boston Camerata, under the baton of Anne Azema as part of Kansas City’s Friends of Chamber Music Concert Series which was set to be performed in April of 2020.
Email me: bethmunce@gmail.com
Abby Gast-Watterson
Soprano- Assistant Artistic Director/Director of Development
Abigail Gast-Watterson is a mezzo-soprano, conductor, and voice teacher from Kansas City, Missouri. Although voice is her primary instrument, she has also played percussion in wind ensembles, orchestras, and drumlines for more than 11 years. While receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Voice and Music Education at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, Abigail conducted the Concert Choir, Chamber Choirs, and University Orchestra, and enjoyed performing in all these ensembles, as well as the Pepperdine Wind Ensemble and the new music ensemble, Collegium Musicum. Abigail has been featured as a young artist and vocal soloist at several summer festivals, including Amherst Early Music Festival, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and Illinois Bach Academy.
Abigail studied choral conducting under Dr. Andrew Megill and Dr. Andrea Solya at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While living in Illinois, she developed her love for teaching young people as the assistant conductor of Central Illinois Youth Chorus and in Colorado as the Artistic Coordinator for the Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale. Most recently, she and her fiancé, Nick, live in Kansas City with their two adorable cats.
Vince Woods
Tenor
Vince Woods (tenor) graduated from the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance with a bachelor’s degree in voice performance. While at UMKC, he had the pleasure of performing in many of the Conservatory’s main stage opera productions, including Cendrillon (Massenet), Kurt Weill’s Street Scene, and Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. In May 2015, Vince had the privilege of singing the tenor solo from Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms at the Conservatory’s Finale concert in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center. He has studied voice with Vinson Cole, and has also studied under the tutelage of Dale Morehouse and Chris Munce.
Email me: vincebwoods@gmail.com
Leah Owen
Alto
Leah Owen-Brockett, alto, has sang with Kantorei since 2016. Formerly the Associate Choral Director at Lee’s Summit High School (her alma mater), Leah recently took a hiatus from full-time teaching to cherish precious moments with her new baby boy. She is still a dedicated music educator, teaching private voice and violin to students of all ages. Leah is also serving as the choir director at Grace United Methodist Church. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Pepperdine University where her focus was vocal performance, and also a Master of Arts in Music with an emphasis in music education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Outside the world of music, Leah shares her life with her husband, Cole and son, Jonah.
Spencer Ruwe
Tenor
Spencer Ruwe joins Kantorei KC for the first season. Among the highlights of their repertoire are the portrayal of King Kaspar in “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” the Baker in “Into the Woods,” and the unforgettable Edna Turnblad in “Hairspray,” all gracing the Lubbock Moonlight Musicals stage in 2022. The operatic journey unfolds with compelling renditions, including Tito Vespasian in Mozart’s “La Clemenza di Tito” at Texas Tech Opera Theatre in 2022 and the memorable Gabriel von Eisenstein in “Die Fledermaus” in 2021. Versatility defines their artistry, evident in performances such as “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” and “Ordinary Days.” Academic achievements include a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance from Texas Tech University and a B.S. in Vocal Performance with a Theatre Minor from William Jewell College. Acknowledged as a National NATS Semi-Finalist in 2021 and a Glidden Singer of the Year Nominee, their accolades underscore an unwavering commitment to excellence. Beyond the spotlight, this tenor enriches choral ensembles as a dedicated section leader in various choirs. With a rich recording history, including notable projects like the Laura Lewis Compositions Choral Recording in Lubbock and collaborations with the William Jewell Concert Choir, their musical diversity shines. In addition to vocal mastery, a plethora of talents, from MC/Hosting and Composition to Sound Design, Video Editing, and Costume Design, reflect a truly multifaceted artistic identity.
Asher Tillman
Bass/ Program Assistant
Asher Tillman is a budding bass-baritone from Strafford, MO in his fourth professional season. A
highly active young performer, Tillman has quickly established himself as a heavy hitter within
Missouri’s choral arts scene. He appears regularly with such groups as the Queen City Chorale
(serving also as an advisory board member), Te Deum, Missouri Choral Artists, Voices of Kansas
City, and the GRAMMY Award®-winning Kansas City Chorale, with whom he can be heard on
their upcoming album The Travels of Marco Polo. Additionally, he is a long-term staff singer
with St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Brookside. Tillman has been a member of Kantorei KC
since its relaunch post-pandemic, and he offers further administrative support for the group’s
educational outreach programs. Beyond the choral sphere, he is also a versatile theatrical
performer, enjoying a wide range of character roles in such works as Violet, Molière’s Tartuffe,
Cabaret, Chekov’s The Three Sisters, The 25 th Annual…Spelling Bee, Peter and the Wolf, and The
Fantasticks.
Email me: asher.tillman@gmail.com
Alexis Merry
Alto/Mezzo
Alexis Raymond is a current Master’s of Music student at UMKC’s Conservatory, as
well as a recent Pepperdine University Graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Her
upcoming roles include the title soprano role from Handel’s Acis and Galatea for UMKC’s Fall
Opera. During her Undergraduate studies Alexis performed lead roles in Mozart’s Don
Giovanni, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, and in Johann Strauss II Die Fledermaus. Her soft spot for choral music allowed her to travel abroad with the Pepperdine Chamber Choir providing unique performance destinations from as local as The Jonathan Club of Los Angeles
to Smetana Hall in Prague. Alexis refined and expanded her classical song repertoire in Los
Angeles’ SongFest Summer Program as a Young Artist the summer of 2018. Additionally, her participation in Pepperdine’s Heidelberg Music Program allowed for intensive vocal/acting training, as well as daily integration and practice of the German language. Her most recent achievements include participating in Los Angeles based companies; Mission Opera’s
production of Suor Angelica (Dolcina cover, Chorus), and Independent Opera’s production of Don Giovanni (Donna Elvira Cover, Chorus). Having grown up in Texas, New York, Italy,
Wales, London, and Indonesia, Alexis excelled in her foreign language diction courses and will
continue her travels while pursuing a life and career of music.
Nicholas Gast-Watterson
Tenor
Nicholas Gast-Watterson hails from the cornfields of southern Illinois and is loving his life as a mechanic here in Kansas City. Nicholas is backed by over a decade of experience accompanying choirs of all sizes and abilities, from his Jr. High’s ensembles to the Oratorio Society at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. A vocalist himself, he understands and relishes the collaborative aspect to choral literature. He received his bachelor of arts degree in Piano Performance from Greenville University where he was a prolific participant in choirs, jazz band, theatre productions, and improv team.
When left to his own devices, Nicholas is prone to becoming lost in the woods or in a book. His beautiful wife Abby and their two fluffy cats are the center of his world.
Want to sing with us next season?
Join Friends of Kantorei KC in 2021
Our Friends of Kantorei List is easy to join! Donations of any other size can be sent directly via PayPal to kantoreikc@gmail.com or via check to PO Box 494 Lee’s Summit, M0 64063
$25.00
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