Aundi Marie Moore,
Soprano

Award Winning Soprano Aundi Marie Moore is a proud native of Chesapeake, Virginia and  quickly establishing herself as one of America's leading young sopranos,  receiving accolades from audience and critics alike.  Former member of the Domingo-Cafritz Washington National Opera Young Artist Program where Maestro Placido Domingo hand picked her among hundreds of applicants. Celebrated for being the 2015 winner of The American Prize in Voice, Ms. Moore was recently hailed for possessing a voice of “clarion beauty” (The Washington Post) with “Tender effect…compelling” (Opera News), and noted for her “Bluesy Humming with a honeyed tone” (New York Times). She was singled out by The Richmond Times which reported “Now to the spectacular: Throughout the program, Moore was riveting- a dazzling stage presence. Her lyric soprano, more than powerful enough to fill the hall, displayed a shimmering luster, effortless flexibility and a remarkable range of color...one sensed that this woman could sing anything in any style, with stunning results.”  

The 2016 Bronze Medalist at the American Traditions Competition in Savannah, Georgia. Ms. Moore can be heard during the current season with the Buffalo Symphony, Virginia Symphony, and North Carolina Symphony.

Career highlights on the opera stage include Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni with L'Opéra de Monte Carlo for her international operatic debut, Nedda in Pagliacci with Sarasota Opera, Serena in Porgy and Bess with Atlanta Opera and Virginia Opera, Young African American Soprano in the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's Rappahannock County with Virginia Opera, Soprano 2 in the US Premier of Facing Goya with Spoleto Festival USA and Odessa Clay in the World Premier of Approaching Ali with Washington National Opera where The Baltimore Sun reported "Aundi Marie Moore nearly walked off with the opera in the supporting role of Ali's mother, Odessa. Her radiant soprano lit up the Terrace Theater even when she was just softly humming; her portrayal was remarkably detailed and touching.”

Ms. Moore is such a versatile singer that she is just as comfortable on the opera stages as well as in musical theater. Additional engagements include Lady Thiang in The King And I with Lyric Opera of Virginia, and Nettie Fowler in Carousel with Ashlawn Music Festival. Concert engagements are highlighted by her performance with the New World Symphony for Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 under the baton of Maestro Steven Jarvi as well as the National Symphony Orchestra as their featured guest soloist for their Christmas Pops concert with Marvin Hamlisch conducting.  This concert included the premiere of Hamlisch’s new original composition entitled “Chanuka Lights,” for which Ms. Moore received rave reviews from NBC4.com: “Moore's powerful voice and graceful stage presence made a lasting impact…”

Duane Moody,
Tenor

Tenor Duane A. Moody, Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music (Voice), has expounded on a career of international proportions for over three decades. From the international tours as Sportin’ Life in The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess, the off-Broadway engagement with Three Mo’ Tenors, his sacred recording with the group INSPIRATA, to his self-produced recording project, ‘Sur Mon Voyage’, Mr. Moody has always kept vocal beauty talent, through artistry first.

From his humble beginnings in SE, Washington, DC, it was always about music. From listening to his Father’s old Philly Soul Records, as well as being groomed by the many talented educators who saw his talent early on, music and the arts were a constant element of his life.

After receiving degrees from The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University and Boston University he has made debuts at The Royal Festival Hall (London), Tel Aviv Opera (Israel), Hamburg Staatsoper (Hamburg, Germany), Alte Oper (Frankfurt, Germany), Des Moines Opera, Maryland Lyric Opera, Dayton Opera, New York City Opera (touring company) and has been presented in recital at The Terrace Theatre of The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington, DC). Orchestral appearances have been with The Boston Pops, under the direction of Keith Lockhart, The Brockton Symphony, The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, The Indianapolis Symphony, The Spokane Symphony, The Reading Symphony, The Frederick Symphony and the world premiere of Lawrence Reis’ Cantata, “Sea Surface Full of Clouds” with the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic.

I may be struggling, but I’m not tired – Duane A. Moody

Susan Ricci Rogel,
Piano

Susan Ricci Rogel is a highly sought-after collaborative pianist, teacher and vocal coach in the Washington, D.C. area She has collaborated in concerts held at Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall (Carnegie Hall) in NYC, the Chautauqua Institute, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, DAR Constitution Hall, Strathmore Hall, the Barns of Wolf Trap, the Lyceum in Alexandria and the Arts Club of Washington. Earning both her Bachelor and Masters Degrees from the University of Maryland, graduating summa cum laude, Ms. Rogel’s teachers include Andor Kiszely, Bradford Gowen, Robert McCoy, Evelyn Garvey and Arlene Shrut and she has been personally coached by composers Richard Hundley, Lori Laitman and William Bolcom.

Ms. Rogel was on the music faculty of Prince George’s Community College from 1991-2016. She also maintains an active teaching and coaching studio, and is the assistant director and accompanist for the Chesapeake Chorale. She has worked frequently with The United States Army Field Band Soldiers’ Chorus as a coach and accompanist. Since 2005, Ms. Rogel has been the musical director and pianist for Classical FX, a Washington D.C. area vocal quartet. A member of the National Guild of Piano Teachers and the Music Teachers National Association for more than twenty-five years, Ms. Rogel has been an active adjudicator for both the Guild and many local music teachers’ associations. In November of 2020, she and soprano Aundi Marie Moore participated in the New York Festival of Song @ Home virtual performance series in the concert, “Myths to Live By.”

Currently the Organist/ Director of Music at Our Shepherd Lutheran in Severna Park, Maryland, Ms. Rogel resides in Bowie with her husband, John.

Michael Bowie,
Bass

... the band members showed what they had: Mr. Bowie soloing in almost vocal-like phrases with glottal stops ...
BEN RATLIFF...New York Times

Michael Bowie is an internationally-recognized musician, performing on both the electric and contrabass. With roots in the Washington D.C. jazz and gospel community, he was a recipient of the National Endowment of the Arts Award in Jazz Studies and trained with Betty Carter and Keter Betts. Soon after, Michael signed with Verve Records as an original member of "The Harper Brothers". He went on to perform, record and tour with Abdulla Ibrahim, Michel Pettruciani, including the Grammy Award winning "Look What I Got" with Betty Carter. Michael expanded his musical interests and performance to include a wide variety of musical forms from jazz to symphony to rock. As musical director he has worked with many artists worldwide including Patti Labelle, James Ingram, Jeff Majors, Abbey Lincoln, Angie Stone, Isaac Hayes, Gil Scott-Heron. He has shared his talents in the recording studio and on the stage with Sarah Vaughn, Joe Williams, Manhattan Transfer, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Della Reece, and Michel Camilo and Ricky Skaggs. He has appeared on countless television shows such as BET on Jazz, Austin City Limits, Charlie Rose, Radio One, and has performed at major venues and festivals such as Carnegie Hall, the Newport Jazz Festival, Playboy Jazz Festival, Montreux, and most other major festivals world-wide. His company, FamForte Productions is a family affair that provides a variety of multi-media services including music production, composition, and consulting. Their works can be heard in television, radio and the industrial markets as well. In addition to his personal musical career, Michael is deeply involved in developing children's music enrichment. He is a former teacher in Washington D.C.'s Public School system where he served as the music instructor at Fillmore Arts Center, Deal Middle School, and Oyster Adams Bilingual Campus. As a lecturer and associate professor he has taught at Shenandoah Conservatory, Michigan University, University of Missouri, and Bowie State amongst others. In addition, he has worked with the Wolftrap Institute for Early Childhood Learning program in Virginia, and the Thelonius Monk Institute in Washington DC. In addition to serving as the Musical Director for the Blues Alley Youth Orchestra, he recently assumed the Bass Tech teacher position at the Duke Ellington School For The Arts in Washington DC.