Artists

Carla Jamie Perez, lyrico-spinto soprano, began gaining professional recognition as a singer after becoming a finalist and winner of several prestigious voice competitions including the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions and the International Rosa Ponselle Voice Competition. She attended Peabody Conservatory, Indiana University, the Music Academy of the West studying voice with Elizabeth Krueger, Eileen Farrell and Martial Singher, respectively and coaching with such renowned coaches as Gwendolyn Koldofsky and Ernest St. John (Jack) Metz.  She was invited to participate in the affiliate artist program at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, Germany and  received her first U.S. opera contract offer for the role of Minnie in La Fanciulla del West by Puccini from conductor and director of Santa Fe Opera, the late John Crosby.

With a career spanning twenty years Ms. Perez is an accomplished, recognized and sought after recitalist, symphony and chamber music soloist.. She has sung with symphonies, opera companies, in festivals and in recital throughout the U.S. and has made guest artist appearances in South America, Canada and Europe. She especially delights in premiering new works by contemporary composers. Her most recent local performance was with Pasadena Pro Musica singing Beethoven’s concert aria “Ah, Perfido” with orchestra.

A “singer’s” teacher for over twenty years, she now makes her home in Pasadena where she teaches voice mastery privately to aspiring singers. She continues to study, coach and perform, …considering the mastery of singing to be a lifelong pursuit.

“…gifted with a free-flowing, limpid voice that floats through the air with effortless beauty.”…Chicago Sun Times

“Her vibrato is perfect…She sings with color and nuance…soars to top notes with confidence and grace”…Santa Barbara News Press

“Her Fiordiligi was vocally and emotionally commanding and vulnerable… this voice assumes a significant talent.” …Montreal Daily News

“…from the start she was in full and glorious voice.” She turned what might have been a brief concert work into the gem of the evening.”…Pasadena Star News

Lucy Zepeda, lyric coloratura soprano, is fast becoming one of L.A.’s most sought-after lyric coloratura sopranos. Her rich yet silvery vocal timbre, pinpoint accuracy, fluent musicianship and striking stage presence have led to success in a wide variety of roles, from Fortuna in Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea to Gilbert & Sullivan heroines in Iolanthe and H.M.S.Pinafore. Other operatic roles include the Queen of the Night and First and Second Ladies, Pilar in the zarzuela Gigantes y Cabezudos by Caballero, and Hansel in Hansel and Gretel. An accomplished oratorio singer, Miss Zepeda has been the soloist in Messa di Santa Caecilia by Scarlatti, Monteverdi’s Vespers, Handel’s Messiah, the St. John Passion and Cantatas 140, and 191 by Bach, Requiem, Regina Caeli, Coronation Mass and Mass in C minor by Mozart and the Choral Fantasy and Mass in C of Beethoven. The young soprano was a featured performer at the 2007 Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, performing Der Hirt an dem Felsen by Schubert, L’Allegro by Handel and songs by Ricky Ian Gordon with the composer at the piano. A student of noted soprano Carla Jamie Perez, Lucy has coached with Jeanine Altmeyer, Jennifer MacGregor and Val Underwood. She is currently cantor at St. Therese Church in Alhambra, and soprano soloist of Pasadena Pro Music, Stephen Grimm, conductor.

Lisa Edwards, pianist Following her undergraduate studies in piano performance at North Texas University, Lisa Edwards earned her Master of Music degree in the Keyboard Collaborative Arts program at the University of Southern California with honors. While at USC, she was awarded the Gwendolyn Koldofsky Scholarship.

Currently, Ms. Edwards is the pianist/music assistant for the Los Angeles Master Chorale, under the direction of Grant Gershon and performs regularly on stage at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Her concert credits include performances with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Santa Barbara Symphony. On disc, Lisa can be heard on two Nonesuch recordings of Steve Reich’s music – “You Are” Variations and “Daniel Variations”.

Previous faculty positions include California State University Long Beach, Glendale Community College and Pasadena Community College. In addition to being the pianist for Vox Femina Los Angeles, Ms. Edwards holds positios with San Marino Community Church, Stephen S. Wise Temple in Bel Air and Congregation Kol Ami in Hollywood. Lisa travels throughout the United States as a vocal/chamber music pianist.