metropolitan choral festival

2026 Program, MCF Season 14

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Directed by Ricki Vorrath-Moyer​​

 

Cantique de Jean Racine Op. 11 by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

 

Welcome Remarks, Ricki Vorrath-Moyer

 

Carmina Burana Cantiones Profanae by Carl Orff (1895-1982)

Featuring Soprano Erin Pettitt, Tenor Elijah English, and Baritone Jerome Sibulo

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Click here for Text and Translations

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Prologue: Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi (Fortune, Empress of the World)

1. O Fortuna (Chorus)

2. Fortune plango vulnera (Chorus)

I. Primo vere (In Springtime)

   3. Veris leta facies (Small chorus)

   4. Omnia sol temperat (Baritone solo, Jerome Sibulo)

   5. Ecce gratum (Chorus)

Uf dem anger (On the Lawn)

   6. Tanz (Instrumental)

   7. Floret silva nobilis (Chorus)

   8. Chramer, gip die varwe mir (Short/Semi-chorus)

   9. Reie (Chorus and small orchestra)

  10. Were diu werlt alle min (Chorus)

II. In Taberna (In the Tavern)

  11. Estuans interius (Baritone solo, Jerome Sibulo)

  12. Olim lacus colueram (Tenor solo, Elijah English and male chorus)

  13. Ego sum abbas (Baritone solo, Jerome Sibulo and male chorus)

  14. In taberna quando sumus (Male chorus)

III. Cour d'amours (The Court of Love)

  15. Amor volat undique (Children’s choir and soprano solo, Erin Pettitt)

  16. Dies, nox et omnia (Baritone solo, Jerome Sibulo)

  17. Stetit puella (Soprano solo, Erin Pettitt)

  18. Circa mea pectora (Baritone solo, Jerome Sibulo and chorus)

  19. Si puer cum puellula (Three tenors, baritone, bass)

  20. Veni, veni, venias (Double chorus)

  21. In trutina (Soprano solo, Erin Pettitt)

  22. Tempus est iocundum (Chorus, soprano, baritone, Children’s choir)

  23. Dulcissime (Soprano solo, Erin Pettitt)

Blanziflor et Helena

  24. Ave formosissima (Chorus)

Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi

  25. O Fortuna (Repetition of movement 1)

 

Closing Remarks, Joyce Witte, President MCF​

 

A Gaelic Blessing by John Rutter (b. 1945)

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Tea and cookie reception immediately following in the lobby.

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Metropolitan Choral Festival Singers

+ Section Leader       * Staff Singer

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Soprano

Barbara Adams, Deborah Arca, +Georgia Arribau, Judith Barckholtz, Kennedi Browne, Renee Caputo, Enid Carlson, Amy Crouch-Coleman, Diane Didier Vollmer, Barbara Fahmy, Meg Frantz, Elisabeth Funck, Leontine Galante, Julie Gleason, Katie Green, Bria Hampleman, Janine Hill, Stephanie Hood, Alicia Irigoyen, Christiana Lazarine, Lily Lu-Lerner, Anastasia Malyshkina, +Christine Maxmeister, Suzanne McClung, Sara Mellen, Kim Meyer, Carla Mitchell, Bonnie Mustoe, Hannah Nadelson, Amelia Nilson-Bartlett, *Lorena Perry, Madeleine Perry, Linda Porter, Susan Powers, Iris Reyes, Susanna Russo, Lorien Salyer, *Becca Schjodt, Sadie Shepard, Kim Soderholm, Katy Spritzer, Mary Thro, Sarah Wachtel, Danielle Wasmer, Sue Wedaa, Gabriela Wenda-Collier, Wendy Williams, Stacy Worthington

 

Alto

Barb Banks, *Krista Beckman, Pamela Benson, Rebecca Bourgeois, Wendy Bristol, Mary Brittain, Vira Brock, Rebecca Brown, Nancy Cole, Ruth Culbertson, Ellen Davis, Madeline Dufour, Emily Eelman, Sharon Stein Erlacher, Patricia Gaggiani, Kate Garrigan, Martina Grasse, Sarah Greengross, Susan Grey, Amy Haddon, Tricia Harmon, +Karen Harris, +Cara Hart, Heidi Hirsbrunner, Sandra Hoyman, Deborah Hubbard, Allison Joel, Sara Jones, Karen Juenemann, Debra Kahan, Arielle Kahn, Mathea Kamin, Andrea Keppers, Carol LaRocque, Andrea Loughry, Kathy Love-Osborne, Mary McDonnell, Rachel McGuire, Melissa Morman, Erin Morris, Julie Niblock, Margarita Piskunova, Nancy Rhodes, Nic Rhodes, Linda Rolf, Evie Schauer, Marsha Scheinhartz, Nanette Shannon, Cat Shea, Belinda Smiley, Karin Soderholm, Jennifer Sujansky, Sarah Sujansky, Kara Szymanski, *Laura Tribby, Kathryne Vandamme, Ann Ver Linden, Deb Woodard

 

Tenor

Kaleb Archer, Sue Armour, Stephen Bailly, David Bell, Michael Betser, Evelyn Billberg, Michael Bono, +Miles Bourgeois, Will Brown, Sean Cortes, Diane Deschanel, Robert Ehmann, Mike Flygar, Ken Fordyce, Mario Galvan, John Gustafson, +Paul Halstead, *Deklin Herman, Scotte Hoerle, Abbey Kinchen, Lewis Kothmann, Avery Kurtz, Hunter McGuire, Nikko Medina, Sean Montoya, Martha Narey, Gwen Nealon, John Piccone, Corey Rabus, Peg Rocklin, Jeremy Saiz, Jamie Sanek, Connor Schmuck, Rob Schware, Christopher Smith, Constell Steinhaus, Scotty Tremaine, *Jacob Wooden, Frederick Zustak

 

Bass

Timothy Alonzo, +Jacob Altholz, Art Anderson, Joel Archer, Jim Banks, Dalton Beasley, Eric Bonham, Jim Boschert, Nate Cretti, Chipper Dean, Chris DeMink, Douglas Dreher, Colin Eagen, +Dan England, Dennis Flaherty, Adam French, Daniel Graumiller, Paul Greengross, Liam Harty, *Michael Henry, David Howell, Scotty Hupp, Darrell Johnson, Wesley Jones, Matthew Kersten Gray, Tim Kreuter, Mike Lewis, Eduardo Lopez Olmos, Patrick Love, Will Machin, Charlie Miller, Michael Morphew, Randy Nicholas, E.J. O’Suilleabhain, Colin Oakley, *Scott Perry, Nicholas Piezonka, Patrick Price, Rob Rocklin, Quincey Roisum, Marc Sammartano, Everett Schneider, Seth Schwartzbach, Jesse Swedlund, Mark Thalhofer, Lis Welch, Gary Williams, John Wright

 

Children’s Choir – Lorena Perry, Rehearsal Coordinator

Henry Allan, Elyse Attebury, Charlie Bean, Emma Blanchard, Khaison Blatter, Devan Bray, Emily Brown, Aria Calkins, Kennedy Coppin, Hannah Gaudreault, Sophia Gaudreault, Vivian Kelley, Lilly Mabeus, Grace Messner, Nora Oswald, Liorah Parker, Adam Perry, Hazel Shelley, Lia Stevens, Emma Stubbs, Ella Welch, Olivia Welch

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Choirs Represented

Festival singers come from all over, including but not limited to the 5280+ Senior Chorales, Adelphian Concert Choir (Tacoma, WA), Alpine Chorale, Arvada Chorale, Bethany Chancel Choir, Broomfield Civic Chorus, Cherry Creek Chorale, Colorado Choir, Colorado Chorale, Colorado Repertory Singers, Colorado Symphony Chorus, Columbine Chorale, Common Flame Unitarian Congregation, Community College of Denver, Coro Latines Colorado, Denver Choir League, Denver Chorale, Denver Feminist Chorus, Denver Gay Men’s Chorus, DGMC - Off Kilter, Evergreen Chorale, First Plymouth Congregational Church Choir, First United Church of Arvada, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Denver, Foothills Community Choir, Gaudete Singers, Golden Concert Choir, Grand Chorale, Green Mountain Presbyterian Church, Heartland Men's Chorus (Kansas City , MO),  Jubilate Sacred Singers, Last Note Singers, Longmont Chorale, Louisville United Methodist Church, Notables, Opera Fanciers, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Denver, Rocky Mountain Revels, St. James Episcopal Church, St. John’s Cathedral Choir, St. Joan of Arc Sacred Music Ministry, St. Mark’s Roman Catholic Church Choir, St. Paul Presbyterian Aurora, Sine Nomine, Swallow Hill Folk Center Choir, The Timberliners, Trinity Methodist, U.U. Choir, Vittoria Ensemble, Voices Rock, The Wicked Pitches

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Metropolitan Choral Festival Musicians

Orchestra Managers: Eric Bertoluzzi (Englewood Arts) and Phillip Stevens

• Violin 1: Erik Peterson, Owen Lin, Myroslava Bartels, Tena White

• Violin 2: Susan Paik, Robyn Julyan, Philip Fiscor, Felix Petit

• Viola: Phillip Stevens, Summer Rhodes, Aniel Caban

• Cello: Danielle Guideri, Kevin McFarland, Eric Bertoluzzi

• Bass: Mary Reed, Kurt Melendy

• Flute/Piccolo: Cora Crisman

• Oboe/Eng Horn: Jason Lichtenwalter

• Clarinet: April Johanessen

• Bassoon: Kaori Uno-Jack

• French Horn: Patrick Hodge

• Trumpet: Philip Hembree

• Trombone: Paul Nasund

• Percussion: John Sevy, Kevin Yetter

• Piano: Matthew Kingham

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​Biographies

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Ricki Vorrath-Moyer - Artistic Director & Conductor

Ricki Vorrath-Moyer has served as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Metropolitan Choral Festival since its founding in 2013. For more than a decade, she has been the artistic vision and driving force behind the Festival’s musical excellence, inspiring singers to pursue ever-higher levels of artistry while cultivating the spirit of community that defines MCF.

A gifted musician and accomplished conductor, Ricki is known for her distinctive approach to choral direction—one that combines rigorous musical standards with warmth, humor, and an extraordinary ability to connect with her singers. She is approachable and encouraging, yet sets a high bar for musical achievement, challenging each singer to contribute their very best to the ensemble. Her rehearsals reflect both her deep musical knowledge and her belief that excellence and enjoyment are not mutually exclusive.

Perhaps the greatest testament to Ricki’s leadership is the loyalty of the MCF singers. Many return season after season for the opportunity to make music under her direction. She has created an ensemble in which singers are challenged to grow as musicians, inspired to listen more deeply, and united by a shared commitment to creating something greater than any individual voice. Her ability to draw out the best in those around her has become a defining hallmark of the Metropolitan Choral Festival.

Ricki attended Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, before earning her Bachelor of Music degree in Organ Performance from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She continued her studies at the University of Colorado, earning a Master of Music degree in Organ Performance with minor emphases in Choral Conducting and Piano Pedagogy.

In addition to her work with the Metropolitan Choral Festival, Ricki is a member of Denver's premier handbell ensemble, the Rocky Mountain Ringers, serves as Organist/Accompanist and Handbell Director at First Plymouth Congregational Church in Cherry Hills Village and is the Principal Accompanist for the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus. She is also an Associate Underwriter at Pinnacol Assurance.

Ricki’s musical leadership, artistic vision, and dedication have been integral to the growth and success of the Metropolitan Choral Festival. Through her musicianship and her ability to inspire others, she continues to create performances that celebrate the transformative power of choral music—and a musical community to which singers are eager to return year after year. 

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Erin Pettitt - Soprano

Erin Pettitt is a performer, collaborative pianist, music director, and teaching artist whose career spans classical vocal performance, musical theatre, and arts education. She holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and a Performer's Certificate in Voice Performance from Northern Illinois University, where she studied with renowned pedagogue Diane Ragains, and a Bachelor of Arts in Voice Performance from Whitworth University.

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As a classical vocalist, Erin has appeared as a featured soprano soloist with the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Meridian Symphony, and Magic Valley Symphony, with notable performances including Carmina Burana and Handel's Messiah. Her operatic credits include Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, The Princess in L'Enfant et les Sortilèges, Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music, and Rose in The Secret Garden. She has also performed with professional ensembles including Kantorei, Grant Park Symphony Chorus, Cor Cantiamo, New Classic Singers, and Spokane Bach Chorale.

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A prize-winning vocalist, Erin was First Runner-Up (2012) and Second Runner-Up (2016) in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Awards (NATSAA) Central Region Competition, was a semi-finalist in The American Prize in Vocal Performance, and received the Amelia Guthrie Promising Young Singer of Merit Award.

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As a collaborative pianist and music director, Erin has worked with artists including Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, Heather Headley, Drew Gasparini, Adam Gwon, and Kerrigan & Lowdermilk, and has music directed or piano conducted nearly 100 theatrical productions. Her work earned the 2022 Bobby G. Award for Best Music Direction for A Chorus Line at Denver School of the Arts, along with a nomination in 2024.

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After relocating to Denver from the Chicago Metro Area in December 2017, Erin served as resident artist in the Vocal and Theatre Departments at Denver School of the Arts from 2018-2025 and as Artistic Director (2024-2025) and Music Director (2021-2025) of Musique & Masque Theatre Company. A dedicated mentor, her students have gone on to Broadway, National Tours, leading young artist programs, and top conservatories including The Juilliard School, Boston Conservatory, New York University, and Rice University. Through her performance, leadership, and teaching, Erin is committed to enriching communities through exceptional artistry and inspiring the next generation of performers.

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Elijah English - Tenor

Elijah English, Countertenor, is happy to make his debut as a soloist with the Metropolitan Choral Festival this season. He has previously performed locally with Boulder Opera, Opera Ft. Collins, Opera Steamboat, and the Longmont Symphony Orchestra. He also sings regularly with the Colorado Bach Ensemble in their cantata series and major works performances, and is joining the St. Martin’s Chamber Choir in the coming season.

 

Elijah holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Colorado Boulder where he studied voice under the tutelage of Professor Abigail Nims and Dr. John Seesholtz. He has been an award-winning finalist in the Denver Lyric Opera Guild competition, a District Winner and Regional Competitor in the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition, and first place winner and “Singer of the Year” in the Colorado-Wyoming district NATS Student Competition while enrolled as a graduate student.

 

Elijah has worked nationally with such companies as the Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Detroit Opera. A few of his most recent operatic roles include Rinaldo (Handel’s Rinaldo), Oberon (Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Inquisitor and Oracle (Glass’ Galileo Galilei), and Tolomeo (Handel’s Giulio Cesare).

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Jerome Sibulo - Baritone

​Bass-baritone Jerome Síbulo is a versatile performer whose work spans opera, musical theatre, oratorio, contemporary music, and a cappella performance. A passionate advocate for new music and collaborative storytelling, he is drawn to work that challenges conventions, invites curiosity, and brings people together.

 

Recent performances include the Big Bad Wolf in Little Red’s Most Unusual Day with Loveland Opera Theatre, Dulcamara in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore with Boulder Opera, Marco in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Max in The Sound of Music, Tommy in the world premiere of Nathan Wasner’s On Our Way, and Don Alhambra in Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Gondoliers. His repertoire also includes numerous contemporary and experimental works, including four world premieres in 2023: Cole Thomason-Redus’s Yosef and the Counseling Angel, Andrew Dewey’s Night of the Living Opera, Missed Connection, an outdoor immersive operatic experience, and Nathan Hall’s Atlas of Remote Islands. Other Colorado credits include Central City Opera, Opera Colorado, Opera on Tap Colorado, Broomfield Symphony, Boulder Symphony, Symphony of the Rockies, Ars Nova Singers, the Colorado Korean Chorus, and the Storytellers. This fall, he will appear as Moon Dog in Edward Barnes’s Papagayo with Opera Theatre of the Rockies.

 

Jerome is equally passionate about the arts as a means of education and community-building. He maintains a private voice studio and serves as Director of the Music & Arts Ministry at Trinity United Methodist Church in downtown Denver, where he leads a diverse community of musicians and visual artists. He believes deeply in the ability of the arts to create belonging, deepen empathy, and help us see both ourselves and one another in new ways.

 

Before moving to Colorado in 2019, Jerome spent four years as a Principal Vocal Artist with Heartland Sings in Fort Wayne, Indiana, performing and teaching across genres including opera, oratorio, musical theatre, pop, jazz, and a cappella. He co-created the organization’s Vocal Arts Institute, a summer intensive for aspiring high school vocal artists. Jerome has performed throughout the United States, Canada, and the Philippines. Whether inhabiting a familiar character or bringing a new work to life, he approaches every performance with a spirit of curiosity, collaboration, and joy.​​

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On behalf of the 2026 Board of Directors, we thank you deeply for your patronage and support of our nonprofit organization. Your generosity is essential to our success.

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Joyce Witte President 

Mike Lewis Vice President

Chris Powell Secretary

Matthew Kersten-Gray Treasurer

Art Anderson Director

Adam French Director

Art Glover Director

Liam Harty Director

Charlie Miller Director

Iris Reyes Director​​

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