Table of Contents
Biographies
Sharon Davis
Soprano
SHARON DAVIS has made the opera, theater and concert stage her home since her early teens. A native of Logan, Utah, Sharon began her vocal studies in high school under the direction of Ted Puffer at Utah State University. She performed her first operatic role, Amahl in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors at the age of fourteen, followed by Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto. She became a Sterling Scholar in drama for the state of Utah and took her first Equity contract with the Valley Music Hall in Salt Lake City.
Ms. Davis continued her studies under Ted Puffer at the University of Nevada, Reno. While attending school she performed professionally with the Nevada Opera Company as Adele in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Polly Peachum in Weill’s The Threepenny Opera, Cherubino in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Despina in Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte, Yum-Yum in G&S’s The Mikado, Angelique in Ibert’s Angelique, Clorinda in Rossini’s La Cenerentola, and Little Mary in Little Mary Sunshine.
While in Nevada, Ms. Davis claimed the title of Miss University of Nevada, going on to win the title of Miss Nevada and competing in the Miss America pageant.
Sharon participated in the the San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program and became the winner of the prestigious Karl Kritz Memorial Award launching her into the next phase of her work with the San Francisco Opera Company. She became a member of its Western Opera Theater touring company for the next four years. One of the highlights of this time for Sharon was doing the role of Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel under the baton of the late Calvin Simmons. Another highlight was having the pleasure of twice performing with Arthur Fiedler and the San Francisco Symphony in its summer pops concert series.
As well as her work with San Francisco Opera, she has done major roles with many regional opera companies, such as Utah Festival Opera, West Bay Opera, Nevada Opera, Berkeley Opera, Oakland Opera, and Fresno Opera. These roles include: Cio-Cio-San in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Mimi in Puccini’s La Boheme, Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata, Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte, Countess Almaviva in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Marguerite in Gounod’s Faust, Adina in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore, and Hanna Glawari in Lehar’s The Merry Widow.
Ms. Davis’s symphonic and recital performances include: Verdi’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Dvorak’s Te Deum, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Canteloube’s Songs of the Auvergne, Strauss’ Four Last Songs, and Ernst Krenek’s Durch die Nacht and Reisebuch aus den osterreichischen Alpen.
As well as being a performer, she maintains a full private voice studio, has directed youth performance groups, has her own summer opera program for young singers, and also is an accompanist for her students.
David Young
Organ
DAVID YOUNG first discovered the power and beauty of the pipe organ as a teenager. He pursued private organ study during high school in Boise with Patricia Nelson and later continued his studies at the university level.
As a student at Brigham Young University, Mr. Young studied with Dr. Douglas Bush, and later graduated from BYU with a bachelor’s degree in Organ Performance and Pedagogy in 1997. While an undergraduate student, Mr. Young served as Organ Scholar at the Cathedral of the Madeleine (Roman Catholic) in Salt Lake City, accompanying the choirs and congregation in masses, special feast days, and in concert.
During his university studies, Mr. Young also traveled to Europe where he studied and played more than 60 historic pipe organs, in Germany, Holland, England, France, and Italy. He later received a university stipend to return to Germany and Holland to study the pipe organs of the Baroque organ builder, Arp Schnitger. After completing his undergraduate studies, Mr. Young enrolled in law school at the University of Idaho, where he graduated with a law degree in 2001. Simultaneously both an attorney and an organist, Mr. Young has nearly always held an appointment as an organist while also practicing law.
Mr. Young was recently featured with the Boise Baroque Chamber Orchestra, performing the monumental Poulenc Organ Concerto, believed to be the first Idaho performance of the majestic work. Mr. Young’s favorite organ music is by master composer J.S. Bach, but he also likes to showcase jazz and gospel music, and has surprised audiences with organ arrangements of music by the Beatles, U2, and even his own transcription of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Currently, Mr. Young serves as Principal Organist at Boise First United Methodist Church (Cathedral of the Rockies), a post he has held since 2010. As organist, Mr. Young accompanies the traditional worship services on the Cathedral’s 77-rank Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ (Idaho’s largest) and accompanies for the resident choirs.
He is employed as a Deputy Attorney General with the Idaho Attorney General’s Office, and also stays active in the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists. He and his wife, Adria, live in Boise with their three children.
Carlee Baldwin
ASL Interpreter
CARLEE BALDWIN is thrilled to be joining the Cantus family again this year. Ms. Baldwin is a professionally trained performer, studying Musical Theatre at Utah Valley University, and graduating in the Spring. Her performance credits include: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Split, Jumpers, Agamemnon, I Never Saw Another Butterfly, Gypsy, Company, Legally Blonde, and others.
Ms. Baldwin was recently featured as one of the faces of success at the UVU Women’s Success Center, and won first place in her division at the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition in Utah. Ms. Baldwin accepted her nomination to compete at the Kennedy Center College Theatre Festival this February in Los Angeles, and looks forward to her future opportunities. Ms. Baldwin is thankful for supportive family and friends. She is especially grateful for the love of her life, her husband, Dallin, who has encouraged her to follow her dreams.
Krista Carroll
Mrs. Carroll’s passion for music was driven from a young age. She made her first singing debut at the age of 5 as a soloist in front of an audience of hundreds and loved every minute of it. This set the stage …
Brandi Cook
Brandi Cook has a bachelor’s degree in Choral Music Education from Utah State University. Following college she was hired at Kuna High School, near Boise Idaho, where she built a program and taught for 10 years …
Erika McCauley
Erika McCauley is founder and artistic director of Cantus Youth Choirs, a nonprofit community choir program for Idaho’s Treasure Valley youth. She is a talented individual with an unrivaled passion for working with young people …
Keith McCauley
Keith McCauley earned a BA in Marketing Communications with minors in Music Performance and Japanese from Brigham Young University in 2004. He works with Concordia, VoiceOver, and Fortis, and has been arranging …
Melody Paskett
Melody Paskett earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music, with Choral Education emphasis, and a minor in Japanese from Brigham Young University. Mrs. Paskett has enjoyed performing all of her life, dancing and singing from a young age …
Annie Roberts
Annie Roberts it excited to be a director with Cantus Youth Choirs where she served the first three seasons on the board of directors and helped launch VoiceOver with Keith McCauley. She began singing …