Neil McDonald
Artistic Director, Conductor, Bass
Hometown: Ringwood, NJ
Profession: Insurance Producer and Music
Hobbies/Talents: Snowboarding, hiking, building rock walls
When I started singing: As soon as I could talk!
A favorite musical memory: There are so many as I've been blessed with some pretty amazing musical experiences. But the one that really set me on the path to a music career happened freshman year at Lakeland Regional High School. Our chorale toured England, and while we were preparing John Rutter's Requiem, we had a private masterclass with Rutter himself in Cambridge. Hearing him talk through his thought process and compositional ideas completely changed how I listened to music. When we performed it with orchestra later that year, it all came alive.
That was just the start. From there it was on through Lakeland's music programs, then Westminster Choir College, and into the work I do today.
What I love about choir: What I love most about singing in a choir is the blending of voices, the moment when dozens of individual voices and vibratos fold into something bigger than any one of us. There's a real vulnerability in that also, everyone bringing their voice into the mix, trusting the group. It's not about standing out, it's about blending as one to create beauty.
Erin Schwab
Executive Director, Chorus Manager, Soprano
Hometown: Ringwood, NJ (Bergenfield, currently)
Profession: Singer & Arts Administrator
Hobbies/Talents: Currently very into collage and other mixed media art forms!
When I started singing: As soon as I could talk!
A favorite musical memory: So many of my favorite musical memories have been choir-related: The LRHS Chorale/Chamber Singers/Jazz Choir, Rutgers Kirkpatrick Choir, Downtown Voices, and beyond! I look forward to making new memories soon with the Skylands Chorale!
What I love about choir: The sense of community it can foster - it’s an activity that brings people together who might not otherwise have anything in common. For a handful of hours, you gather to share in something special and feel the rest of the busy world fall away!
SOPRANOS
Lauren B. Antonelli
Hometown: Ringwood, NJ
Profession: Healthcare Communications
Hobbies/Talents: Playing Piano, Triathlons, Reading, Cooking, Live Music, Travel
When I started singing: Elementary school
A favorite musical memory: Playing Maria in The Sound of Music
What I love about choir: Community, Comradery, Inspiration, Learning New Music and Composers, Sharing the Gift of Music
ALTOS
TENORS
BASSES
