Greenwich Choral Society
Christmas Concerts Performers
Naomi Steele
mezzo-soprano
Naomi Steele, mezzo-soprano, is a native of the Bronx, New York City, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in vocal arts at The Juilliard School, where she studies with Kevin Short. Ms. Steele has performed a wide range of leading roles, including Madame Flora in Menotti’s The Medium, Isabella in Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri, Anaide in Leoncavallo’s Zazá, and the Sorceress in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. This season, Ms. Steele was featured in Juilliard’s Wednesday at One series in Alice Tully Hall and participated in the school’s Songfest curated by Brian Zeger. In the spring, she will return to Alice Tully Hall for Juilliard’s production of L’enfant et les sortilèges, performing the roles of Maman, La Tasse, and La Libellule. Last summer, Ms. Steele was an apprentice singer at The Santa Fe Opera, and this summer, she will join Wolf Trap Opera as a Studio Artist. She likes to read fantasy, watch anime, and play video games!
Shavon Lloyd
baritone
Shavon Lloyd (b. 1997) is an award-winning composer, baritone, conductor, and music educator. As a young musician, Shavon has already had the opportunity to perform for a wide variety of audiences and compose for numerous ensembles from K-12 to professional groups.
From Middletown, NY, Lloyd began his journey as a dedicated musician in 2014 when he won his first composition contest at the age of 17. His piece, "Untitled", was selected as the grand prize winner of the Manhattan Choral Ensemble's "New Music for New York" composition contest. After that moment, Lloyd solidified his decision in studying music at The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Here he continued his compositional journey under the tutelage of Dr. David Heuser, winning a second contest in Washington, D.C. for his choral piece, "So Breaks the Sun", which was premiered by the 18th Street Singers in July of 2018. Since then Lloyd, has been commissioned for works at the K-12 levels, collegiate choral programs, and established professional concert choirs. Recently, Shavon won a third composition contest in July 2019, sponsored by the Orpheus Chamber Singers in Dallas, Texas. In March 2020, the group premiered his work for double choir, "Alleluia". Since then, Lloyd has been commissioned by such groups as Cappella Festiva and The ABC Bel Canto Choir.
Shavon is an active participant in the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA), contributing to both the Belonging, Equity, Diversity, and Representation (BEDR) Committee, and the Composition Committee. Regarding music education, his interests include student-centered learning through democracy and creativity in the music classroom. For the past three years, he has put this mindset into practice as the Vocal/General Music Teacher at Indian River High School in Philadelphia, NY.
As a baritone, Shavon has had the opportunity to perform alongside Patti LuPone, Lisa Vroman, Canadian Brass, and other professional soloists and ensembles. While studying with Dr. Lonel Woods, he became a 2-time winner of the CFLNY-NATS Singing Competition, and featured soloist throughout New York. At Crane, he had the pleasure of soloing in Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music and Mozart's Mass in C minor under the baton of Maestros Duain Wolfe and Kent Tritle, respectively. In May 2020, Shavon won the Classical Singer Musical Theatre Competition for Pre-Professionals with his performance of "Soliloquy" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel. Lloyd is currently pursuing his Master of Music in Vocal Performance degree at The Juilliard School in New York City. Here, he has performed in multiple productions, including Händel's "Atalanta" (Nicandro - cover), Purcell's "King Arthur" (Grimbald/Cold Genius), and Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi" (Betto). Lloyd was recently selected to be a Gerdine Young Artist for The Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in 2023. He will be performing in Puccini's "Tosca" (Sacristan cover). He will also make his professional debut as Simon in an all-black production of Joplin's "Treemonisha", including a world premiere of Damien Sneed and Karen Chilton's prologue and epilogue detailing moments Joplin's life.
Edward Pleasant
narrator / bass
Edward Pleasant, baritone, is recognized as one of the most versatile performers of his generation. Critically acclaimed in both opera, musical theater and recordings, he has distinguished himself as a gifted actor with brilliant comic timing and a luscious baritone voice. Pleasant champions the proliferation of the artistic contributions of early 20th century African-American writers, singers and composers, through live performances and recordings,
propelling their works into the 21st century for the education and enjoyment of today’s global audience.
Pleasant, a frequent guest artist with the Greenwich Choral Society for more than two decades, has appeared in no less than a dozen recordings and operatic compilations. He appears with the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra’s recordings of Black Manhattan Vols. 1, 2 and 3 where he enjoysthe distinction of being the only singer to be heard in all three completions. All three
recordings for New World Records have garnered praise for Pleasant’s performances as being “marvelous” and “beautifully sung.” He can also be heard in the definitive recording of Scott Joplin's Treemonisha, also for New World Records. This historic recording was designated a BBC Music Magazine ‘Opera Choice’ and Gramophone Magazine ‘Editor’s Choice’ in the year of its release. His discography also includes a recording of The Seven Last
Words of Christ for Gothic Records, Kurt Weill's The Flight of Lindbergh for Voices International, and a special 250th Anniversary edition of The Music of Mozart for the Madacy label. Pleasant is also the demonstration voice on the popular Karaoke Opera Series recordings of baritone arias. His latest project is a recording of the music of Irving Berlin for New World Records was critically acclaimed by Opera News.
A native of Midland, Texas, Pleasant gained national attention when he appeared with the New York City Opera as Jake in Porgy and Bess, which included an Emmy-nominated Live from Lincoln Center telecast on PBS. This historic telecast marked the first time a live performance of the Gershwin masterpiece had ever been televised. He reprises this role both nationally and abroad. Mr. Pleasant returned to New York City Opera in other productions,
including the premiere of Margaret Garner by Richard Danielpour and Toni Morrison and their annual Vox Series showcases. Additional roles include Don Alfonso in Cosi fan tutte, Giuseppe Palmieri in The Gondoliers, Pish-Tush in The Mikado, Nardo in La Finta Giardiniera, Jacques in The New Moon, Zodzetrick in Joplin's Treemonisha, Harriet Tubman's father in a touring production of Freedom Train and Coalhouse Walker in Ragtime the Musical. Recent career highlights include his being the first to realize the role of Sam Perry in a contemporary opera entitled Strange Fruit by Chandler Carter and Joan Ross Sorkin for Harlem School of the Arts, and his starring in a one- man show about the life of Nat ‘King’ Cole called Sincerely, Nat, which Pleasant also wrote and produced.
Pleasant performs on the world's most prestigious concert stages, including David Geffin Hall (formerly Avery Fisher Hall), Alice Tully Hall, and Carnegie Hall. He appeared as a soloist with the world-renowned Moses Hogan Chorale and he has sung in other prominent venues such as the Texas State Capitol and the White House. His numerous oratorio and orchestral
credits include Bach's St. John Passion and Christmas Oratorio, Beethoven's Mass in C, Brahms' A German Requiem, Ellington's Sacred Selections, Handel's Messiah, Vaughan Williams' Five Mystical Songs and Robert Ray's Gospel Mass. He is in high demand as a narrator/storyteller performing the perennial childrens’ favorites Peter and the Wolf, Carnival of the Animals, Tubby the Tuba, The Thrill of the Orchestra and most recently a new work, Uzu and Muzu from Kakaruzu.
Greenwich Academy Madrigal Singers (Friday Family Concert Only)
Greenwich Academy is an independent college preparatory day school for highly motivated students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12. Its 39-acre campus is located 25 miles north of New York City in the suburbs of Greenwich, Connecticut. Founded in 1827, the Academy values excellence in academics, athletics, the arts and community service. Committed to diversity in its student body and faculty to an inclusive, rigorous liberal arts curriculum, the Academy fosters an appreciation of individual and cultural differences and recognition of the fundamental interdependence of all people.
The Madrigal Singers represent a long tradition of musical excellence at Greenwich Academy. The Upper School treble ensemble has received invitations to perform both regionally and internationally. In December 2004, they performed at a private reception hosted by former first lady Laura Bush at the White House. In 2008, they received an invitation to perform at the NAIS (National Association of Independent School) Annual Conference at Radio City Music Hall in New York. In April of 2013, the Madrigals were invited to perform “The Star Spangled Banner” at Citi Field for the New York Mets.
In 2019 the group traveled to Scandinavia, with performances in several venues in Finland, Sweden and Norway including the Suomenlinna Church in Finalnd and The Music Festive in Bergen at Mariakirken Church, Norway. Since 1977 the ensemble has performed on international stages in Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Greece and the Czech Republic.
Erica McCants, Conductor, received her Bachelors in Music Education and Vocal Performance from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. She has been a member of the Greenwich Academy music faculty since 2005. Prior to stepping into the role of Madrigal director, Ms. McCants taught middle school at Greenwich Academy for 14 years and continues to teach 5th grade music. She began conducting Madrigals in the fall of 2019. In addition to Madrigals, Ms. McCants conducts Bel Canto, Gospel Choir, and serves as vocal director and conductor of the Upper School musical. She also served as performing arts department chair from 2012-2018.
Kylie Mullins, Accompanist, joined the Madrigals as the accompanist in June of 2022. She received her Bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts with a Certificate in Musical Theatre from Northwestern University in 2015. She went on to earn her Masters in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Ms. Mullins joined the Greenwich Academy faculty in 2019, and currently serves as a Middle School Music & Drama teacher