Kayla Becker, President
Mary Klein, Vice President
Eva Stokes, Secretary
Max Becker, Treasurer
Sarah Halverson
Carla Vorpahl
Amy Wilsnack
Andrew Dirkse (LYC Student Representative)
Bella Wiegand (LYC Student Representative)
Claire Carlson
Becky Luedtke
Aaron Frye
Katy Wiegand
Neil Bubke, Lakeshore Chorale Music Director/Conductor
Heather Hammond, Lakeshore Youth Chorale Chamber Choir Conductor
Seth Gillis, Lakeshore Youth Chorale Lyric/Jubilate Choir Conductor
Ginger Sterling, Administrative Director
Carrie Zempel, Youth Chorale Business Coordinator
Joseph Hauer, Lakeshore Chorale Accompanist
Max Becker, Lakeshore Youth Chorale Lyric/Jubilate Choir Accompanist
Bill Born, Lakeshore Youth Chorale Chamber Choir Accompanist
Rachel Snodgrass, Bookkeeper
Joe Wilsnack, Webmaster (Volunteer)
Sarah Halverson, Social Media Coordinator (Volunteer)
Conductor
Neil Bubke is the fifth music director in the history of the Lakeshore Chorale. Prior to moving to Milwaukee in 2006, he received his bachelor's degree in music from the University of Northern Iowa and a master's degree in choral conducting from the University of Iowa, where he also earned his law degree.
Neil has served as a church musician for twenty years. He is currently the director of Music and Fine Arts at the United Methodist Church of Whitefish Bay, where he directs seven choirs and oversees four other ensembles. He also conducts pit orchestras for Dominican High School and the Whitefish Bay Players Community Theater.
As a pianist, Neil accompanied the Milwaukee Choral Artists, a professional, all-paid women’s chorus directed by Dr. Sharon Hanson. He also served as a rehearsal pianist for the East Side Chamber Players, a group of young professional musicians from the Milwaukee area who perform concerts of chamber works throughout the Midwest. Neil enjoys accompanying student recitals at UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts as well.
In his free time, Neil enjoys training for triathlons and playing with his cockapoo, Mae Mobley.
Accompanist
A native of Wisconsin, pianist Joseph Hauer is Artistic Director of the Fox River Chamber Fest and a full-time pianist for the Milwaukee Ballet School and Academy.
Joseph performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician across the country, most recently in Sitka, AK, Milwaukee, WI, Appleton, WI and Valley Cottage, NY. These include solo and collaborative performances at the Sitka Performing Arts Center, Odess Theater, Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts, Fox River Chamber Fest, Heid Music “Steinway and a Sandwich,” and Young Masters Recital Series. He was formerly an artist-in-residence at the Apollo Music Festival and the Bermuda Piano Festival. He is a substitute pianist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and has soloed with the Oberlin Orchestra,Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Fox Vally Symphony Orchestra.
Prior to moving to Milwaukee, Joseph served on the Adjunct Faculty at NYU Steinhardt, where he completed a Master’s Degree in Piano Performance with Eteri Andjaparidze. His undergraduate studies were with Peter Takács at Oberlin Conservatory. He collaborates with the voice, string and wind departments at UWM. When he is not engaged in classical music, he enjoys biking, snowboarding and improvising jazz.
Conductor
Heather Hammond received her Bachelor of Arts from Carthage College and her Master of Music Education in choral conducting and literature from UW-Milwaukee.
As a performer, Heather has been seen on stage in the JMKAC’s production of Cinderella, in Swingtime Canteen for the Broadway Baby Dinner Theater, and has been featured in a number of shows with Spotlight Productions of West Bend dinner theater. She continues to present recitals, to further her education through workshops, and is active in a variety of musical organizations both as a participant and guest clinician.
Heather has been a music teacher at Barton Elementary and Badger Middle School in West Bend, and was employed as an adjunct voice instructor at Lakeland College. She currently teaches elementary music in the Cedar Grove-Belgium school district. She has been a singing member of the Lakeshore Chorale for the past fifteen years and serves in the music ministry at First United Lutheran Church in Sheboygan. Heather is also a member of the faculty of Lakeland College as an adjunct general music specialist.
She is delighted and honored to begin her fourteenth year as the Lakeshore Youth Chorale Conductor.
Accompanist
Bill Born is a graduate of Lakeland University where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. He is a retired choir director most recently from Sheboygan Falls High School. Bill has served as a member of the executive board of the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association. He also performs with the Lakeshore Chorale and has performed with the Sheboygan Symphony Chorus as well as accompanied the Lakeshore Youth Chorale.
In addition, Bill has been a guest organist at numerous churches for dedications, concerts and weddings. He accompanies local high school students for festivals, college and scholarship auditions. Bill currently is the organist at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Sheboygan.
Bill and his wife Jean live in Sheboygan Falls. They have a son and daughter-in-law, Brandon and Ashley and a daughter, Brianna.
Conductor
Seth Gillis conducts the Lakeshore Youth Chorale's Lyric and Jubilate ensembles. He is also the music director for Carmen Southeast's choir, band, drumline, guitar, and survey classes. Gillis also leads FCC Sheboygan's children's music program.
Prior to living in Wisconsin, Gillis has conducted elementary, middle, high school, college, and professional ensembles. Additionally, he was a board member for Buckhannon Community Theatre, the high school R&R Chair for West Virginia ACDA , a Regional Chair for Solo and Ensemble, and a founding member/co-conductor for Maestri Vocale: West Virginia's Premiere Bass Choir. Gillis is also a private voice and brass instructor whose student's have received superior ratings at festivals, scholarships, and showcased in the West Virginia State Recital.
Gillis received Bachelor degrees in Music Education and Music Performance from Glenville State University, and a Master’s in Voice Performance from Georgia Southern University.
Accompanist
After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Max Becker moved to Sheboygan with the intention to bring music back to the forefront of his identity. Since moving, Max has joined and provided his skills to numerous organizations in the Sheboygan area in employed and volunteer capacities. He is currently singing with the Lakeshore Chorale and Immanuel Lutheran Church choir ensembles.
Max is the full-time organist at Immanuel Lutheran Church where he also serves as director of the hand bell choir and provides guitar and piano for contemporary worship services.
When he’s not making music or working full-time as a bartender at Trattoria Stefano in downtown Sheboygan, he enjoys cycling, reading, cooking, and spending time with his wife Kayla and cats Bruce, Paul, and Obi-Wan Kenobi.