Chamber Choir

Conductor

Alyson Greer Espinosa

Alyson Greer Espinosa is thrilled to be in her twelfth season on the H+H Youth Choruses faculty where she is the conductor of the Chorus of Sopranos + Altos and the Chamber Choir. Ms. Greer has prepared CSA for performances with Harry Christophers and the H+H Chorus and Orchestra for Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion, Handel’s Messiah and Saul, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mozart’s Requiem, and Monteverdi’s Vespers. Other ensemble collaborations include the Back Bay Chorale, Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus, Boston Musica Viva, MIT Concert Choir, Metropolitan Chorale, Heritage Chorale, the Eureka Ensemble Women’s Chorus, Mother Caroline Academy, and the NEC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorale. The former Young Women’s Chamber Choir performed on From The Top and CSA was featured in BBC’s Great American Railroad Journeys under her direction in 2017. Such collaborations and performances have afforded Ms. Greer and her singers inspiring musical-educational performances with conductors such as Harry Christophers, Ian Watson, Dr. Scott Allen Jarrett, Dr. Andrew Clark, Dr. Lisa Graham, John Finney, Dr. Lynnel Jenkins, George Steel, and Ismael Sandoval.

In addition to her work with the H+H Youth Choruses, Ms. Greer is the Director of Choral Music at Westborough High School where she conducts four choirs and four contemporary a cappella ensembles. Her ensembles consistently earn gold ratings and medals at the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Directors Association (MICCA) and have performed at the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) All- State Convention Concert Hour. Ms. Greer is an active choral clinician, has conducted the Northeastern Massachusetts Sr. District High School Mixed Chorus, the Eastern Massachusetts Junior District Mixed Chorus, All-Cape High School Treble Chorus and the Southeastern Massachusetts, Jr. District Treble Choir, and has presented sessions at the Massachusetts All State Conference and the MICCA Summer Institute. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree (magna cum laude) in Vocal Performance and a Master of Music Education degree, both from The Boston Conservatory. Ms. Greer resides in MetroWest with her husband, son, and daughter.

agreer@handelandhaydn.org

Assistant Conductor

Andrew Milne

An avid conductor, singer, and music educator based in Massachusetts, Andrew Milne is thrilled to join the faculty of H+H. He serves as Director of Choirs and Theater at The Bromfield School in Harvard, MA, working with students in grades 6-12 in three curricular choirs, an extra curricular choir, classroom music courses, and theater. His students have been accepted to district, state, and national honor choirs as well as top college programs around the country. Andrew also serves as Music Director of the Westborough Community Chorus in Westborough, MA, working with 60 singers ages 18-85. In addition to his conducting, Andrew is a regular chorister and has sung with choirs such as the internationally acclaimed choirs of Joyful Noise in Torrington, CT with Dr. Gabriel Lofvall, and the Worcester Chorus under Dr. Chris Shepard. His conducting teachers have included Dr. Vernon Huff, Dr. Edward Bolkovac, and Dr. Julie Hagen. In 2014 Mr. Milne was honored as the recipient of the Evangelyna Etienne Scholarship Award given by H+H to a member of the HHYC community for commitment and passion for vocal music. Mr. Milne is passionate about community music making, sparking a joy and love of singing in his students, and helping singers understand and navigate the voice change. Andrew is an active member of NAfME, ACDA, and Pi Kappa Lambda. He holds a Bachelor's in Music Education from SUNY Fredonia and a Master's in Music Education: Choral Conducting from The Hartt School, University of Hartford.

amilne@handelandhaydn.org

Collaborative Pianist

Dr. Peh-yeh Tsai

Born in Taiwan, Pianist Pei-yeh Tsai joined the HHYC faculty this season as the collaborative pianist for the Chorus of Sopranos and Altos and Chamber Choir She has appeared as a substitute pianist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, alongside as principal pianist for the Peoria Symphony and the New Bedford Symphony. Her performance is best described by cellist Yo-Yo Ma: “…a powerhouse of a pianist, and she plays with an incredible depth of soul"; by conductor and harpsichordist Nicolas Kraemer "...her ability to go beyond technique to forge an emotional connection between audience and music is quite noteworthy." Tsai has won prizes and grants in several international piano competitions, including the Aaron Richmond foundation, international New England Chamber Music Ensemble Competition; and the Special Viardo Prize at the Viardo International Piano Competition. Her performances can be heard on the Chicago Symphony website, WFMT, WTVP, WCTV, STV8. Tsai received her master’s degree from The Juilliard School and doctorate degree from Boston University.

Teaching Assistant

Nathaniel Smith

This is Nathaniel Smith's fourth season on the HHYC faculty. When he is not at HHYC, he works as a music educator in the Arlington Public schools teaching general music and choir at Ottoson Middle School. Mr. Smith describes having been "into music" since the fourth grade. He sang with the HHYC Chorus of Tenors + Basses in high school and was also a High School Soloist. In his words:

"HHYC really opened the door for me when I was auditioning for college. It allowed me to blossom into the singer and educator I am today. In my high school, I joined every group at my school for singing. I then moved on to study music education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. I am so excited to work with new youth and it has been a blast working alongside my mentors on the faculty of HHYC."