Soprano

Lori LaBelle Bartz has previously sung with Hymnus Angelicus and the National Lutheran Choir, where she was also Soprano section head for several years. Lori teaches voice and piano at her home studio in Edina. Lori is a graduate of Augsburg College (Minneapolis), where she studied Voice, Organ, and Piano, and graduated with a B.S. in music.




Emily Davidson is also a member of VocalPoint, and serves on it's planning team. Previously, she was a member of the Concert Choir while a student at Macalester College. When not singing, she can be found brokering commercial property insurance, playing broomball, reading, and traveling as often as possible.





Sara Dovre Wudali is joyful to be back at InVocation this season after a brief hiatus last year. Tumultuous times make the musical artistry, cooperation, and amity of InVocation very precious to her. Sara’s previous musical experiences include singing in St. Paul Chamber Singers and the Concordia Choir (Moorhead). Sara is a writer and editor and lives in St. Paul.





Kim Goodman has enjoyed singing in the Concordia Choir (Moorhead) and the chamber groups St. Paul Chamber Singers, Namasté, and Sacred Voice. She also played flute in the U of M Wind Ensemble. By day, Kim is a hospital chaplain in St. Paul, and spends evenings restoring her Victorian home in south Minneapolis. Next summer she hopes to plant a vegetable garden and keep it weeded.





Karen Kelley is delighted to be a member of InVocation. Singing in choirs since the sixth grade, she has been a member of the NDSU Concert Choir, the Basilica of St. Mary Choir and the a cappella choir Voce Fresca. A collector of all things ephemeral, she enjoys antiquing and has a penchant for crate labels. She’s so pleased to be a part of the charitable work that InVocation does.







Alto

Catrina Ciccone is happy to be in her seventh year singing with InVocation, as this is a fantastic group of friends who shine a light of hope and healing in the world with both their song and their support of local charities. Previously she has sung with the Susquehanna Valley Chorale in Central Pennsylvania. Catrina is less happy to be in her seventh year of doctoral work at Luther Seminary, but someday she will graduate… maybe… right? In her free time… Oh dear… She’s forgotten what it’s like to have free time. (Somebody please assure her that she will graduate!)



Becky Dop loves being a part of InVocation! She previously sang with Sacred Voice, has performed with Exultate’s festival choir, and is active in her church’s music program. Becky is a graduate of Willamette University (Salem, Oregon)—where she studied Music Therapy and French Horn performance—and is a marketing specialist at Upsher-Smith Laboratories in Maple Grove. She and her husband, Randy, have two grown sons, and have now entered the “empty-nesters” phase of life (which means the house should stay clean now, but somehow, it still doesn’t).




Rochelle Milbrath has performed as a soloist and with ensembles throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul Chamber Singers, National Lutheran Choir, and Sacred Voice. She has always loved singing, especially since singing duets with her twin brother at 10 years old. When she has a spare minute, she also loves to cook, dream of traveling internationally, attempt do-it-yourself repairs at home, collect penguin figurines from around the world, and grow flowers and other living things in her backyard (including Walter the groundhog, fat squirrels, and several rabbit families). Rochelle works as a speech-language pathologist in Early Childhood Special Education in Minneapolis, and shares her home with Jodi (and all her books).




Rebecca Pearson was drawn to the concept of using our singing voices to support social justice causes. Rebecca has a B.S. in Music Education and a Masters in Vocal Pedagogy from the University of Minnesota, where she studied under Dr. Clifton Ware. She currently teaches voice, has directed high school choirs, and founded and directed children’s community choirs. She has sung in many groups over the years, including the U of M Concert Choir, Concentus Cantorum, the Paul Kaye Singers, the Valley Chamber Chorale, and the Minnesota Chorale. This is Rebecca’s first year with InVocation.






Tenor

Mark Doerr’s love of music started when he first picked up a bassoon in 1974, and his passion for choral music began shortly thereafter. Mark’s more recent experience includes nearly 20 years with the Festival Choir of Madison, with whom he toured Austria and Japan. He has also worked with the Madison Symphonic Choir and the choir of Memorial United Church of Christ as section leader and soloist.





Lowell (Rick) Prescott became a choral geek while growing up in small-town Minnesota. After singing in the University of Minnesota Chamber Singers (while studying philosophy on the side), he enjoyed success as a studio arranger, engineer and producer. The National Lutheran Choir brought him back to choral music, where he also studied conducting, composition, and event design with founder Larry Fleming. He has conducted choirs at Central Lutheran Church, Diamond Lake Lutheran Church, and, most recently, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, where he was Director of Adult Choirs for many years. As a composer, he writes both sacred and secular music for choirs, soloists, instruments and theatrical productions in any combination, and has participated in the Faith Partners residency program through the American Composers Forum. When not singing, he always looks forward to attending concerts of the Minnesota BoyChoir with wife Victoria, to hear the joy-filled singing of the next generation of choral geeks, which includes their sons, Noah and Truman.







Baritone

John Goodman began singing professionally with the Metropolitan Boys Choir at age 5 and started trumpet at age 9. After studying music and art at St. Olaf College—and singing, playing, and composing for jazz, blues, rock, funk, and ska bands there—John toured briefly with the Chicago-based a cappella pop group Blind Man’s Bluff before settling down in Minneapolis and into a career as a graphic designer. He has since sung with various church choirs as well as local choral groups Namasté and Sacred Voice. When not singing or working, John enjoys watching films, collecting comic books, reading, fiddling with Apple devices, and spending time with family and friends. He remains resolutely interested in (finally) learning to play guitar.




Ron Pearson is happy to be joining InVocation for the first time! In addition to InVocation, he has previously sung in The Singers and Kantorei. In his “real life”, Ron is an environmental health consultant. When not singing or working, he loves to cross-country ski, mountain bike, and travel to 3 different states with his spouse to visit their adult children.




Daniel Pederson has enjoyed singing whatever part InVocation director Jodi has assigned him over the years. As a composer, he’s had works commissioned and performed by groups at all levels. Daniel has served as a church musician for the past 30 years and is currently the Communications Manager at Roseville Lutheran Church (by day) and the Minister of Music at Linden Hills United Church of Christ. He considers himself a small(er) house enthusiast whilst he shares a standard-sized home with his husband, Dennis, and their feline companions, Pedro and Henning.







Bass

Mike Ring is excited to add InVocation to his singing pursuits! In addition to InVocation, Mike currently sings with the Global Harmony Community Chorus (where he also serves on the Board), and other ad-hoc groups in the area. A graduate of Macalester College, he sang with the Macalester College Concert Choir and Scotch Tape. His work as a computer developer with the MN Department of Health was preceded by stints fixing computers and as a wildlife biology tech at Grand Canyon National Park. In his spare time, he reads, plays a multitude of sports, enjoys the great outdoors, and works on the house he recently purchased with his partner Flannery.




Dan Thunselle has participated in many choral groups in the years since the Concordia Choir, chief of which is the Senior Choir and other ensembles at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. Dan has also enjoyed singing in a men’s a cappella quartet for the last 12 years. This quartet performs Christian music in a variety of styles including Barbershop, Contemporary, and Traditional. Dan works as a Field Sales Specialist for Markes International in Chemical Analysis Instrumentation. In his leisure time, Dan likes to spend time with his family at the lake cabin, fishing, and occasionally golfing.







Piano

Tonya Anderson has spent over 3 decades making music and having fun with all the amazing people she has been privileged to meet along the way. She is a graduate of the St. Catherine University, and when not pursuing her dual careers as pediatric nurse and itinerant musician, she spends her remaining time as chauffeur, chef, and keeper of the calendar for four very active children and one very perfect husband.








Creative Director

Jodi Gustafson has her Master’s Degree in Sacred Music, with an emphasis in choral conducting, from Luther Seminary. As part of that program, she studied with Paul Westermeyer, Anton Armstrong, Carolyn Jennings, and Robert and Cora Scholz. Her Bachelor’s degree in vocal music is from Winona State University. Jodi has sung with a number of local choirs, including the National Lutheran Choir and Sacred Voice. By day, she gets to work with the fascinating people of Classical Minnesota Public Radio; after hours, she dons her “Music Director” cape and heads over to Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. She loves to sing and to read (though not at the same time), and to take care of the home she shares with her wife Rochelle and their beagles, Linus and Lucy (who, as they’re beagles, also “sing,” but never watch the conductor) and Rerun, the Sassy Terrier.