We are passionate about making music and supporting the arts in our community. Our annual spring and holiday concerts directly support the programs of local arts non-profits.
Beth Carter, Artistic Director & Soprano
Singing since the age of two, it was no surprise that Beth’s life would always revolve around music, learning several instruments by the age of 8. Her interest in music changed dramatically when she was first invited to sing in church choir at the age of 10, performing her first solo shortly thereafter. Seeing and feeling how singing could touch others became the “thing she wanted to do” most of all.
Beth earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in vocal performance, with solo recitals throughout past decades and performing a world premier of a new setting of Walt Whitman’s “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d” in 2016.
Beth joined the Valley of the Moon Chamber Ensemble in the Spring of 2011. In addition to her time with VOMCE she has also directed and performed with choirs across the country. With our 2021 season and retirement of founding Director Brian Sebastian, VOMCE is thrilled to welcome Beth as our Artistic Director. Beth brings to the ensemble 30+ years of experience and education in both solo and choral music of varied styles and languages.
When not conducting or singing, Beth works as a Holistic Health Practitioner and Health Coach at Carter Wellness Clinic. She resides in Sonoma with her husband and doesn’t hesitate to brag about her two college-age daughters or dog.
Gail Chadwin, Alto
Gail joined VOMCE in the Fall of 2014, and is thrilled to be singing with such a talented group. She grew up in Sonoma, and has been singing most of her life – in the Sonoma Children’s Chorale, at Altimira Middle School and Sonoma Valley High School, and with Voces at UC Santa Cruz. She took a hiatus from choral singing while living in El Salvador for five years, and is happy to be back in touch with her musical side.
Gail has worked in nonprofit fundraising for over 15 years, and currently serves local K-12 students in her role as the Director of Development at the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation. She lives in Sonoma with her husband and two young children.
John Christiansen, Tenor
Since moving to the Bay Area in 1995, John has been a member of various choral groups including most recently Chora Nova of Berkeley, Consort Chorale, and North Star Vocal Artists. John joined VOMCE in the fall of 2017.
Professionally, John is a consultant working with law firms and corporate legal departments to help manage litigation. In his free time John enjoys playing golf, travel, reading and swimming. He lives in San Rafael with his wife Shane and their two Golden Retrievers, Gracie and Remy.
Mago Huffman, Alto
Mago has been singing since she was about 6 months old. She was raised in Sonoma. She was a MADD NERD (Music, Arts, Dance and Drama) all through high school, college and grad school. She minored in music at the Conservatory of Music, University of the Pacific. She studied Die Historische Bewusstsein der Rock musik in Freiburg, Germany. She’s sung in small and large ensembles, in musical theatre, recorded as a backup and studio artist, as well as scores of solo performances. Her favorite genres are rock, broadway, gospel and contemporary classical, but she also loves choral music of most any era, as long as it doesn’t involve accordions or bag pipes. Mago joined VOMCE in Spring 2013.
Mago is an Intuitive life coach. Her practice integrates elements for the mind, body, heart, soul and spirit. She is also a published author.
Kevin Jones, Bass
Kevin moved to Sonoma County in 2010, after a successful career in financial services and nonprofit management in New York City and San Francisco. In addition to singing with VOMCE since Fall 2014, Kevin serves as treasurer of the Sonoma Valley Chorale, and sings with Consort Chorale, and the Gaudete Choir at St John’s Episcopal Church in Petaluma. He owns a Santa Rosa sign franchise, and lives with his husband, Tony, in Petaluma.
Rob Angus Jones, Baritone
Rob was born into a family of musicians, and began a lifetime of making music in his church choirs, school and university chorales, jazz bands, orchestras and marching bands, and brief forays into musical theater – and of course around the family piano at every opportunity. Rob has been a featured singer, performing his own compositions, for numerous events, including Durham, North Carolina’s first Gay Pride day. After a long break from choral performance, Rob happily discovered and joined VOMCE in 2011, and also sings with Consort Chorale.
Rob and his husband David are local Realtors, living in Sonoma valley with their boisterous German Shepherd rescue dog Daisy.
Jim Kamphoefner, Bass
Jim has been singing in Lutheran churches and schools from a very young age, but since moving to California in 1999 has become active with a number of local choirs, including the Winnifred Baker-Domincan Chorale, Marin Symphony Chorus, Marin Symphony Chamber Chorus, Consort Chorale, North Star Vocal Artists, and since Fall 2018, VOMCE. Jim also sings with, and occasionally arranges music for Sing We Enchanted, an a capella group that brings the joy and comfort of music to UCSF hospitals and other care facilities in San Francisco and Marin County.
Amanda Kreklau, Soprano
Born and raised in Santa Rosa, Amanda began performing in childhood, both on stage and in school choirs. She returned to singing in January 2010 with the Sonoma Bach Choir, and has since sung with a number of choirs in the area, including the SSU Symphonic Chorus, SonoVoce, and Consort Chorale.
Amanda is a freelance editor, writer, and artist, and currently works for several music publishers. With four fellow singers, she recently founded the nonprofit NorCal Vocal Arts Community to promote choral singing in the SF Bay Area. She lives in Willits with her spouse and two poodles, Malcolm and Roscoe.
Erick Larson, Tenor
Erick began singing as a child in various church choirs and community choral productions. He studied voice at the University of Illinois where he sang with the University Concert Choir, Varsity Men’s Glee Club, and the University Opera Chorus. He moved to New York City and sang in numerous theater and opera productions and several church choirs. He sang with Musaic, an all male acapella ensemble in San Francisco for 10 years. He began singing with VOMCE in 2010 and happily returned to the ensemble after a 3 year hiatus.
Erick is the Regional Director of Operations for Hired Hands Homecare and lives with his spouse, Kelsey Maddox in Sonoma. He spends much of his free time cooking and entertaining.
Melissa Muller, Alto
Melissa loves music and has been singing her whole life. Music is probably her favorite way to spend time with people. Melissa started her musical education with piano lessons, and later oboe and guitar. She fell in love with choral singing while attending Sonoma State university, but was busy raising her family and didn’t pursue it.
Fifteen years ago Melissa traded her oboe for a nice guitar and started playing and singing again socially. One thing lead to another and she now sings in several choirs and music circles around the Bay Area. Melissa was excited to become a part of VOMCE in Fall 2015, and its commitment to beautiful choral music.
James Seitchik Sebastian, Baritone
James comes from a family of singers. His parents met in the Oakland Symphony chorus and his mom went on to sing with the SF Symphony chorus for the better part of 40 years. As boys, James and his brother both sang at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco and all through high school and college. After an unexpected 12 year hiatus from choral singing, James joined VOMCE in Spring of 2019 and has found his people.
James is a residential carpenter, Brazilian jiu jitsu coach and lives with his wife and three amazing kids in Petaluma. He spends what little free time he can muster working on their home, knitting, and singing with VOMCE.