Soprano

Sara Dovre Wudali lives in St. Paul, MN with her husband and two young hooligans. She owns a full-service book production house called Buuji and enjoys reading, fending off the squirrels and the rabbits from the vegetable garden, and sneaking out to a movie every once in awhile. Previously she sang in the St. Paul Chamber Singers and in the Concordia Choir (Moorhead, MN).





Kimberly 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. She puts her Theater Arts degree to good use doing voice-over work here in the Twin Cities. 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.





Laurie Botes Zaepfel has been a singer since childhood, performing solos and participating in a variety of church, school, and community groups through the years. Although large oratorio choirs have their own thrills, her real musical love is the intimate chamber choir, and so she is very happy to be a member of InVocation. Laurie has worked as a librarian, but is currently holding down the home fort in St. Paul, caring for her two wonderful daughters. She is grateful for her understanding husband, Joseph, who willingly stays home on rehearsal nights. When not singing or chasing kids, Laurie likes to cook and to read, especially children's literature.




Alto

Jen Bierlein grew up in the mountains of Montana and has always believed that if Minnesota had mountains, it would be the perfect place to live. Her love of music includes singing, playing the piano, organ and French Horn. She is thrilled to be a part of InVocation, carrying on a long tradition of music in her life that began in early elementary school when she played church services on the piano. She has continued on that path with involvement in many choirs, bands, orchestras and church music positions. All of these instruments can be found in her home in South Minneapolis (yes, there is an organ in the house), along with her partner Barb, 3 children, and a menagerie of dogs and cats. She discovered that a degree in Music and English from St. Olaf College is especially useful in her current occupation—banking. If there is any spare time left in the day, she finds herself in the garden, pulling weeds and tending flowers.





Catrina Ciccone is returning to her roots after five years in central Pennsylvania, where she pastored a Lutheran congregation and sang with the Susquehanna Valley Chorale. She is excited to be back in the Twin Cities, and elated to be a member of InVocation: “Here is a group of people yoking their powers together for awesome, doing something they love and shining a light into the darkness of a hungering world, both with their voices and their financial support. It's truly an honor to be a partner in this project.” When she's not singing, you may spot Catrina out walking or cycling the lakes, but you'll most likely find her at Luther Seminary, nose buried in a book, working toward a PhD in Congregational Mission and Leadership.





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, live in Bloomington, pretending to still be in charge of two nearly-grown sons.






Jodi Gustafson (creative director) 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, Jodi manages the office of Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church; 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 are resistant to conducting… Arooooooo…).





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).




Tenor

Mark Doerr is a recent transplant to St. Paul from Madison, WI. His 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. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to join InVocation in their musical and charitable endeavors.





John Goodman began singing professionally with the Metropolitan Boys Choir at age 7 and was introduced to the trumpet at age 9. After studying art and music 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 (and into married life with Kim). 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, fiddling with Macintosh computers, composing music, and spending time with family and friends. He is (still) determined to eventually learn to play guitar.





Aaron Kusnier was a dedicated choral singer at Coon Rapids High School, and continued to pursue his love of choral music at St. Olaf College, singing in several different choirs. He graduated with a major in music and a concentration in management. Aaron has performed as a chorus member with the Skylark Opera Company and has been in a variety of musicals throughout the years. Some of his favorite roles include: Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods, Giuseppe in The Gondoliers, and Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas. He has also been a finalist in the NATS competition. He currently works for Total Medical Supply in Fridley and in his free time enjoys playing softball, basketball, and other sports. He is excited to be singing with InVocation, helping to create beautiful music while aiding charity.




Bass

Michael Downs started singing in the boy’s choir at his church at age 6 and has been involved in vocal and instrumental music ever since. While earning his Bachelor’s degree in Church Music at St. Olaf, he sang with the St. Olaf and Chapel choirs and had the privilege of leading a Russian Language choir. After some graduate work in Choral Conducting at Michigan State and leading church choirs in Michigan and Minnesota, Michael took a musical hiatus, which he has happily broken by joining (and re-joining) InVocation. In his spare time, he rides and races bicycles and enjoys the humor that comes from raising his energetic and talented children. Someday he hopes to remember how to play the cello.





Daniel Pederson is a Canadian import—and U.S. citizen! (most-recently hailing from Grand Forks, ND)—and is thrilled to be joining InVocation. Daniel has a BA in Music Theory and Composition from North Dakota State University and did graduate work in Choral Conducting at the University of North Dakota. As a composer, he’s had works commissioned and performed by groups at all levels. In the spring of 2006, his “Farvel” was premiered at the North Central ACDA Convention; and in the spring of 2007, his “Night on the Prairies” was performed at the National ACDA Convention in Miami. His choral works are published by Augsburg Fortress and Pavane/Hal Leonard. Daniel calls his partner Dennis “home” and lives in Minneapolis.





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.





Rick Wagner’s choral experience began with a 1950s revival group, Shameful and the 7 Sinners. He’s also sung with symphonic choruses, small a cappella groups, done studio recording work in Chicago, been the principal singer for a Reformed Jewish temple, and performed in Barbershop, Jazz, and Gospel groups. He gets bored easily, but enjoys gardening, meditation, cooking, training squirrels, and working for the Minnesota Conference United Church of Christ. He loves his wife and grown sons, and hopes that his charitable work atones in part for the misery he caused while serving as a traffic cop many years ago in Boston.




Harp

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.