Artistic Staff

Lisa Rogers Lee, Soprano I

Lisa Rogers Lee enjoys a varied career as a chamber singer, oratorio soloist, opera singer, and recitalist. She has appeared with opera companies throughout the Midwest in the roles of Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, Pamina in The Magic Flute, Lucy in The Beggar's Opera, Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, and Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. She is in demand as a singer of early music, having sung with The St. Ignatius Octet, New York City, Mon Choeur, Indianapolis, The Milwaukee Symphony, and The Bach Babes, Milwaukee. Most recently she was soloist with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Northwest Chamber Chorus, and Walla Walla Baroque in the role of Filia in Carissimi’s Jepthe. She has had the honor of working under the direction of Gian Carlo Menotti, Helmuth Rilling, Andreas Delfs, and Doc Severinsen.

Ms. Lee is an active recitalist specializing in French art song and late 20th century literature as well as early music. She holds a Bachelor of Music from The University of Michigan and Le Diplôme Supérieur from Eastern Michigan and Le Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie à Paris.. She has had the pleasure of singing in the master classes of Elly Ameling and Rudolf Jansen and participating in those of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Victoria de los Angeles. Ms. Lee is known as an educator and mentor of young singers. She has served on the faculty of The University of Notre Dame's music prep program, Indiana University's South Bend Music Academy, The Milwaukee Symphony’s Arts in Community Education program and maintains a private studio. Currently she serves as section leader and coach for St. Thomas Episcopal Church, the Seattle Choral Company and substitute teaches for the Bellevue School District.

Monica B. Harris, Soprano II

Originally from Amarillo, Texas, soprano Monica Harris received her undergraduate performance degree from the Oberlin Conservatory, and her graduate degree in Vocal Pedagogy from the Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University. After subsequent study at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Ms. Harris launched her professional career as an apprentice artist covering the role of Barbarina in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro with the famed Santa Fe Opera in 1991. With over ten major roles in her operatic repertory, she has since been cast as Musetta in La Boheme, Norina in Don Pasquale, both Susanna and Countess in The Marriage of Figaro, Rosina in The Barber of Seville and Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus with a variety of distinguished university and regional opera companies such as Chicago Opera Theater, Amarillo Opera and Dorian Opera Theater, and has sung with symphony orchestras throughout the Midwest.

Ms. Harris made her Seattle oratorio debut with the Seattle Choral Company in Vivaldi's Gloria in 1998. Since then, she has sung Britten's Les Illuminations, Handel's Messiah and Poulenc's Gloria with the Bellevue Philharmonic; Fauré's Requiem with both the Seattle Choral Company and the Cascadian Chorale; Villa-Lobos' Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5 with the Rainier Symphony; and in May 2001 sang the role of the angel Gabriel in Haydn's Creation at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Choral Company.

Ms. Harris has been on the voice faculty at Pacific Lutheran University, Northern Illinois University, the College of DuPage, Sherwood Conservatory, and the Merit Music Program and currently maintains a thriving private voice studio in north Seattle.

Tessa Studebaker, Alto I

Tessa Studebaker is an engaging young singer, commended for her versatility and fine musicianship. Praised by The Seattle Times as a “winning alto,” Ms. Studebaker captivates audiences with repertoire ranging from opera to gospel. She frequently performs with the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society, which awarded her a vocal scholarship in 2001. Recent oratorio and concert engagements include the mezzo-soprano and alto solo roles in Duruflé’s Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem, Bach’s Magnificat, Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, and Handel’s Messiah. Ms. Studebaker has performed with the Lake Union Civic Orchestra and Northwest Sinfonietta, and was a featured soloist with the internationally renowned Total Experience Gospel Choir.

A Seattle native, Ms. Studebaker recently graduated from the University of Puget Sound, where she held positions as a soloist, section leader, and President in the Adelphian Concert Choir and sang several principal roles, including the Sorceress (Dido and Aeneas), Ruth (Pirates of Penzance), Lady Jane (Patience), and Marcellina (scenes from The Marriage of Figaro). Among her various engagements, Ms. Studebaker particularly enjoys positions as Alto Soloist and Section Leader at Plymouth Congregational Church, Resident Alto Soloist and Coach for the Seattle Choral Company, Section Leader for the Dickens Carolers, and as a performing member of the Ladies Musical Club of Seattle and Sigma Alpha Iota Women’s Music Fraternity. She is also very active in service-related positions, serving as Outreach Chair and Trustee for the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society and as an ArtsFund Associate representing her employer, The Boeing Company.

Charles G. Logan, Tenor I

No stranger to the stage, lyric tenor and Gemini Award nominee Charles Logan has appeared in concert across North America. In addition to his performances in Washington, Arizona, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, his solo work has been recorded and broadcast on Classic KING-FM radio in Seattle. He is equally at home in the classical repertoire as he is in spirituals, jazz and cabaret.

Charles started the 2005-2006 season off in high gear, performing with Seattle Opera in their critically acclaimed summer production of Der Ring des Nibelungen, conducted by Maestro Robert Spano with Steven Wadsworth directing.

Not content to rest on such a high note, Charles is delighted to be working with the Seattle Choral Company during their regular concert season as well as their joint ventures with the Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Seattle Symphony.

Previously, Charles has appeared in Bizet's Carmen, Verdi's Nabucco, and Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (Royal Opera Canada, Mississauga, Ontario), and has performed the roles of Don Basilio and Don Curzio in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro (New Opera & Concert Centre, Toronto, Ontario). He also portrayed Captain Corcoran in Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore (Seattle Lesbian and Gay Chorus, Seattle, Washington).

He has toured and recorded extensively with the spiritually dynamic Nathaniel Dett Chorale and can be heard on their debut CD, Listen to the Lambs, and holiday CD, An Indigo Christmas. In addition, he appeared in the documentary, Carry Me Home - The Story & Music of The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, and An Indigo Christmas LIVE!, both of which aired on the nation-wide Canadian television station, Vision. He has also performed and recorded with the St. Andrew’s United Church Choir in Toronto, Ontario.

Charles has also had the pleasure of performing for various heads of state, including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

As a member of larger ensembles, Charles has sung with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Spokane Symphony Chorale and the Seattle-based tongue-in-cheek show choir, “Something Else!”.

Randal Fisher, Tenor II

Randal Fisher graduated with honors with a BA in Vocal Performance from Eastern Washington University. He returned to EWU to pursue his Masters Degree in Music Performance and Business in 1981 and did some post graduate work in voice and music theater at the University of Victoria. He studied with Max Von Egmont in master classes, was a student of Carol Webber for several years and coached with Suzanne Szeckely. In 1974 he took first place in the Vocal Division of the Victoria Music Festival and subsequently performed with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra.

While living in Spokane he was tenor soloist at Spokane First Presbyterian for 15 years. He was one of the founders of the Inland Northwest Men's Chorus and a founding member of the Spokane Opera Company, where he not only sang major roles, but also acted as their principal costume designer. Operatic roles he has sung include Ferrando in Cosi fan Tutte, Vacek in The Bartered Bride, Basilio in The Marriage of Figaro, Nemorino in Elixir of Love, Top in The Tender Land, Almaviva in The Barber of Seville, and Caspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors. As an oratorio soloist, Mr. Fisher has performed in Messiah 24 times! He also performed solos in Mendelssohn’s St. Paul, Haydn’s Creation, Bach’s Magnificat and Christmas Oratorio, and Dubois’ Seven Last Words—just to name a few.

Since moving to Seattle he was tenor soloist at First United Methodist for two years, then soloist at St. Paul's Episcopal (Queen Anne) for one year, and has been singing at St. Thomas Episcopal in Medina for over six years. In addition he was the first tenor section leader for the Seattle Men's Chorus for 4 years. Most recently, he performed the title role in The Mikado with the Bellevue Opera Company.

Craig Garretson, Baritone

Craig Garretson, baritone, completed his studies in Fine Art and Vocal Performance at Pacific Lutheran University and London’s Royal College of Art. He has performed throughout the region with companies such as Skagit Opera, Eastside Musical Theater, the Seattle Symphony, and Northwest Opera In Schools, Et Cetera. Roles include Papgeno in the Magic Flute, Betto in Gianni Schicchii, Peter in Hansel and Gretel, and Sharpless in Madam Butterfly. In addition to operatic performances, he has appeared on the Eastside in various benefit concerts, including the popular banquet Standing Ovation. This past summer, he originated the role of the Dragon Prince in the world premiere of The Onion Twins, a contemporary interpretation of a Swedish folk tale. He looks forward to reprising this role with modern dance company BetterBiscuitDance in January of 2006.