Danguole Radtke – Alto Lead
Danguole Radtke was born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, where she studied piano and singing at Marymount School of Music. She completed her Piano Teacher’s and Piano Performer’s Diplomas at the University of Western Ontario. From 1965 to 1985, Danguole was organist and cantor at Christ the King Catholic Church in Sudbury.
As well, she sang in several choirs and was an accompanist for soloists and choirs. She taught piano at the Marymount School of Music and continued her vocal studies with Chrissie Nemis. In 1985 she moved with her family to Toronto and accepted the post of organist and assistant choir director at the Church of the Resurrection Lithuanian Catholic Church, where she is also cantor and alto soloist .
During the past 25 years she has performed as an alto soloist at many concerts and functions within the Lithuanian Community. She is currently alto section lead for the MCS Chorus (Mississauga Choral Society). Danguole continues to study singing with Marjorie Sparks and is in demand as an accompanist and singing coach for festivals and concerts.
Michael Dodge – Tenor Lead
Hailed by the Baltimore Sun for his “eloquent phrasing” and “persuasive acting,” and by the Washington Post for
his “impeccable” interpretation, American tenor Michael Dodge is a singer of art song, oratorio and opera currently
based in Toronto, Ontario.
In the 2017-18 season, Michael made his debut with Opera Northwest in Thunder Bay, Ontario where he sang the role
of Rinuccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. Other highlights of the season included Beethoven’s Mass in C, Stainer’s The Crucifixion, Bellini’s I
Capuleti e i Montecchi, Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Bach’s Cantata 149 and
St. John Passion, Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, a series of lecture-recitals on
Swedish art song, and a lecture-recital featuring the unpublished works of Ivor Gurney.
More recently, Michael’s solo engagements include Handel’s Messiah (Toronto Beach Chorale), Handel’s Chandos Anthems 1 & 9 (MCS Chorus / Mississauga), Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Hindemith’s Hin und Zurück (The Glenn Gould School). Other projects include a recital of depression-era music at the Bata Shoe Museum, and Herbert Howells’ Requiem with the newly formed Aspirare Vocal Collective. Michael also joined Opera Atelier as a chorister in their production of Mozart’s Idomeneo, and sings in the prestigious Cathedral Choir at St. James Cathedral in downtown Toronto.
Bryan Estabrooks – Bass Lead
Bryan Estabrooks, originally from Ottawa, is a Toronto-area baritone. He studied with Laurence Ewashko in Ottawa, and Dr. Darryl Edwards in Toronto. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, and received his Master of Music from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, under the tutelage of Stephen Lusmann.
Bryan has performed with Opera Lyra Ottawa, Tapestry New Opera Works, Toronto Operetta Theatre, Opera in Concert, and Michigan Opera Theatre in roles such as Maximilian in Candide, the Marquis in Dialogues des Carmélites, Major Murgatroyd in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience and the role of Escamillo in Carmen.
Bryan has also performed as a guest soloist with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra, Ottawa Valley Music Festival, MCS Chorus (Mississauga Choral Society), as well as the Peel Choral Society, producing one of their Christmas albums; he is involved in pre-production for Peel’s forthcoming pops album. He was most a soloist for David Mott’s Creation, a Jazz Oratorio, and recently performed the role of Pilatus in the Bach Consort’s performance of the St. John Passion, under the direction of Maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin. He is also a member of the new vocal group, ‘I Quattro.’
Bryan and his brother, Jonathan, have recently launched ‘The Estabrooks Brothers,’ a pop/big band/soul duo, with appearances on Rogers Television and Ottawa’s A-Channel Morning. The duo recently played to two capacity crowds at the NAC Fourth Stage, in Ottawa.
David Murrell – Accompanist
A native of Winnipeg, David Murrell received early training in piano and horn before entering the University of Manitoba music program. After moving to Toronto in 1980, he graduated from the University of Toronto in piano performance and subsequently completed organ studies with Victor McCorry.
David has appeared as recitalist on organ, horn, and piano, as well as being a featured soloist with several GTA brass choirs, community orchestras, and symphonic bands. As an accompanist, he has performed with the Victoria Scholars, the Canadian Singers, and many notable operatic singers. Since 1990 he has been accompanist for the Mississauga Choral Society.
David has directed the Brampton Stage Band and the Caribbean Chorale of Toronto. He was Principal Horn and a frequent guest conductor of the Scarborough Philharmonic and the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony. He teaches piano and sight-singing, with a special interest in Just Intonation. David is currently Music Director at St. Margaret’s in the Pines Anglican Church.