Canto Zenzero, the "Singing Gingers" is a group of talented, classically trained, red- headed sopranos. With a wide repertoire of sound, these vocalists bring class, style, and pizzazz to a number of genres. The singers of Canto Zenzero boast an impressive list of accomplishments including performances in Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Fledermaus, Tannhäuser, Alcina, Under the Overture, Brigadoon and A Christmas Carol. With their combined talents, they have been featured with companies such as OperaRox, Utah Lyric Opera, The New York Philharmonic, Disney Cruise Lines, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, On Site Opera, Opera West, Connecticut Lyric Opera, and Chicago Choral Scholars. Canto Zenzero is sure to delight and entertain you.
Joining Canto Zenzero is internationally recognized coach and New York based pianist, Riko Higuma. “A versatile musician, Riko Higuma is a highly sought after piano collaborator and a sensitive chamber musician, performing with the world’s leading artists throughout the United States, Europe, Russia and Japan.” Ms. Higuma is also the pianist of the acclaimed ensemble group, The Zodiac Trio, and has been claiming top prizes at numerous international competitions. She exercises her talents both in her employment with the Manhattan School of Music and in her accompaniment of Canto Zenzero.
Canto Zenzero’s goal is to present audiences with breathtaking renditions of familiar and lesser known classical, opera, folk and Broadway solos, duets, and trios. With a wide array of genres, there is something for everyone! Come discover the voices of Canto Zenzero.
Sample Program "Canto Zenzero provides a unique and delightful musical
Danny Boy Frederic Edward Weatherly Down by the Salley Gardens Herbert Hughes experience. These accomplished singers and If I Loved you Rodgers and Hammerstein Kyrie Eleison Ron Kean accompanists have brought a wonderful blend of musical Lift Thine Eyes Felix Mendelssohn Love of My Life Frederick Loewe genres to each concert that I have attended. I love the Love Went a Riding Frank Bridge Ouvre ton Coeur Georges Bizet Piccola Serenata Leonard Bernstein range of selections between contemporary to classical to Regnava Nel Silenzio Gaetano Donizetti Sing for Your Supper Richard Rodgers & Lorenz opera, and I thoroughly enjoy the background provided to Hart Summertime George Gershwin Ten Thousand Miles Away Stephen Mark Kohn/Arr. set the tone for each piece. Canto Zenzero is definitely a William Cunningham Smith The Jewel Song Charles Gounod "Must see"." The Lake Isle of Innisfree Eleanor Daley The Last Rose of Summer Arr. Benjamin Britten -Marc Stiehr, Director Spirit of Life Chorus Booking Inquiries: +1 (347) 612-1024 | [email protected] www.cantozenzero.com | instagram: @cantozenzero Concerts and Repertoire Canto Zenzero fuses the talents of our artists to create a stunning performance that seamlessly crosses the boundaries of musical genres. Our vocalists each have a formal music education and vocal training in the fields of classical music, musical theater, art songs and folk songs. Each concert combines multiple genres, blending together a well-rounded and satisfying concert experience. We believe that our concerts have something for everyone.
Suggested Concerts and Specifics Suggested�Concerts
•Canto Zenzero Concert: Staple concert of Broadway, Opera, Folk and Art songs with a bit of Celtic and Classical flair. •Themed Concerts: Centered around specific holidays and events, including Valentineʼs Day, St. Patrickʼs Day, Art Walks, Gallery Openings, etc. Repertoire is hand-picked for your concert. Specifics
•Each concert consists of three vocalists and one pianist. Upon request, a duo concert is also available. •In addition, we believe it is important to incorporate an educational element to each concert. We have videos correlating with each piece of music to help the audience experience the performance more fully. Videos can be added per your request.
Sample Repertoire •Carol�of�the�Bells;�Mykola�Leontovych;�Peter�Wilhousky •O�Wär�Ich�Schon;�Ludwig�Van�Beethoven
•Contro�un�Cor;�Gioachino�Rossini •Ouvre�ton�Coeur;�Georges�Bizet
•Czárdás;�Johann�Strauss •Piccola�Serenata;�Leonard�Bernstein
•Danny�Boy;�Frederic�Edward�Weatherly •Qui�Sedes�Ad�Dexteram�Patris;�Antonio�Vivaldi
•Down�by�the�Salley�Gardens;�arr.�by�Herbert�Hughes •Regnava�Nel�Silenzio;�Gaetano�Donizetti
•Du�gai�soleil;�Jules�Massenet •Rejoice�Greatly�O�Daughter�of�Zion;�George�Frideric�Handel
•Evening�Prayer;�Engelbert�Humperdinck •Sing�for�Your�Supper;�Richard�Rodgers�and�Lorenz�Hart
•He�Shall�Feed�His�flock;�George�Frideric�Handel •Sleigh�Ride;�Leroy�Anderson;�Mitchell�Parish
•How�are�Things�in�Glocca�Morra;�E.Y.�Harburg�and�Fred�Saidy •Somethings�are�Meant�to�Be;�Allan�Knee�&�Mindi�Dickstein
•How�Could�I�Ever�Know;�Marsha�Norman/Lucy�Simon •Summertime;�George�Gershwin
•I�Can�Hardly�Stand�it;�Andre�Previn •Sure�on�This�Shining�Night;�Samuel�Barber
•I�Wonder�as�I�Wander;�John�Jacob�Niles •Sweet�Little�Jesus�Boy;�Robert�MacGimsey
•Iʼll�Be�Home�for�Christmas;�Kim�Gannon •Ten�Thousand�Miles�Away;�Stephen�Mark�Kohn/arr.�by�William����� ��������� Cunningham�Smith •If�I�Loved�You;�Rodgers�and�Hammerstein •The�Jewel�Song�("Ah,�je�ris�de�me�voir");�Charles�Gounod�Faust •In�His�Eyes;�Frank�Wildhorn •The�Lake�Isle�of�Innisfree;�Eleanor�Daley •Itʼs�the�Most�Wonderful�Time�of�the�Year;�Edward�Pola •The�Last�Rose�of�Summer;�Arr.�Benjamin�Britten •Kyrie�Eleison;�Ron�Kean •The�Trees�on�the�Mountain;�Carlisle�Floyd •Laudamus�Te;�Antonio�Vivaldi •Think�of�Me;�Andrew�Lloyd�Webber •Laurie's�Song;�Aaron�Copland •Till�There�was�You;�Meredith�Willson •Lift�Thine�Eyes;�Felix�Mendelssohn •Tonight;�Leonard�Bernstein •Love�of�My�Life;�Frederick�Loewe •Una�donna�quindici�anni;�Wolfgang�Amadeus�Mozart •Love�Went�a�Riding;�Frank�Bridge •Vanilla�Ice�Cream;�Sheldon�Harnick�&�Jerry�Bock •Mein�Herr�Marquis;�Johann�Strauss •Waiting�on�My�Dearie;�Alan�Jay�Lerner�&�Frederick�Loewe •Not�a�Day�Goes�By;�Stephen�Sondheim Kathleen Monson | Soprano Kathleen Monson continues to delight crowds with her clear tone and confident stage presence. Recently, Kathleen was seen as an Emerging Artist in Residence with The Fort Wayne Philharmonic and performed in Fidelio at the Princeton Festival under the direction of Richard Tang Yuk. This past season Kathleen was invited as a vocal fellow with Opernfest Prague, under the direction of Maestro Richard Hein. On the concert stage Kathleen is an avid chorister, having performed under the baton of Alan Gilbert with the New York Philharmonic in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Bramwell Tovey with the New York Philharmonic's production of Holst's Planets. Kathleen has been featured as a soloist for the Manhattan School of Music Chamber Chorale in Bach's B Minor Mass and Honegger's King David, under the direction of Kent Trittle. She was also an active member of the New York based Florilegium Chamber Choir under the baton of Dr. Ronnie Oliver. She currently resides as the soprano section leader with the Canceler Choir at St. Paul's United Church of Christ. Equally at home on the operatic and musical theater stage, Kathleen enjoyed an extensive tour as an actor and director for Missoula Children’s Theater, covering much of Canada and the western United States. Other musical theater credits include My Fair Lady, Mame, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Seussical, Nuncrackers, Oliver and A Christmas Carol. On the international stage, Kathleen has been seen with JK Music Entertainment in their recent musical showcase in Singapore. In 2015 Kathleen was invited as a guest artist for Horizon's 50 VIP event at Resorts World Genting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2013-2014 Kathleen joined Classic Lyric Arts for two seasons, having the opportunity to perform concerts in western Italy including Novafeltria, Penabilli, and Sant'agata Feltria. Previous credits include; Rosalinde, Die Fledermaus; Suor Genoveffa, Suor Angelica; Susanna, Le Nozze Di Figaro; Micaëla, Carmen; Just Jeannette, Too Many Sopranos; Alma Hicks, The Music Man; Agatha, Guys and Dolls; Nicemis, Thespis; Emily, A Christmas Carol; and Barbarina, Le Nozze Di Figaro. She has performed throughout the United States with the New York Philharmonic, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Utah Lyric Opera, Opera West, Connecticut Lyric Opera, Golden Rose Opera (NYC), Utopia Opera, (NYC), Chelsea Opera and Vocal Productions NYC. Kathleen holds a Masters Degree from the Manhattan School of Music, a Performance Certificate from Lamont School of Music and a Bachelors of Music from the University of Montana. Credits include Sophia, Der Rosenkavalier; Cunegonda, Candide; Adele, Die Fledermaus; and Barbarina in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, which won the National Opera Association Award for Best Opera Production. Riko Higuma | Pianist A versatile musician, Riko Higuma is a highly sought-after piano collaborator and a sensitive chamber musician, performing with the world’s leading artists throughout the United States, Europe, Russia and Japan. As a soloist, she was a top-prize winner at the Jacob Flier International Piano Competition and the Santa Fe International Piano Competition. Ms Higuma has participated in numerous music festivals around the world, including the Nagano- Aspen Music Festival and the LaJolla Music Society Summerfest in California, where her live solo performance was broadcast on NPR’s Performance Today. Notably, she was one of the Young Artists for the Van Cliburn Piano Institute in Fort Worth, where she appeared with the Fort Worth Symphony under Edward Browne.
Ms Higuma’s collaborations on the recital and concert stage have included distinguished artists such as Albert Markov, Paul Cohen, Neil Rosenshein, Jeffrey Solow and Aaron Rosand. She has also collaborated in a chamber music setting with Cho-Liang Lin, Alan Gilbert, Charles Curtis, Steven Tanenbom, Jorge Bosso, Dora Schwarzberg, Timothy Eddy, and Yovan Markovitch, Suren Bagratuni among others. For the past 5 years, she has been a regular participant of the International Academy of Music in Italy and the Summit Music Festival in New York, where she performed a gala recital with the legendary violinist Aaron Rosand.
Ms Higuma also is the pianist of the acclaimed ensemble group, The Zodiac Trio, and has been claiming top prizes at international competitions which include the International Peninsula Young Artist Festival, Yellow Spring Chamber Music Competition, Joyce Dutka Arts Foundation, received the Recording and Commissioning Grants from Coop Press, which resulted in a debut commercial recording on the Emeritus label, FNAPEC Ensemble Competition, and the Cziffra Foundation audition. Most recently the trio went on a 6-city tour in China and performed in the Festival Radio France in Montpellier which will be broadcast on France 3 television. Ms Higuma studied with Phillip Kawin at the Manhattan School of Music in New York and chamber music with the Ysaye String Quartet in their Superior Chamber Music Program in Paris. She is currently engaged as a staff pianist at the Manhattan School of Music. Ginny Weant | Soprano
Returning from an eighth month tour as a character actor on the Disney cruise ship “Fantasy” Ginny is quickly making a name for herself nationally and abroad. After completing her Masters of Music at Mannes Conservatory, Ginny has been performing in multiple operas, music theater shows, cabarets, and various concerts in New York. Operatic performances in NYC include Oberto in the edgy production of Alcina with OperaRox, Cecchina in the North American Premier of Marcos Portugal’s Marriage of Figaro with On Site Opera under the direction of Eric Einhorn, The Shepherd boy in Wagner’s Tannhäuser with Apotheosis Opera under the direction of the conductor and producer Matthew Jaroszewicz. Other roles include Papagena in Die Zauberflote, Despina in Cosi fan Tutte, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, and Fortuna in L’incoronazione di Poppea with Classic Lyric Arts, La Lingua della Lirica in Novafeltria, Italy. Concerts include Mozart’s Requiem in Carnegie Hall under the direction of the late Paul E. Oakley with the New York Philharmonic. A soloist, in Ralph Von William’s Serenade to Music with the Owensboro Symphony under the direction of Nick Palmer. A Soprano soloist in Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle in Forest Hills under the direction of Todd Waschman. Ensemble work includes, Stabat Mater with Vocal Productions NYC, Eve in Haydn’s Creation with St. Luke’s Episcopal, Handel’s Messiah, and Bach’s Cantata 61 with the Kentucky Wesleyan Singers. Ginny Weant was a finalist for the National Association for Teachers of Singing for three years running in the the State of Kentucky and Southeastern Regional competitions in 2011-2014. Ginny also brings her lively bright soprano voice and vibrant acting abilities onto the musical theater stage. She debuted in her first off-off Broadway production of Brigadoon as the leading role of Fiona with St. Jean’s Theater on the upper east side. Ginny also performs frequently with The Height’s Players in Brooklyn and has been featured in Kiss Me Kate, and Anything Goes and as The Witch in Into the Woods. She also brings her classical training to the Heights Players original Children’s Productions, bringing her operatic, dance, and improv training into the classic characters of Alice, in Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, and Cinderella. Other Roles include Sally in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Antigone in Antigone, Penny Pingleton in Hairspray, and Godspell. Ann Kelly; Soprano
A native of New Jersey, has been dazzling listeners around the country with her unique voice. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Choral Music Education and a minor in Conducting from the prestigious Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music where she studied with Marietta Simpson and Dr. Kyle Ferrill.
Ann has been the soloist for Ann Hampton Calaway’s “I Love You More” from the Tyler Suite with the Windy City Performing Arts since its Midwest premiere back in March 2015. In July 2016, during the GALA Festival in Denver, Colorado, WCPA and Ann Kelly’s performance of the piece was honored and selected as one of four outstanding performance from over 100 performances during the conference. WCPA and Ann Kelly did an encore performance in the Denver Center for The Performing Arts during the farewell concert which was livestreamed around the world.
Ann has appeared in concert as soprano soloist for Handel's Messiah, and Vivaldi's Gloria, as well as the soloist for Eve in Haydn's Creation. In 2017, she performed the Bach St. John Passion with the Chicago Choral Artists and the Faure Requiem with the Saints Peter and Paul Choral Scholars. She was formerly the conductor of the Primo Coro choir ensemble, part of the Pro Musica Youth Chorus, and she currently maintains an active private studio.
Ann currently is the Director of Choirs at Randolph Middle School in New Jersey