The Virtual Voice Performance Project (VVPP) is committed to pushing the boundaries of musical expression through innovative exploration of virtual audio and video technology within vocal performance. By improving equitable access to world-class musical experiences and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, VVPP seeks to empower students, elevate artistic standards, and position UND as a leader in the integration of technology and music education.
Meet the Virtual Voice Performance Project Team
The following Clerestory singers serve as artists in VVPP’s final performance, as well as vocal and professional mentors to the UND student performers throughout the project. Learn more about Clerestory here.
Von Bringhurst (he/they) is a countertenor & sopranist who moved to the Bay Area in 2018. He holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance degree from the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, MA, and a Bachelor of Science in Voice from Idaho State University in Pocatello, ID.
He enjoys a varied career as a soloist and ensemble member, including Clerestory, Força Chorus, Harvard Early Music Society, the Video Game Orchestra, Xerces Blue Ensemble, and can be heard on a number of video game titles, including Ace Combat, Final Fantasy XV, and Code Vein. Von has been Music Director for the Opera House Theater Company in Philipsburg, MT; The Virginia City Players of Virginia City, MT; and WholeTone Opera of Somerville, MA.
Von is currently soprano section leader at Christ Church Portola Valley and Woodside in Portola Valley, CA. He also maintains an active teaching studio based in the Bay Area, as well as working with students virtually across time zones.
Sidney Chen is a multi-faceted musician who seeks to dissolve boundaries of all kinds through his work. He is passionate about using his “expressive and richly mellifluous” bass-baritone voice (San Francisco Chronicle) to support the creation of new work, in collaboration with artists of all disciplines. Recent projects include touring with ODC/Dance as a guest performer in KT Nelson’s Path of Miracles, and creating roles in Anne Hege’s “laptopera” The Furies with SLOrk (Stanford Laptop Orchestra) and Lisa Mezzacappa’s serial podcast opera The Electronic Lover. As a member of composer/choreographer Meredith Monk’s Vocal Ensemble, he has performed internationally and recorded for ECM Records. At home in the Bay Area, he has appeared recently as a soloist with the Oakland and Golden Gate Symphony Orchestras, been a featured performer on SF Symphony’s American Mavericks Festival and the Other Minds Festival, and sings regularly with the new-music vocal ensemble Volti. His solo creative projects tend towards quietness, detail, and sharpened focus, and often include his DIY music boxes and intricately hand-punched scrolls, which have been featured in a SF Chronicle Sunday Datebook cover story.
Corey Head, tenor, specializes in Early Music with a special affinity to J.S. Bach. His solo concert performances include The Evangelist in Bach’s St. John Passion, as well as tenor soloist in his Magnificat, Christmas Oratorio, B-Minor Mass, and many of his cantatas. Other major solo performances include Uriel in Haydn’s Creation, “The Evening” in Telemann’s Die Tageszeiten, tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, William Boyce’s Solomon: A Serenata, Handel’s Acis and Galatea, Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, and Mozart’s C Minor Mass.
Recent operatic performances include the roles of Ferrando in Mozart’s Così Fan Tutte, Damon in Handel’s Acis and Galatea, and Mordocai in Cristiano Lidarti’s Hebrew setting of Esther.
Corey has performed as soloist with many San Francisco Bay Area groups including Albany Consort, Bay Choral Guild, California Bach Society, Chora Nova, Marin Baroque, Marin Oratorio, Marin Symphony, San Francisco Choral Society, San Francisco Renaissance Voices, San Francisco Symphony, Stanford Choirs and Orchestras, and Viva La Musica. He performs regularly in the chorale with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale.
Nathan Stroud, countertenor, is a multi-faceted musician with a passion for early music consort singing. He currently sings with the Grace Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys and the Philharmonia Baroque Chorale, and has been performing around the Bay Area as a singer and French horn player since moving to San Francisco in 2014.
With a background in architectural acoustics, Nathan loves to bring his expertise in architecture, acoustical fundamentals, and psychoacoustics to tailor his performance technique to the built environment and human auditory response. His Master’s thesis research was on “optimization of orchestral layouts based on instrument directivity patterns” in which he studied the acoustically ideal arrangements of romantic period orchestras on stage.
Outside of performing Nathan stays busy working full time as an Acoustics & Audiovisual Consultant at Arup, a global engineering and design firm, where he leads a broad portfolio of regional and international projects.
The following students from the University of North Dakota are active members of the Music Department, participating in UND Voice events, UND ensembles, and as conductors and composers. In addition to singing in VVPP, they have co-written a piece to be premiered in the project performance.
Kétina François, soprano, is a Senior majoring in Music Education at the University of North Dakota.. During her time at UND, she has participated in various musical groups like 2 o'clock jazz band, steel drum band, Enöxa chamber choir, Vivo chamber choir, concert choir, Allegro treble choir, Wind ensemble, chamber orchestra, the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra, and the Northern Valley Youth Orchestra as a player and coach. Ms. François has participated in the Grand Forks Symphony Concerto competition where she received an honorable mention, the Bismarck Mandan Symphony Concerto competition where she was a finalist, and the North Dakota National Association of Teachers of Singing competition in Minot where she received 1st place in the 3rd year Classical category. She has also received numerous accolades like North Dakota All Choir, Jazz Choir, and Orchestra, UND Honors Orchestra and choir, and several star awards at NDHSAA solo and ensemble festival. In spring 2023, she was awarded the Outstanding Voice Student in the UND Department of Music. In spring of 2024 she was awarded the Mark Solberg scholarship. Kétina is a member of professional organizations like the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), North Dakota Music Educators Association, and the North Dakota chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. She serves as president of the UND Student National Association of Teachers of Singing Chapter and secretary of the UND NAfME Collegiate Chapter. She teaches piano and voice lessons at Popplers. As she prepares to enter the classroom, she aspires to follow in the footsteps of the music teachers who have helped shape her into the musician she is today.
Ella Henry, soprano, is currently studying Vocal Performance at the University of North Dakota. She has been a part of various singing ensembles and created arrangements for a few of them. These titles include Snow by Leslie Odom Jr. and a thirteen song, six-minute Taylor Swift Medley.
“It’s a unique opportunity to sing and connect with people who are miles from you.” EH
Lucy Welsh, soprano, is going into her junior year at UND getting a BA in music. Lucy is a soprano and sings in the UND Concert Choir, Vivo Chamber Choir, Dr. Justin Montigne's voice studio, and plays french horn in the UND Wind Ensemble. She also enjoys playing piano and violin. Lucy is the secretary of UND Early Music.
Ilanora Peterson, Marketing Assistant, is a current junior at the University of North Dakota double majoring in Music Performance and Political Science on the Pre - Law track with minors in philosophy and legal studies. Ilanora is a passionate marketing and social media specialist with a robust background in public relations, customer engagement, and musical performance. Leveraging her leadership experience with the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) as a former National Officer and her diverse professional roles, Ilanora excels in creating meaningful connections and fostering welcoming environments in person and digitally. Ilanora's musical achievements, including her success at Miss North Dakota 2023, where she was the 3rd runner-up and received the Preliminary Overall High Score Talent for her vocal performance, fuel her enthusiasm for the Virtual Voice Performance Project.
Her background in music and performance aligns seamlessly with VVPP's mission to integrate technology with vocal arts, making her a passionate advocate for expanding artistic opportunities through virtual platforms. Ilanora's musical achievements include her success at Miss North Dakota 2023, where she was the 3rd runner-up and received the Preliminary Overall High Score Talent for her vocal performance, 9 years of superior ratings at the Pollywog Piano Festival as well as 13 years of dance experience. These accolades fuel her enthusiasm for the Virtual Voice Performance Project. Her background in music and performance aligns seamlessly with VVPP's mission to integrate technology with vocal arts, making her a passionate advocate for expanding artistic opportunities through virtual platforms.
Maya Zepeda, Tech Assistant, is a current Master’s student at UND, in music composition. She recently graduated from UND with a BA in music, studying clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, composition, and music technology. She has played in many ensembles, performed with UND theatre in the pit orchestras, and has written music for a recent workshop musical at UND.
Katie Beedy, Marketing Director, is a Minnesota-based writer and content strategist dedicated to helping brands share their authentic stories across platforms. Over the past five years, she has helped organizations in various industries--including higher education, tech, finance, and the nonprofit sector--clarify their brand messaging and drive business objectives. Currently, Ms. Beedy serves as the Content Marketing Coordinator at Eide Bailly LLP, a national certified public accounting (CPA) and business advisory firm.
Synthia Payne, Technical Director
Based in her online music studio in San Diego, CA, Synthia is a tech savvy communicator specializing in network audio and livestream engineering, production, recording, instruction, and consulting, via JackTrip Virtual Studio, videoconferencing, metaverses, social networking, phone, chat, email and even IRL!