Meet the Chorale Members

Member since 2024

Member since 2024

Suzanne is a multi-passionate mixed-media artist, wife, mother, and grandmother. Originally from Connecticut, Suzanne met her husband Mark at Iowa State and they raised their kids in Mark's hometown of Traer. Downsizing in 2023, they landed in the Cedar Falls area. Suzanne has played the piano since 3rd grade and briefly entertained becoming a music teacher. She doesn't usually get to sing because everyone needs her to accompany, but she's excited to be singing with the Chorale. When she isn't singing or chasing her toddler grandson, she is creating something. Her interests encompass almost any paper or fiber craft you can think of and she also self-publishes an independent magazine about art journaling.

Member since 2017

Emily joined Met Chorale to sing Mozart's Requiem, which she first fell in love with in high school. When not singing, Emily enjoys running, biking, triathlons, reading, listening to podcasts, traveling, and performing with theatres around the Cedar Valley (most recently as Mark Antony in Julius Caesar with WCP's Shakespeare in the Gardens). She teaches communication, theatre, and gifted education in Waterloo.

Member since 2025

Christy is a retired elementary teacher from Waterloo Schools, having taught roughly 1000 children over 35 years. She is happily keeping very busy with her husband, family and friends. Her hobbies include golfing and camping. Christy loves following the Indiana Fever, playing games, doing puzzles, and staying active. Music and singing has always been a big part of her life, so joining the Chorale has been a thrill.

Member since 1990

Linda is a retired music teacher and CEO of Habitat for Humanity. She has directed Cedar Valley Singers and the Met Chorale Chamber Singers. She plays piano and is the choir director at First Christian Church in Cedar Falls.

Member since 2019

Angela is a social worker and have worked at Operation Threshold for 12 years. She loves dice and board games, crafts of all sorts, and nature. Angela is a loyal Hippopotamus fan and collect them as I find treasures. She’s married and a loyal Mom of 3 kids with paws.

Member since 2024

Natalie is the Purchasing Manager and Quality Assurance Assistant for Eurofins Environment Testing in Cedar Falls. She loves playing video games with friends, watching horror movies, and cooking something new for dinner each night. She’s thankful for love and support from friends and family, and she especially wants to thank her boyfriend Corey for helping her step out of her comfort zone and take time to sing again.

Member since 2023

After teaching High School Spanish for four years, Courtney is back in Cedar Falls as the education coordinator for the Job Foundation. She is very happy to be in a choir and singing again!

Member since 2023

While at UNI, Natalie studied vocal performance, sang choral music, and worked as a church choir section leader. After graduating in 2013, she lived in Albuquerque for 2 years; Des Moines for 2 more; and Tampa for 5 years, where she worked as a senior administrative assistant and sang with the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. In 2020, she and her husband moved back to Cedar Falls, where they live with their two cats. Natalie is currently employed as a senior project manager.

Member since 2024

Alice Reid Pruisner is the founder and director of Bel Canto Cedar Valley, a local community chamber choir. She is grateful for the opportunity to put down the baton and sing with the Met Chorale! Alice graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL with her undergraduate degree in Vocal Music Education and earned her Master of Music in Choral Conducting from The University of Northern Iowa. She has experience directing choirs of all ages, can be found helping with the Holmes Junior High School Variety Show, and is a frequent guest director and clinician in the area. Alice lives in Cedar Falls with her husband, children, and mini dachshund, Dara.

Member since 2023

Karen has a music composition degree from the University of Northern Iowa and a music therapy degree from the University of Iowa. She worked as a board-certified music therapist for 10 years, 9 of them at lowa City Hospice. Karen loves songwriting/composing, singing, playing guitar, piano, and world drums, baking, being with her family, and anything space- or flight-related!

Member since 2015

Faith is a retired government Nurse with the DIA. She loves to read and do ALL crafts (especially needlepoint). Faith is very involved in her church as a Deacon and she cares for (and recieves love from) four rescue animals: two cats and two dogs.

Member since 2010

Elaine joined the Met Chorale when it was directed by Paul Torkelson. She retired after serving in ministry at Cedar Valley Church for more than 40 years. Elaine enjoys the outdoors, flowers, biking, and hiking. She graduated from Luther College in Decorah, and served as a Navy officer at Great Lakes, IL for 2 years.

Member since 1976

Sherry sang 41 consecutive years without missing a concert, spent four years of “hit and miss,” and has been back full-time since 2022. She says, “I love, love, love rehearsing and performing the Choral Classics.” And thanks to the Met Chorale, Sherry has performed 35 of the top 38! When not singing, Sherry spends a lot of time reading; mysteries are her favorite. 

Member since 2014

Lisa and her husband have 3 boys she stays home with after previously doing admin work for a gearbox manufacturer. She enjoys gardening, walking, going to hockey games, and serving in her church youth group.

Member since 1994

Brenda graduated from UNI with a BA in Music and soon discovered that owning a full-service music store was a greater passion than teaching. She loves her family and music, and her hobbies are movies, movies, movies, and gardening. 

Member since 2024

Priscilla studied organ with Dr. Carl Staplin at Drake University. She has been active in organ guild chapters in IA and MN and recently joined the Cedar Valley chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Priscilla was a member of choral groups in the Twin Cities, Mason City, and Ames, and owned a business focused on safety compliance and regulations before moving to Sumner, IA in 2021. She enjoys accompanying vocal students, the occasional “Sing-ins" at the Koselig-Clocktower in downtown Sumner, and is an organist/pianist for two area churches. She has two adult children, six grandchildren and abundant interests. 

Member since 2012

Diane is a proud graduate of UNI in French and Anthropology. As a “Master Gardener”, she loves to be outdoors in any season (and yes, she does talk to her plants). She enjoys her husband Jack and their kids and grandkids.

Member since 1967

Joanne serves on the Met Chorale Board as Treasurer, Archivist/Historian, and Finance/By-Laws Oversight. She is an active member (and retired Parish Secretary/Office Manager) at Immanuel Lutheran Church and serves as a delegate of Valley Lutheran School. She and her husband Warren (married since 1968) love their 5 children and 5 grandchildren.

Member since 2024

Sammone loves to read when she can take some time to herself. Otherwise, she’s very busy taking care of her beautiful daughter. 

Member since 2006

Prudy loves singing and playing piano for Larry, her husband of 59 years.

Member since 2019

Dianne is retired from a career in social work and recently became an author. She sang with the Les Hale chorale for several years

Member since 2008

Donna retired after teaching English at Peet Junior High for 44 years and at Denver (IA) High School for 3 years before that! She raised two sons here in the Cedar Valley with her husband Dan and she enjoys puzzles, motorcycles, hiking, gardening, and singing with the Met Chorale.

Member since 1994

Met Chorale rescued Kristi back in the 90s when she found herself overwhelmed with work, housework and raising kids. Instead of crowding her schedule even more, Chorale helped carve out a little “me” time from Kristi’s too-busy life. Here she is decades later, a retired postmaster, a grandmother, educator and free-lance writer still carving out those those “me” hours. Music has been that one haven where we all merge from our homes, offices, schools—all walks of life—and bring what we have to the table. Under thoughtful leadership, we create moments of wonder from vast ideas of others using only tools that lie inside each of us. Such a neat concept.

Member since 2010

Carol is a retired elementary teacher who loves volunteering at the Gallagher-Bluedorn and the Oster Regent. She enjoys reading, playing piano, studying languages, and traveling. And singing!

Member since 2001

Laurie has a degree from UNI in vocal music education and taught middle and high school choir. She currently teaches private voice and piano. She plays and sings for church services, weddings, and funerals and also sings with Agnus Dei Ministries in Waterloo, serving as vocal coach to the ensemble as well. Laurie enjoys gardening, biking, live music/theater, and travelling, and her favorite time of the year is Iowa Irish Fest in downtown Waterloo every August!

Member since 2019

Cynthia has 9 children and 19 grandchildren and has always loved to sing. She sang duets with her father as a child, led the children’s choir in her church for 25 years, and still sings in her church choir!

Member since 2013

Sam recently retired as an attorney at Swisher & Cohrt, P.L.C. He and his wife Amy have 3 grown children, 7 grandchildren, and one on the way! They share their home with two dogs. He enjoys photography, golf, family ancestry, reading, history, and travel. 

Member since 2021

Mike is the Music and Arts Pastor at Cedar Valley Church in Waterloo. He and his wife Heidi love doing music and theatre together and did their best to share that joy with their four kids (now grown). Mike enjoys anything he can do if he can be surrounded with artists, and he’s learning to love yard work. But if you want a long conversation, ask him about They Might Be Giants.

Member since 2015

Nate is a retired judge who enjoys playing guitar and singing with his church group (as well as on his own). He enjoys riding bicycles, going on walks, riding a couple of (British only) motorcycles, doing a little woodworking, and traveling to visit his two daughters and their families.

Member since 2007

David has sung in church choirs and community choruses since he was in 8th grade and has done solo work at many churches in the Cedar Valley. His favorite concerts with the Met Chorale have been the Requiem settings of Brahms, Mozart, and Faure, as well as Handel's Messiah, where he was the tenor soloist.

Member since 1997

John is a retired teacher from the Waterloo School District. He and his wife raise Freisian horses (just ask him!) and he highly recommends El Sol restaurant in Wavery.

Member since 2023

Hugh is a Middle School music teacher at Bunger Middle School in Evansdale. He also works as an organist and accompanist around the Cedar Valley.

Member since 2023

Seth moved to the Cedar Valley to study Instrumental Music Education and History at UNI. As a percussionist, Seth appeared on the UNI Wind Ensemble's 2020 album "Inspired By Art," traveled to Brazil with the Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra, and participated in parades in Rome and Dublin with the Panther Marching Band. He plans to continue his education studying musicology once his wife finishes her studies in Seminary. Seth lives in Evansdale with his wife Abbie, and their two cats Llewellyn and Fintan. Seth joined as a singer in 2023, but he actually performed with them in 2015 during a collaboration between the Chorale and the UNI Symphonic Band.

Member since 2022

Roland grew up in the Black Forest in Germany, attended architecture school in Berlin in the 1980s and moved to the United States just two days before the Berlin Wall came down (he says his biggest regret was missing that event!). Roland plays in a jazz trio in the Cedar Valley and has sung and played music his whole life, but not in a choir until he joined the Met Chorale in 2022.

Member since 2024

When Eric is not shoulder to shoulder with other bass vocalists, he's photographing flowers and writing poetry. 

Member since 2023

Paul spends most of his time being involved with organizations in the Cedar Valley that promote Inclusion in all settings for all people. He also finds some time to do consulting and training for businesses and organizations in Iowa through his small business, All Learn LLC. Paul Greene has enjoyed a lifetime of singing and is delighted to be a part of this inclusive choir.

Member since 2018

Jim retired in 2022 as a professor of Biology at UNI. He was born and raised on a dairy farm in southern MN, Jim has enjoyed singing in many choirs over the years and has been a member of the shell rock swing show from 1995 to present. Jim also enjoys fishing, repairing/rebuilding cars and houses, and contract bridge.   

Member since 1988

Kent moved to Waterloo in 1977 to practice family medicine and after 36.5 years he retired in 2013. He sang in the Met Chorale over the years, taking time off for travel, family, and medical needs. Kent has been impressed with the directors, repertoire, and other singers who have made beautiful music together. He hopes to continue for a time yet! 

Member since 1990

After retiring from teaching, Jim is now a carpenter.

Menber since 1996

Tim was born in Cedar Rapids but he’s lived in Waterloo since age 16. He graduated from UNI where he was a member of the UNI Singers for 4 years. After college Tim joined the Met Chorale because he missed singing in a choir. He works at Mercy One and is an avid bicyclist as well as a Master Gardener (check out "Tim's Garden" at Cedar Valley Arboretum, the hosta garden in his front yard, or the tree nursery in his backyard!). If you attend an outdoor festival, band concert, or other musical happening in the Cedar Valley, you’ll probably see Tim there.

Member since 2024