Dolce Voce (“sweet voice” in Italian), is a group of eight a cappella singers who have blended their voices and performed throughout the area since January 2004. Their program “We Wish You a Dolce Christmas” was presented at the Chapel of the Cross on Saturday, Dec. 5, and was repeated again in Delta on Sunday, Dec. 20.

It was also presented in Montrose.

All of the singers have had an interest in music since childhood — their backgrounds have music as a common thread though varied in content. Let’s look at the people behind these incredible voices:

Tamela Kenning

Tamela Kenning, guest performer for the Christmas special programs, was with Dolce Voce when it formed in 2004 and until recently she sang alto as well as soprano when needed. She is in the process of moving to Glenwood Springs with her husband Tom.

She has a BA and an MA in Music Education from Colorado State University and has taken part in many musical theater, opera, and choral performances. She has taught in the Ouray and Ridgeway public schools for nine years and given private vocal and piano lesson for over 20 years.

Currently, she is working on a CD project that will help parents to sing with and to their children. More information is on her web site at www.createasinger.com.

Melanie Storter

Mel Storter tells, “As a small child, I sang constantly.”

Throughout her youth and into college, she enjoyed singing in school show choirs. She has been involved with Magic Circle Theater in Montrose since 1988. Her favorite roles have been in “Music Man,” “Camelot,” “Nunsense,” “Damn Yankees,” and “The Sound of Music.”

She has an associate’s degree in graphic art from Mesa College and is currently teaching drawing classes to children at the Montrose Center for the Arts in downtown Montrose. Mel sings first soprano and has been with Dolce Voce since February, 2004, shortly after the group was formed.

“Topping off my list of favorite things to do,” Mel said, “is rehearsing and performing with this wonderful, talented group of sweet voices!”

Carol Friedrich

Carol Friedrich’s first singing performance was when she was only five years old. From that young age, she has loved to sing and perform for others participating in musicals and talent shows throughout elementary and high school. She was member of the Last Note Singers in Denver with a performance singing the national anthem at a Colorado Rockies game, Also, the Del-Rose Chorus of Sweet Adelines and Totally Unplugged in the Montrose area.

“I was fortunate enough to join Dolce Voce in the spring of 2006 and love singing (soprano and/or second soprano) with this very talented, fun-loving group.”

She is a licensed clinical social worker working in the Montrose community.

Ellen Engebrestsen

Ellen Engebretsen said, “From the earliest memories, music has been a big part of my life.”

She has had no professional training though has had excellent choir directors through the years. On a trip to Rome in 1996, she was part of a group that sang during a Mass at the Vatican as well as an audience with Pope John Paul II.

Since moving to Montrose six years ago, she has been active in music ministry at St. Mary’s. She has been a part of such Magic Circle productions as “Sound of Music,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Cinderella.” She has been singing alto with Dolce Voce since April of this year.

Ellen currently works at Montrose High School in the library. “Teenagers, computers and books — a great combination! But, singing (alto) with Dolce Voce — a dream come true!”

Barbara Boulden

Barbara Boulden started singing at the age of five, in her father’s church with her mother playing the organ. Since then, she has sung with New York Choral Society, Oratorio Society of New York, San Francisco Bach Choir, Valley Symphony Orchestra Chorus, and in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Grace Cathedral, and the ancient amphitheaters of Greece. As a member of the NY Choral Society, she concertized and made recordings with Peter, Paul and Mary, Pete Seeger, Jesse Norman, and several times sung under the direction of Leonard Bernstein.

She has been with Dolce Voce (singing alto) since its beginning in January, 2004. “Singing,” she said, “with Dolce Voce now ranks as the most fulfilling and magical experience of my musical life.”

Dave Frank

Dave Frank has been involved in music since the fourth grade when he began playing in the school band. His musical journey continued through high school when he was involved in both band and choir, including the Bel Canto group.

He served in the U.S. Air Force and has been a chef for nearly 30 years, semi-retired; he teaches an occasional cooking class.

Dave lives in Montrose with his wife Sue, where he is an independent remodeling contractor. He is active in the Magic Circle Theater.

He sings bass and was one of the founding members of the group. “Singing with Dolce Voce is one of the high points of my life,” he said. “I hope to sing with this incredible group of singers for many years to come.”

Mark Bishop

Mark Bishop says that music has been a very important part of his life for as long as he can remember. So important in fact that it’s not just a hobby but a career as well.

Mark has taught music in such far away places such as Costa Rica, El Salvador and Syria and is currently teaching music at Lincoln Elementary School in Delta.

He has performed in the National Symphony Chorus in San Jose, Costa Rica as well as many performances in the Magic Circle Theater in Montrose. Those include “Forever Plaid,” “Shenandoah,” “Damn Yankees,” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat . ‘

“The most fulfilling musical experience of all,” he said, “is singing (tenor) with Dolce Voce.”

Jim Frank

Jim Frank played the trumpet in school bands since he was six years old. He has been singing for about 14 years.

“My first stage experience was singing in an opera (“Fledermaus”). In addition, I’ve sung in church choirs (currently at Montrose Christian Church), renaissance feast groups, the Valley Symphony Chorus, an a cappella group called Totally Unplugged, on stage at the Magic Circle Theater in Montrose, and in Dolce Voce since it began in 2004. Singing (tenor) with Dolce Voce,” he said, “is an experience that is so magical and fulfilling that it is impossible to fully describe.”

A Montrose native, Jim is currently occupied as a Broadcast Engineer, keeping several local radio stations on the air.

Ed Horton

Ed Horton was born into a musical family. He played French horn for more than 40 years in community and semi-professional orchestras. There was one season with the North Carolina Symphony traveling about doing children’s concerts in the afternoons and black tie affairs in the evenings.

He has played with Silverton’s Great Western Rocky Mountain Brass Bands and the Western Colorado Brass Quintet. All this time, he was singing in a succession of church choirs, junior college and community choirs in California and Colorado.

He performed and toured with Cantori Domino where Bach wrote his works and with Roger Wagner’s daughter in her Wagner Ensemble. For several summer performance weeks, he sang and soloed with Sir David Wilcocks.

Originally from California, Ed has lived in Delta since the ’60’s alternating between here and California every seven years. He sings bass with Dolce Voce.

Learning more about these outstanding performers adds even more to your enjoyment and appreciation for their dedication to their music.

To hear a sampling of their beautiful music, visit www.dolcevoce.com where they have full versions of two songs on their “Amore” CD.

 

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