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BELLE VOCI

“Connecting Song and Community” through exemplary collaborations of artistic diversity. We are committed to fostering and preserving a culture of diversity, accessibility, and inclusion. We believe music encourages creativity and promotes civic engagement and a healthy community. Belle Voci welcomes singers of all backgrounds, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, races, religious beliefs, and mental and physical abilities.

CONNECTING SONG AND COMMUNITY

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OUR STORY

Belle Voci is a community-based, adult choir that sings music for voices in the treble range. Belle Voci performs an eclectic repertoire of wide-ranging styles, showcasing the performance practices of the music’s origin.

 

Belle Voci was founded in 2012 by Craig Cannon, who serves as the organization’s President.

 

In previous seasons we presented Andrea Ramsey’s Suffrage Cantata, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of diverse women in history fighting for, and winning, the right to vote, and "Sing for the Cure," funded by the Susan G. Komen Foundation and based on true stories of breast cancer survivors.

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Season 11 included our "Forward Into Light" repertoire in December 2022, and the May 2023 "Loving the Stranger" concerts featured the title piece, written exclusively for Belle Voci by David P. Goldstein; Anne Frank: A Living Voice by Linda Tutas Haugen; and a set of Signal Songs of the Underground Railroad.

 

In December 2022, we launched Sensory Friendly Concerts, which allow us to genuinely connect song and community by creating a welcoming space for folks to enjoy music.

 

In June 2023, Craig passed the torch of Artistic Director, remaining as our President. Lorraine Milovac was selected as our Artistic Director as of June 2023.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Meet the Belle Voci Board of Directors!

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Craig G. Cannon, President

Craig G. Cannon is the founder, former Artistic Director, and current President of Belle Voci. He has always had a passion for singing, creating quality art in the form of group singing performances, and for using music as a path to community outreach and social justice. 

 

While still teaching at Fox Chapel Area High School, Craig began to dream about creating a community-based choir for treble voices that would continue to be part of his musical life following retirement. He spent two years making detailed plans, and on September 5, 2012, he led Belle Voci in its first official rehearsal. After 34 years at FCAHS, 10 years serving as adjunct faculty of the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University, and 11 seasons in the dual roles of Artistic Director and President of Belle Voci, Craig settled into his sole role as BV's President on June 1, 2023. 

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Under Cannon’s direction, Belle Voci has presented consequential contemporary choral works such as, “Sing for the Cure – A Proclamation of Hope," a 60-minute song cycle with full orchestration commissioned by The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, “Suffrage Cantata” by Andrea Ramsey, a multi-media work in 5 movements that showcases the diligent efforts of diverse women's fighting and winning the right to vote, and "Anne Frank: A Living Voice," by Linda Tutas Haugen, lyrics from "Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl." As President, Craig continues the work of Belle Voci's mission to Connect Song and Community, promoting the overall goals of supporting and preserving a culture of diversity, accessibility, and inclusion; all the while believing music can encourage creativity, promote civic engagement, and demand social justice within a healthy community.

 

Recognizing his career-long work in the field of choral music, in 2017 Craig Cannon was presented with the Elaine Brown Award for Choral Excellence by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.  In addition to his service with Belle Voci, Craig worked at East Liberty Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh as the Interim Executive Director of Hope Academy for Music and the Arts (2018-2019).  His professional affiliations include the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Chorus America, National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA). Mr. Cannon is a life member of ACDA and served both as President and Treasurer of the Pennsylvania chapter. He also completed a two-year term as President of ACDA’s Eastern Division from 2002-2004.

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Craig and his wife, Nancy, reside in Pittsburgh and enjoy traveling, spending time with their three daughters and their families, and babysitting their granddaughter, Harper. 

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Our Team Works!

The leadership team is responsible for the operational excellence of our organization. A lot goes on behind the scenes to creating beautiful music!

 

From directing to ticketing, to marketing, to fundraising, these folks volunteer their time and energy to connect song and community.

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Artistic Director: Lorraine Milovac

Accessibility Coordinator; Ticket Sales Manager: Craig G. Cannon (craig.g.cannon@gmail.com )

Collaborative Pianist: Kelsey Benigni

Director of Solo Voci: Rachel Eaton

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Bookkeeper; Donations Coordinator; Online Ticket Sales: Mikayla Ferchaw

Costumes (Concert Attire) Committee: Naomi Killian, Paula Meverden

Director of Marketing and Communications: Alexis Bovalino

Directory Administrator:  Patti Linder

​Fundraising Coordinator:  Gail Planz-Wachter

Grant Writers: Craig G. Cannon, Jackie Slaugenhaupt

Music Librarian: Doris Zurawka and Mary Findlay

Singers' Liason to the Board; Newsletter Editor; Concert Program Designer: Pamela Bruchwalski

Social Media Relations:  Hannah Powell

Ticket Pre-Sales and Membership Dues Assistant: Pamela Kimmel

Webmaster: Pamela Bruchwalski and Alexis Bovalino

Lorraine Milovac, Belle Voci Artistic Director

Lorraine Milovac is the Artistic Director of Belle Voci, a community-based, adult treble (soprano, alto) choral ensemble, and is in her twenty-fifth year as the Director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Treble Choral Ensemble.

A recently retired high school choral director, Ms. Milovac taught in the Upper St. Clair and Woodland Hills school districts. During her tenures, she conducted multiple-level choirs, sponsored both the International Thespian Society and Tri M Music Honor Society, and served as vocal director for the musicals. Her choirs and students were consistently selected to perform in the PMEA All-State and NAfME All-Eastern Division and National conferences. She has served as guest conductor for ACDA, PMEA, and County Chorus festivals.


Ms. Milovac is the Assistant Director of Music at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania, having previously served churches in the Serbian Orthodox and United Methodist traditions. She has performed in Europe with the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale, and locally with the Masterworks Concert Chorale, the Czarica Milica Serbian Women’s Choir, and Voces Solis’ Summer Singers. Lorraine was chosen in 2009 as one of the top one-hundred teachers in eighty-three school districts for the Teacher Excellence Center program. In 2023, Ms. Milovac was the recipient of the PMEA Citation of Excellence Award, a recognition given to PMEA members who have made lasting contributions in their area of teaching.

In addition to her work as conductor-clinician, Ms. Milovac teaches private voice, piano, and musical theatre classes, and maintains an active presence in professional, community, and high school theatre productions as a performer, vocal director, and musician. She holds membership in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA), NAfME: National Association for Music Education, and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA).

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Kelsey Benigni, Collaborative Pianist

Kelsey Benigni is a pianist and accompanist based in Pittsburgh, PA and has been serving as Belle Voci’s accompanist since January 2022. A graduate of both Duquesne University (Bachelor of Science in Music Education, 2017) and Boston University (Master of Music in Music Education, 2021), Kelsey taught instrumental and vocal music in public schools for five years and is an active musician in the Pittsburgh area.

 

At Duquesne, Kelsey studied classical piano with Sister Carole Riley and was the recipient of two awards for Excellence in Piano Performance by the university piano faculty. She also sang and served as section leader in the Pappert Chorale. Upon graduation, Kelsey was awarded the PMEA Society for Music Teacher Education Award for Scholarship and Research and the Presser Foundation Undergraduate Scholar Award. 

 

In addition to accompanying Belle Voci, Kelsey has served as a piano accompanist with the Pittsburgh Youth Chorus, at Faith United Methodist Church in Fox Chapel, and for a range of school choral programs, musicals, and festivals, including PMEA and the Allegheny Valley Honors Band.

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Rachel Eaton, Solo Voci Director

Rachel Eaton received her bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 2002 and her PhD in cognitive psychology from Harvard University in 2007, where she was also the recipient of the Derek Bok Prize, a university-wide award for excellence in teaching. Trained in voice, violin, and musical theater, Rachel served as the musical director and CD producer of a women’s a cappella ensemble at Yale University and has performed in multiple ensembles and theater productions at Yale, Harvard, and around the Pittsburgh area. Her love of teaching led Rachel to become a preschool music teacher and advocate for early music education. Rachel is proud to have sung with Belle Voci since its inception in 2012, and she was thrilled when she was asked to form Solo Voci, which she has directed and performed with since 2015.

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SENSORY FRIENLDY CONCERTS

Music is for Everyone

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About Sensory Friendly Concerts

Belle Voci is pleased to present Sensory Friendly concerts twice per season. Our winter concert is at East Liberty Presbyterian Church's Social Hall.

We believe that music is for everyone, and the following provisions aid in our patrons' enjoyment of these performances. ​

 

Complimentary tickets and transportation arrangements are funded by grants, and we are grateful for their support.

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Genuine Understanding

  • Freedom to move around as needed during the performance

  • Patrons may talk, make noise, or leave their seats during the performance

  • Patrons may bring their own manipulatives and support items

  • Shorter in length performance

 

​Please contact President and Accessibility Coordinator, Craig Cannon at craig.g.cannon@gmail.com for all Sensory Friendly performance information, ticket provisions, and special offerings.

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Assistance and Support

  • Our volunteers are trained in assisting patrons as needed.

  • There is a help desk for extra assistance.

  • We provide sensory support items such as gadgets, earplugs, manipulatives.

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Venue Enhancements

  • You can tour the facility before the performance.

  • There are quiet areas available within the venue.

  • We lower both the lighting and sound of the performance. 

LIAISONS

Mara and Suzannah help to ensure our Sensory Friendly Concerts are fun, inviting, safe and supportive.

IN RESIDENCE

Aspinwall Presbyterian Church

Belle Voci is "In-Residence" at Aspinwall Presbyterian Church.

 

Belle Voci and Solo Voci currently hold weekly rehearsals at Aspinwall Presbyterian Church. The church provides office and music storage space free of charge. In return, our ensembles happily

provide special music for occasional worship services throughout the church year. Please visit APC's website.

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