Susie
Jaeger,
alto, graduated from Martin Luther College in 1998 with a B. S. in
Elementary Education. While at MLC she toured with the College Choir
and performed in various musicals. She taught in the lower grades for
nine years in both Minnesota and Wisconsin and directed both junior and
senior choirs, accompanied singing groups, and played church organ.
She currently manages and coffee business with her husband and devotes much
of her time to her family.
Linnea Koeppel calls Fort Atkinson, WI her home. She
graduated in 2010 from Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee with a BA in
Musical Theatre and Communicative Arts. She has studied with Dr. James
Nowack of Wisconsin Lutheran College, Carolyn Fons, and Andrew Abrams.
Linnea has been a member of numerous honors choirs, including most recently,
the 2009 NCDA Collegiate Honors Choir. She performs in theatres throughout
Southeast Wisconsin, and is a musician at her home congregation, St. Paul,
Lake Mills.
Nicole
Kroening, alto, a graduate of the secondary music program at Martin Luther
College, has taught various grades in Iowa, Maryland, and Ohio.
Currently she serves as the 1-4 grade teacher and school music director at
St. John's in Newark, Delaware. She was active in choir throughout
high school and college and is now very involved in the worship music in her
congregation. This is her second year with Canticum Novum.
Naomi Laabs serves at Trinity Lutheran Church and School in
Neenah, Wisconsin as first grade teacher, school music teacher and
coordinator, director of children and senior choirs, organist, and worship
planner. In her spare time, she enjoys teaching piano and voice lessons to
the youth of the congregation. Naomi is a 2005 graduate of Martin Luther
College with a bachelor in Elementary Education and Parish Music. She is
currently working towards her Masters in Church Music with a Choral emphasis
through Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin. Naomi has studied voice
under Bryan Post of Lawrence University, Valerie Errante of UW Milwaukee,
and Roger Hermanson and Jodi Rowe at Martin Luther College.
April Marquardt, alto, has been a member of Canticum Novum
since 2006. She currently teaches private voice lessons at Kettle Moraine
Lutheran High School in Jackson,WI, as well as voice and piano from her
home. April has been organist and soloist at Peace Lutheran Church in
Hartford since 2003 and is co-founder and director of the Germantown
Children's Theatre. April is a 1999 graduate of Martin Luther College, where
she studied voice and choral conducting with Roger Hermanson and organ with
Bruce Backer. Prior to MLC, she studied voice at the University of
Wisconsin with Mimmi Fulmer and at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music with
Debra Hogan. April resides in Hartford with her husband, Mike, and two
boys, Seth and Matthew.
Melissa Nolte has been singing with Canticum Novum since
2006. She received an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts from Bethany Lutheran
College in 1996 and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Staff
Ministry from Martin Luther College in 1999. She studied voice under Diana
Moxness and Dennis Marzolf and sang and toured with choirs at Bethany and
Martin Luther College. Melissa has taught in Lutheran schools and served in
various ministries in her congregations. She is currently living in
Appleton, WI, with her husband, Alan, and their three musical girls. She
teaches pre-kindergarten part-time and teaches piano from her home studio.
Sarah Schlicht, alto, was privileged to join Canticum Novum
in 2010. She holds a Bachelor of
Science in Education and Choral Music from Martin Luther college, where she
had the pleasure of studying voice under Roger Hermanson and Jodi Rowe.
After graduating in 2007, Sarah taught grades 5-6 and school art at Good
Shepherd's Lutheran Church, West Allis, WI. Here she also served as an
organist, and directed senior and junior choirs. Sarah lives in Milwaukee
with her husband and studies piano and voice at the Wisconsin Conservatory
of Music.
Kari Tiarks is blessed to serve the Lord at St. Matthew's
Lutheran Church in Oconomowoc, WI, where she teaches third grade, directs
the junior choir, directs some of the school's musicals, sings with the
church's Rejoice group, and teaches piano. She graduated from Martin Luther
College in 2001 with a degree in Elementary Education.
Katherine
Wolfe, alto, recently completed a Master's Degree in Choral Conducting
at Michigan State University, where she studied with David Rayl, Sandra
Snow, and Jonathan Reed. Prior to her graduate studies, Kate served as
choir director at Lakeview Junior High School in Battle Creek, MI for three
years. Kate is now employed as director of choral activities at
Pewaukee High School in Pewaukee, WI. Also active as a mezzo-soprano
soloist and professional chorister, Kate has performed five seasons with the
Grammy-Award winning Oregon Bach Festival Chorus.
Alto Bios
