Marisa Rawlins-Bradfield, Co-choir Director/Co-praise Ensemble Director/Youth Ensemble Director marisabradfield@bethlehemlutheran.net
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A Los Angeles native who has been teaching voice and choral directing for over thirteen years, Marissa brings passion and technical excellence to our Youth and Faith Choirs. In addition to co-directing Bethlehem Lutheran’s music department, she is a full-time faculty member of the Visual and Performing Arts Department at Providence High Arts and serves as the Choral Program Director. Her ensembles have performed in various festivals, community events, and competitions throughout the United States and are scheduled to perform at Carnegie Hall in the spring of 2014. Ms. Rawlins-Bradfield also serves as the Choral Director at The Los Angeles Music and Art School (LAMusArt). Under her direction, this choral ensemble has performed at The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, The Broad Stage, The Ford Amphitheater, and many other events in the Los Angeles community. Marisa has been part of our BLC family since November, 2013, and continues to bring out the very best in our youth and adult choirs.

Vicente Ditto, Senior Music Minister/Co-Accompanist vicenteditto@bethlehemlutheran.net

Bethlehem Lutheran has been blessed with Vicente’s talents as a Co-Director of Music since 2007. His talent as an accompanist adds so much to our music ministry, and he is an important part of our community as we worship each week, often serving as a reader or a thespian as well. He holds a BA in music from the University of Rochester in New York. He also holds staff accompanist positions at the Oakwood Secondary School, American Musical and Dramatic Academy, and Mount Saint Mary’s College.

Matthew Kessell, Co-choir Director matthewkessell@bethlehemlutheran.net
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Matthwe grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and transplanted to California in 1982 to attend Chapman College. There he received his Bachelor of Music in vocal performance and has been singing and conducting ever since.Throughout the years he has been involved in many musical avenues including: Conducting, Managing and directing a Christmas Caroling group, Studio Recording, Opera, Oratorio and Musical Theater. Matthew served as the Director of Music Ministries for St. Stephen’s Lutheran for the last 7 years, from 2012 through 2018, bringing a variety of musical styles into the worship service. Prior to that he was the tenor soloist and Director of Music Ministries for Santa Ana First United Methodist from 1982 through 1999, and has sung and conducted in many different churches and temples in Southern California.

His first love has always been vocal performancespecializing in singing Opera, Concerts and teaching privately. He has sung with many local opera companies performing a broad variety of roles from Rodolfo in La Bohme to Camille in The Merry Widow, and has been known to even reach out into the realm of musical theater. The church choir has a particular favorite spot in his heart. The idea of bring together a group of people with not much more than desire and the common goal to make beautiful music for the glory of Godprovides an exciting avenue to bring together all the elements that music has to offer.

Matthew also is the Accounting Manager for Grace Hill Media (a Public Relations firm that markets movies and TV shows that inspire, uplift and transform faith audiences) and 9 of their subsidiary companies. In his spare time he enjoys cooking, household projects, mid-century architecture and travel.

Suzanne Recer, Accompanist SuzanneRecer@bethlehemlutheran.net

Suzanne Recer is a collaborative pianist and coach in the voice department of California State University, Northridge. Her work there includes working with singers in many capacities, most especially as opera coach and pianist for the university’s opera workshop as well as nationally recognized opera program. Ms. Recer has also served as music director of the Los Angeles Music Theatre Company as well as coach/pianist for the statewide Cal State Summer Arts Programs.

A native of Oklahoma, Suzanne received her formal training at Cameron University and California State University, Northridge. Ms. Recer has served on the faculty and music staff of both Chapman College and Glendale College, as well as been on the faculty of the innovative training program, Operaworks. Suzanne Recer has been the pianist for many prominent master classes, including those presented by Carol Vaness, Mignon Dunn, Warren Jones, Delores Ziegler, William Sharp, Andreas Mitisek, William Vendice and Ruth Welting. In addition, Ms. Recer has performed for the San Francisco Opera Affiliate Artist Series and in 2011, joined soprano Carol Vaness for the inaugural performance of the San Fernando Valley Performing Arts Center.