Singers

Tom Assel studied vocal technique with Dr. Stephen Weber at Amarillo College, Texas. Tom earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical and computer engineering and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the School of Computing and Engineering at the University of Missouri-​Kansas City. While there, he sang in the Conservatory Concert Choir under the direction of Dr. Charles Robinson, and University Singers under the direction of Dr. Ryan Board. He and his wife Julie own and operate Assel Grant Services, a grant consulting firm specializing in grant research and proposal writing in a variety of fields. Tom has been singing with Te Deum since fall 2010.

Mackenzie Beeton is very excited to join Te Deum for the 2024–2025 season. She has a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Kansas. She was a member of the KU Chamber Choir, under the direction of Eduardo Garcia-​Novelli, that performed at an international competition in Greece during her second to last year there. Mackenzie has only just begun teaching choir at Eisenhower Middle School in Kansas City Kansas Public Schools. She lives in her hometown of Overland Park, Kansas with her boyfriend, Maxwell. She enjoys singing vocal jazz, reading books, and composing short choral pieces for all ages.

Nico Caruso, a Kansas City native, recently graduated with his master’s degree in Opera Theatre from the University of South Carolina where he studied with Professor Dominic Armstrong. Nico earned his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Missouri-​Kansas City. Nico stays as involved as he can in the operatic, musical theatre, and choral scenes both in and out of Kansas City and has performed lead roles in Kurt Weill’s Street Scene, Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, and She Loves Me by Bock & Harnick. Nico has also sung tenor in a number of professionally recorded choral ensembles. When not learning music, Nico enjoys baking and doting on his younger sister.

Lucy Conklin is looking forward to making wonderful music with Te Deum again this season! Lucy holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Kansas. As a lifelong chorister, Lucy sang in numerous choral ensembles at KU. After graduating and moving to KC, she served as a section leader and sub at many KC area churches, and sang with KCVITAs for 8 years. Lucy joined Te Deum in 2015, and continues to take immense pride in being a member of this world-​class choral ensemble. Lucy enjoys bringing sparkle to the lives of Kansas City residents as sales manager at Toner Jewelers in Overland Park, KS. A self-​professed crazy cat lady, she lives in Brookside with her husband, Dave and four cats: Dot, Larry, Juniper and Rosemary.

Zachary Cope is elated to be joining Te Deum for his second full season. Zachary is a countertenor from Topeka, KS. He currently serves as Associate Choirmaster at Grace Episcopal Cathedral in Topeka, KS, where he leads the Chorister program and assists with the Cathedral Choir as a director and singer. Zachary also teaches a local private studio of singers, violinists, and violists. Away from music but still connected to his creative passions, Zachary also works in marketing with the Creative Team at Advisors Excel in Topeka, KS as a Creative Account Manager. Zachary is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a master’s degree in Vocal Performance, and he also is an avid violinist and performs often at Grace Cathedral and in the local community. Outside of his career passions, Zachary enjoys late-​night horror movie binges, gourmet cuisines, craft beer, all things Lana Del Rey, and a good ol’ Kansas thunderstorm.

Tara Curtis is excited to begin her first season with Te Deum! She has her doctorate from the University of Kansas, a master’s degree from Boston Conservatory, and bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri. This winter, she will be the soloist with the Topeka Symphony for their Christmas Concert and will sing her first Mahler Second Symphony as the mezzo soloist with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. She has sung with Merola Opera, Sarasota Opera, Opera on the Avalon (Canadian debut), Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Palm Beach Opera, Tulsa Opera, Opera in the Heights, and Wichita Grand Opera as well as numerous young artist training programs. She’s excited to return to choral ensemble singing in her hometown!

JD Daniel (they/​he) is a composer, bass-​baritone, and writer based in Kansas City, MO. A queer, neurodivergent Indian-​American, their music and writing tend towards the existential and the humanistic. As a singer with a “powerful and ringing tone” (Paul Pattison, KC Arts Beat), JD’s current engagements are with Cardinalis (full-​time) and Te Deum (part-​time) and as a Choral Scholar at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Their past engagements include Boston Camerata as a chorus bass in Dido and Aeneas (2023) and the Missouri Oratorio Society as bass soloist in C.P.E. Bach’s Magnificat (2019). JD holds a BA in Oxbridge Music and Philosophy from William Jewell College (’19), with his third year (2017–2018) at the University of Oxford (U.K.). He has studied voice with Ron Witzke, Dan Norman, Nicholas Clapton, Daniel Belcher, Jay Carter, and Raymond Feener. JD is a freelance composer and poet available for commissions and collaborations.

Connor Davis is a singer, teacher, and pianist. She is excited to join Te Deum for her third season. Connor is currently in her third year teaching choir at Discovery Middle School in Liberty, Missouri. She received her bachelor’s degree in vocal music education from Missouri State University in the fall of 2021. During her time at Missouri State, she was a member of numerous choral ensembles, featured on three commercially released albums, and was selected to sing in the 2020 World Youth Choir. Outside of music making, Connor enjoys hiking, spending time with family and friends, cooking, and getting lost in a good book.

Andrew Flanagin, tenor, is thrilled to be joining Te Deum for the 2024–2025 season. Flanagin is a professional chorister with Lyric Opera of Kansas City. A gifted soloist, he has performed with R. Paul Crabb and University of Missouri’s Choral Union and the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra in Evansville, Indiana. Flanagin is an alumnus of the University of Missouri School of Music graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance where he studied voice with Ann Harrell and Steven Tharp. He is a recent graduate of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University where he graduated with a Master of Music in Voice studying under the tutelage of soprano Katherine Jolly. When not singing or performing, he enjoys cooking, wining and dining at new restaurants, spending time with friends and family, and watching sports and cheering on the Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, and Current, Missouri Tigers and Indiana Hoosiers.

Paige Flenniken received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at Oklahoma State University where she performed the roles of Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Gilda (Rigoletto), Susannah (Il Segretto di Susannah), Nella (Gianni Schicchi), Isabelle/​Madeline (Face on the Barroom Floor) and Aldonza (Man of La Mancha). Paige is engaged in the choral world, performing with Kansas City’s professional choir, Te Deum, since 2021 and premiering twice at Carnegie Hall with the OSU University Singers. She has appeared as soprano soloist for Monteverdi’s Venetian Vespers of 1641 (Te Deum), Bach’s Mass in B Minor (MIdland-​Odessa Symphonic Chorale), Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass (OSU), and Handel’s Messiah in three consecutive years at her alma mater. Paige recently participated in the Wiener Musik Seminar International Master Classes and competed in the Prof. Dichler-​Competition in Vienna. This performance qualified her for the Concours International Leopold Bellan finals in Paris in October 2024.

Tim Gorski is excited to be singing in his second season with Te Deum. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Millikin University and a Master of Music Education from the University of Kansas. He also sings with the Schola choir at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City. Tim has been teaching high school choir for six years and is in his third year as the choir director at William Chrisman High School in Independence. Tim and his wife are proud dog parents to their 10-​year-​old staffy, Bishop. They enjoy discovering new restaurants and breweries in the KC area and working on DIY projects around their house.

Rupal Gupta finally considers herself a Te Deum veteran as she begins her 6th season with the group. She cultivated a lifelong love of choral music with the Harvard-​Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, and she is thrilled to have found her choral family in Te Deum performing sacred chamber music with amazing human beings. A general pediatrician, Rupal served previously as Interim Director of General Academic Pediatrics at Children’s Mercy Hospital and Medical Director of Operation Breakthrough Clinic, and currently is a health IT professional with Kyruus, Inc. She loves baking, reading, yoga, and volunteering, and maintains pediatric ties through the American Academy of Pediatrics. She lives in Leawood with her husband and her favorite and most rapidly growing creative endeavors: their two children.

Jeff Jasperson is so grateful to be singing with Te Deum for a 6th season! Jeff graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music, Voice Performance. At KU, he performed with numerous choirs and was a member of the KU Marching Jayhawks as a trumpet player. From 2017–2019, Jeff was a director of the choral variety show Encore! at Free State High School in Lawrence. Jeff works as a support coordinator for Eitas in Jackson County, and serves as the tenor section leader of the Trinity Lutheran Church Choir in Mission, Kansas. He has recently sung the national anthem for the Kansas City Royals, Sporting KC, KC Current, and other local teams. Jeff and his golden retriever Berkeley live in south Kansas City. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys distance running, honing his cooking skills, and cheering on local sports teams.

Nanette Kraus is at her musical best when collaborating with others as a pianist and singer. From accompanying musicians at KU, Emporia State University, and Baker University, to school and honor choirs in Kansas and Missouri, from musical theater productions to church, synagogue and community choirs, Nanette enjoys working with each age and stage in the musical process. She currently assists the next generation of singers at Liberty High School and the lifelong learners of the Liberty Community Chorus. Nanette joined the Te Deum alto section in 2013 and served on the Te Deum board of directors from 2015–2024. A native Kansan, Nanette earned degrees from Bethany College and the University of Kansas and resides in the Northland with her husband Brian.

Annie Kuzma is in her first year of singing with Te Deum. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the University of Missouri-​Kansas City and is set to graduate in spring 2025. She has been performing in musical, choral, and operatic groups/​works consistently, recently performing in Suor Angelica (Una Conversa/​Cercatrice), The Magic Flute (First Spirit), and Street Scene (Rose Maurrant/​Mrs. Fiorentino). She has also been singing regularly with Blue Springs Episcopal Church choir since 2021. When she is not singing opera, Annie sings lead vocals in a prog-​punk band called Making Contact, and you can often find her making zines and collage art to distribute within the community. You can also find her spoiling her pet bearded dragon, Ziggy.

Ryan Layton is a teacher, singer, conductor, and collaborative pianist. Ryan teaches choir and music appreciation at Blue Springs High School and serves as director of music at Barry Christian Church. He is in his fourth season with Te Deum and serves as singer representative to its board. Ryan represents the Kansas City Metro district on the Missouri Choral Directors Association (MCDA) board and coordinates the state Sight-​Singing Bee. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Music Education from the University of Missouri (2018) and is finishing a Master of Music Education at the University of Missouri-​Kansas City. Ryan is an avid New York Times crossword solver and a devoted Kansas City and Mizzou sports fan.

Josh Markley is thrilled to be singing with Te Deum once more. He holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in voice and has been recognized for his research on the development of the baritone voice in the 17th and 18th centuries, lauded as an “excellent resource” by the Metropolitan Opera Guild. On the opera stage, he has performed Marcello in Puccini’s La Boheme, Tarquinius in Britten’s Lucretia, Il Conte in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Don Alfonso in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, among others. His concert soloist experiences include Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Mahler’s Symphony No. 8: Symphony of a Thousand, Haydn’s Creation, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, Bernstein’s Arias and Barcarolles, Vaughn Williams’ Sea Symphony, Handel’s Messiah, and the Requiem Masses of Mozart, Verdi, & Faure. Currently, he is the Director of Music for the Barstow School – Upper and Middle Divisions, teaching choirs, music theory, music history, digital music production, and musical theater. Outside his passion for music, he strives to be the best dad he can be to his two amazing girls, Nora and Samantha.

Benny Martinson is excited to return to Te Deum for a second year. Benny previously sang with Khorikos in New York City, and in many choirs prior. He holds a Master of Music in Composition from the University of Cincinnati College-​Conservatory of Music, and a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Butler University. Benny grew up in Eagle River, Alaska, and lives in Kansas City with his wife, his daughter, and his cat, Henry Purrcell.

Ann Marzette joined Te Deum Chamber Choir in the fall of 2009 for its first full season. She graduated from William Jewell College in 2009 with degrees in piano performance and church music with a vocal emphasis. In 2013, she completed her Master of Arts in teaching from the University of Central Missouri. She currently teaches at Kearney Middle School, where she serves as director of vocal music. Prior to teaching at KMS, Ann served as the vocal music teacher at Marshall High School (Missouri) for four years and was the director of the Marshall Community Chorus. Outside the music realm, Ann works at Anthropologie to support her dress addiction. She also runs a pie side hustle: Easy As Pie KC.

Evan J. Nelson is excited to be joining Te Deum for the first time this season! He is originally from Albany, Georgia and is currently finishing his DMA in Voice Performance at the University of Missouri-​Kansas City. He also holds a master’s degree in vocal performance from Binghamton University and a bachelor’s degree in music and theatre from Florida State University. In the past, Evan has had the opportunity to perform with companies such as Cedar Rapids Opera, The Aspen Music Festival and School, and Teatro Nuovo. Some of Evan’s recent roles have included: the title role in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Mr. Johannes “Pa” Zegner in Mazzoli’s Proving Up, and Aeneas in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. Most recently, Evan has finished up his time as the Bass Choral Intern with Village Presbyterian Church on Mission. In his free time, Evan enjoys watching movies, reading, traveling, and working out at OrangeTheory.  

Rosie O’Brien is a soprano from Lawrence, Kansas who is excited to join Te Deum for the first time. Rosie has stayed active in music despite a career in political activism which brought her to Kansas City in late 2020. She earned degrees in Political Science and Studio Art from Grinnell College in 2016. As a soprano 1 with the Grinnell Singers, she debuted director Dr. John Rommereim’s original compositions in Taiwan and performed on tour the works of Caroline Shaw, Rachmaninov, and Pärt. In Kansas City, she has performed with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus and Stone Lion Puppet Theater. Currently, Rosie is starting her second year as a Choral Associate at Country Club Christian Church, her third season with Renaissance vocal ensemble Madrigalia Bar Nonne, and is in her sixth year directing and playing Sousaphone with her New Orleans-​style street parade band Sass-​a-​Brass.

Sarah Powers is so excited to make beautiful music with Te Deum again! She received a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from William Jewell College (2015) and has been singing in and around Kansas City ever since. During her time at Jewell, she was a Choral Scholar and sang in the Concert Choir and Schola Cantorum. She has appeared as a soloist with the Liberty Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, Midwest Chamber Ensemble and Musica Vocale. She currently sings with Cardinalis and has held a soprano section leader position at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church since 2015. When she is not singing, Sarah works as an Assistant Property Manager in Olathe, KS where she lives with her husband and son, and their family dog.

Colin Riley joined Te Deum in 2019 after arriving in the KC area from Upstate New York. Colin performed with the nationally recognized chamber choir Ensemble Companio from 2014 to 2019 – serving as a tenor, officer, and board member. Colin graduated from Cornell University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. While there, he sang with the Cornell University Glee Club under Scott Tucker, with performances including Ein Deutsches Requiem in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong; the 2009 American Choral Directors Association National Convention; and a stage production of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass. Colin is Vice President of Product & Application Engineering for Rondo, an energy storage company. He also holds a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech and a Master of Business Administration from Clarkson University. Colin lives in Overland Park with his wife and two daughters.

Spencer Ruwe (all pronouns) is a Kansas City based tenor and drag performer. Part time you may find them serving coffee, cocktails, and exceptional customer service at the Made in KC Café downtown. Otherwise they are often found performing in drag around the city and singing for several professional choral ensembles such as WJC Cardinalis, KC VITAs, Kantorei KC, Musica Vocale, and now Te Deum. Outside of choral music and drag performance, Spencer can also be found on stages performing musical theatre, opera, and solo repertoire. Recent roles include Mazzy in 1309, King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Tito Vespasian in La Clemenza di Tito, Gabriel von Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Sam Kaplan in Street Scene, Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, and The Baker in Into the Woods. In their free time, of which they have very little, Ruwe enjoys composing, creating social media content, and making people laugh. 

Sarah Schulte is excited to be singing with Te Deum for a fifth season! She is currently in her fourth year as Director of Choirs at Park Hill South High School, and was previously the Assistant Director of Choirs at Blue Springs South High School. She graduated from the University of Missouri in 2018 with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Music Education, Summa Cum Laude. While there, Sarah was active with the University Singers and Show-​Me Opera programs, singing abroad in China, Sweden, and Estonia. In addition to teaching in Park Hill, Sarah has previously sung as a section leader in St. Paul’s Episcopal Choir and with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus. Sarah loves hiking, house plants, craft beer, and her dog, Ollie!

Julia Sharp is happy to be starting her sixth season with Te Deum! A graduate of UMKC Conservatory, Julia holds a Bachelor of Music in both Vocal Performance and Music Theory. She can be found around KC singing with different choral groups such as Tallgrass Chamber Choir, Kantorei KC, and Cardinalis. Outside of music, her favorite hobbies include cuddling with her cat, Charlie, and road-​tripping across the country with her husband, Jake.

Jenny Smith, soprano, is a second-​year master’s student at the UMKC Conservatory, studying vocal performance under the direction of Dr. Aidan Soder. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Louisiana Monroe, with undergraduate opera and musical roles including Laetitia (The Old Maid and the Thief), Josephine (H.M.S. Pinafore), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Rose and Mrs. Fiorentino (Street Scene), as well as Amalia Balash (She Loves Me). In her first year at UMKC, she covered the role of Erste Dame (Die Zauberflöte), and sang the title role of Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance). Jenny has sung as a soloist in the UMKC Chamber Singers performance of Haydn’s Little Organ Mass, as well as with the Conservatory Singers in their performance of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. Jenny is thrilled to be joining Te Deum in their 17th season!

Asher Tillman is a budding bass-​baritone from Strafford, MO in his fourth professional season, and he is excited to be joining Te Deum for this series! A highly active young performer, Tillman has quickly established himself as a heavy hitter within Missouri’s choral arts scene. He appears regularly with such groups as Kantorei KC, Queen City Chorale (serving also as an advisory board member), Missouri Choral Artists, Voices of Kansas City, and the GRAMMY Award®-winning Kansas City Chorale, with whom he can be heard on their upcoming album The Travels of Marco Polo. Additionally, he is a long-​term staff singer with St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Brookside. Beyond the choral sphere, he is also a versatile theatrical performer, enjoying a wide range of character roles in such works as Violet, Molière’s Tartuffe, Cabaret, Chekov’s The Three Sisters, The 25th Annual…Spelling Bee, Peter and the Wolf, and The Fantasticks.

Ben Wheeler joined Te Deum in 2021. He learned to love music as a Suzuki-​trained violinist under Alice Joy Lewis in Ottawa, Kansas from age 4 through 18. He has a Bachelor of Music in Music Theater from Oklahoma City University, where he studied with vocal teacher Larry Keller. He sang for 2 seasons with Light Opera Oklahoma in Tulsa and has performed in many musicals and operas in school and community theaters in Kansas and Oklahoma. He had a blast singing with the Central Standard Barbershop Chorus in KC from 2017–2019. He enjoys volleyball, skiing, live music, and racking up wins with his crew of fully-​grown adults on Call of Duty.