Betsy holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Evansville, Indiana. In southern Illinois, she taught high school choir for five years. After moving back to her hometown of Indianapolis, she worked in the retail print music industry for 36 years while teaching voice and piano in her home. She spent her free time performing in local community theatre productions around Indianapolis and is enjoying the opportunity to sing with the Venice Chorale, Encore Chorus, and in Venice Musicale monthly concerts. Betsy is also Assistant Director of the Musicale's Encore Chorus.
A musician by avocation, Haig is an accomplished recital and collaborative pianist. He has been a regular performer at chamber music venues for more than 60 years, including greater Tampa/St. Petersburg, Boston, Providence, New York, San Francisco, London, Budapest, Vienna, and Prague. Haig has been an active contributor to non-profit cultural, religious, and civic organizations, currently serves on the Board of Directors, and is a performing member of the Venice Musicale and the Sarasota Music Club. Haig holds an MS in Computer Science and a BA in Psychology from Boston University. He has also earned an MBA and postgraduate certifications in Program Management, International Leadership, and Intellectual Property Law.
After a 40+ year career in the telecommunications industry, Jeff and his wife, Debbie, retired to their home in Venice in 2020. Jeff graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Management in 1982. His musical experiences include participation in numerous church choirs, a “Christian rock" group, musical theatre, and the West Virginia University Chorus (where he was the only member who was not a music major). Career requirements and parental activities like PTA, coaching, teaching Junior Achievement, etc., limited his musical endeavors for a number of years. Retirement is allowing him to rekindle his love of singing, including performing with Encore Chorus.
Kris has a love for music and children! She has a B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse in Physical Education and Adaptive Physical Education. In her last 18 years of teaching she developed and taught the Music and Motion curriculum for K, 1st and 2nd graders in Stevensville, MI. She has sung in a variety of choirs and performed in community, college and high school musical theater productions. She is happy to have found the Encore Chorus to sing with.
Jean comes to Venice from New York where she performed in musical comedy productions as well as in commercials and industrials. She was a Host on QVC’s Fashion Channel and has also acted as narrator and spokesperson in corporate promotional projects. Jean sang with the choir of Unity Church of NY, the barbershop ensemble “Harmony on the Hudson,” and “Rockland Camerata” chorus. She is creator, author, and publisher of the children's book, I SEE THE WORLD. Jean has had experience as a Paralegal and Copy Editor in her “day jobs” along the way. In addition to serving Venice Musicale as Marketing & Publicity Committee Chair, Jean is a member of Encore Chorus.
Originally from New York, Mary earned her BA in Art from the College of New Rochelle and an MSW from Hunter College School of Social Work. Before retiring in 2009, she was a field instructor for graduate students and Administrator of a wide range of public and private programs for emotionally and medically fragile children. Mary sang in school from first grade through college and then in church as a choir member and cantor, performing as a soloist in several church variety shows. She currently sings at Our Lady of Lourdes in Venice where she is also choir librarian. Mary is an Alto in the Encore Chorus, performs in Venice Musicale’s monthly concerts, and serves on the Membership Committee.
Caryn has been singing since age four. She performed vocal solos in grade school, high school, and college. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a Master of Arts in music ministry from Cincinnati Bible Seminary. Caryn sang for 17 years in the Cincinnati May Festival Chorus under the direction of Robert Porco. Since retiring to Venice in 2015 she has sung with Choral Artists of Sarasota and Key Chorale, and currently sings in the choir at Christ Venice Methodist Church. Caryn is Artistic Director of Encore Chorus.
Barbara hails from Grand Rapids, MI, where she raised her three children. She holds a Master of Education degree and Montessori Certifications. Barbara has been active in theater and musical performances and has sung in many choirs. Currently she sings in 2 church choirs, Encore Chorus, and Edelweiss German Choir. She has acquired the nickname of "Singing Barb" in the community where she lives here in Venice.
Song, who immigrated from China in 1984, earned an MBA from the University of La Verne and a business degree from California State University. He retired in 2017 after 27 years of teaching computer science at East Los Angeles College. In 2014, Song joined the Elite Choir performing in Disney Hall in Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Taipei. In 2021, he made a permanent move to Venice. With strong experience in technology, he also enjoys assisting others with computer problems, helping to manage the Venice Musicale website, and coming up with creative solutions to any challenges that may arise. Song takes pleasure in singing in Venice Musicale’s Encore Chorus.
Lee holds a BS in Information Technology from UMASS Lowell. In 2007, she retired from the DoD as a Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist. Lee loves writing poetry, singing, and playing guitar. She sang with her high school choir and was in two bands performing folk, rock, and jazz. She wrote the theme for her class yearbook and wrote and performed a song for her senior class play. Having lived here as a child, the Venice area has always felt like home. When she returned, she dove back into writing, as well as playing guitar and singing jazz with her father and his band. She set up and manages Venice Musicale’s Facebook page and is the photographer and Member-at-Large. She enjoys singing with Encore and The Venice Chorale.
Dan enjoyed singing in grade school, high school, and college musical performances, plays and competitions. He followed in the steps of his father who sang in their church choir for many years, as he sang in each of the church’s choirs that he has been a part of through the years. Dan has an Accounting degree and an MBA from Ball State University and also lettered in college soccer. He retired in 2021 from his career as a CFO for multiple companies in Indianapolis, IN and Cincinnati, OH.
He joins his wife, Gina, singing in the Venice Musicale Encore Chorus. Married 43 years, they raised five children; all of whom are married with children of their own today.
