Venice Musicale performers are accomplished musicians with a wide variety of backgrounds and performing experiences. Some are professional musicians who have had careers as music teachers and performers in concert venues, musical theater, opera, bands or orchestras, or religious institutions. Others are talented amateurs whose performance experience has been an avocation.
Whether a vocalist or an instrumentalist, professional or amateur, what they all have in common is a love of music, joy in entertaining, and dedication to the Venice Musicale mission of presenting free quality music to the public and supporting our Scholarship Program for the next generation of musicians.
Monthly Concert Performers
Every month between October and April, Venice Musicale hosts a free performance that consists of soloists and small ensembles. A wide variety of music is performed, from Jazz and Broadway to Folk and Classical. Members of Venice Musicale who perform work with the Program Chair for each concert to put together a rich, fun-filled program.
To learn more about opportunities for performance, contact or become a member of Venice Musicale.
Encore Chorus
Encore Chorus is Venice Musicale's highly popular singing group known for entertaining area businesses, organizations, clubs, church groups, retirement centers, and neighborhood associations. Encore also performs two of the free monthly concerts with their annual Winter Holiday and Spring Concerts. Performers in Encore are all Venice Musicale members. If you are interested in joining the Chorus and would like more information, email or become a member.
You can book an Encore Chorus performance in your private venue. All funds raised by Encore are for the benefit of the Venice Musicale Scholarship Program.
Encore Chorus Directors
Caryn Johnson, Artistic Director
Caryn grew up in a musical family in Cincinnati, Ohio, performing vocal solos throughout her school years. She has a B.A. in theatre from Miami University (Oxford, OH), and an M.A. in music ministry from Cincinnati Bible Seminary. She sang for 17 years in the Cincinnati May Festival Chorus. Since retiring to Venice with her husband, Paul, in 2015, Caryn has sung with Choral Artists of Sarasota and Key Chorale. She currently sings in the choir at Christ United Methodist Church and performs with the Silver Foxes at the Venice Theatre.
Betsy Bullis, Co-Director
Betsy holds a Bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Evansville, IN. 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 theatres around Indy and is enjoying the opportunity to sing with Encore Chorus and in Venice Musicale monthly concerts.
Suncoast Duo Pianists
Suncoast Duo Pianists began in 1992 as an ensemble of retired performers and teachers who gave concerts to a private audience in the home of its founder, David Nascimbeni. In 2018 Suncoast Duo Pianists became an affiliate ensemble of Venice Musicale. Current performers in Suncoast Duo Pianists are Betty Badawi, Sybil Broh, Mary Egbertson, Marianne Koerner, and Cynthia Schein.
Concerts are given at the Community Room of the Venice Public Library as well as other venues. Suncoast Duo Pianists are available to perform at private venues, organizational events, and residential communities in the Venice area during the months of November through April. Proceeds go to Venice Musicale’s Scholarship Fund. Book a concert today!
Current Performers
Back Row (left to right): Mary Egbertson, Marianne Koerner, Betty Badawi; Front Row (left to right): Sybil Broh, Cynthia ScheinMary Egbertson received a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts/Music from the State University of New York and a Master's Degree of Music Education from the Ford School of Music, Ithaca College. She has held positions as church choir and worship director, taught music in public schools, and maintained a private piano studio for more than 35 years. She has performed as a piano soloist as well as accompanist for choral ensembles. Mary currently sings with and is piano accompanist for Encore Chorus and is immediate past President of Venice Musicale.
Marianne Koerner started playing the piano at the age of three, receiving her earliest musical training at her mother’s knee, her mom having been an accomplished concert pianist. She earned a BA, with a music major in piano and voice, from Smith College and an MA from Columbia University Teachers College. After several years of public school music teaching, she found her way into show business, performing in several Broadway musicals as well as appearing regularly on the Perry Como and Gary Moore TV shows. Ultimately, she developed her own one-woman cabaret act, performing for over two decades in the New York area as well as in Mexico. As a voice coach, Marianne has enjoyed teaching for many years.
Elizabeth "Betty" Badawi received her Bachelor of Music Education from Northwestern University and taught in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, and Pullman, Washington, until 1960. For the next 35 years she followed her husband's international career, living in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Italy. During that time she taught music, directed choirs, performed as pianist and vocal soloist, and directed community musicals. The Badawis moved to Venice in 2004.
Sybil Broh received both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music from Northwestern University and was Music Coordinator in the Franklin Park, Illinois, public school system. After moving to Sarasota in 1999, she worked as both a choral and solo accompanist and performed piano solos and duets in concert.
Cynthia Schein started piano lessons at the age of five. As a teenager, she was pianist with a youth symphony in Westport Connecticut, and was active as a pianist at her high school. She received a BA in Music from Hood College and studied piano at Penn State University and in The Netherlands. She was Co-Founder and Director of The Music Academy, a community music school founded in 1963 in State College, PA. She accompanied vocalists in the Department of Music and taught in the department of Continuing Education at Penn State. She performed as accompanist, chamber player, and pianist with the Nittany Valley Symphony in Pennsylvania. Since moving to Florida, Cinny has been playing with Suncoast Duo Pianists as well as individually on programs with Venice Musicale, and as pianist with Strings Con Brio in Sarasota.
