PRESIDENT

Cathy Lanigan enjoyed a 40-year career in the IT industry, serving in roles spanning application development, sales, consulting, and solution management for a major software vendor. Upon retiring from tech, she returned to her first love—music—accepting the role of Business Operations Manager for the Monadnock Chorus.

A lifelong choral singer, Cathy’s passion for vocal music began long before her technology career. She earned her undergraduate degree in Music Education with a concentration in voice from SUNY Fredonia and later completed a Master’s in Computer Science at the New York Institute of Technology. Before entering the tech field, she taught music, laying the foundation for a lifetime of arts advocacy and leadership.

Cathy continues to sing with several choirs and is the Founder, President, and Executive Director of Viva Bach Peterborough. She has served on numerous arts and music organization boards, including Monadnock Chorus, Zenith Ensemble, Music on Norway Pond, Grand Monadnock Youth Choirs, and Choral Arts New England.

When not immersed in music or event organizing, Cathy enjoys gardening and spending time with her husband, Steven, and their family—including their beloved golden retriever, Bernie, and two corgis, Duke and Billy.

VICE PRESIDENT

Jackie is a retired tech marketing executive who currently volunteers with the Town of Wilton where she serves on the Economic Development Team, was past Treasurer of the Heritage Commission, and manages the town‘s website and social media programs. She served for 15 years on the N.H. State Council on the Arts, the last 6 years as Vice-Chair. She has served on the boards of Monadnock Music, Andy’s Summer Playhouse, Monadnock Chorus and the American Red Cross. She is a choral singer who has performed with the Monadnock Chorus, Norway Pond Festival Singers, Monadnock Chorus Chamber Singers, Great Waters Music Festival Chorus, Nashua Symphony Chorus, Monadnock Music Festival Chorus, and last year at the first Viva Bach Peterborough Festival. Prior to her retirement, Jackie was a Vice President of Marketing at tech companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Compaq Computer, Digital Equipment, Gartner and CA. She lives in Wilton in a circa 1770 house with husband and actor/director Michael Dell’Orto and rescue dogs Tillie and Gus.

TREASURER

Whether it was church choirs, school choirs, or community choruses, Chet can’t remember a time when he hasn’t been singing in a group of some sort.  He attended Park College (MO) where he majored in music and education.  He later earned his MBA from Missouri State University.  While at Park College, Chet met his wife, an alto, in the college touring group.  Chet and Sue moved to NH in 1982 and immediately joined the Monadnock Chorus.  Chet has served as Treasurer of the Chorus for a combined total of eleven years.  In addition, both he and Sue served three-year terms as President of the Chorus.  Chet sang with the Peterborough Chamber Choir from its inception in 1992 and now sings with the Chamber Singers of Keene.  He was also appointed to a six-year term on the NH State Council on the Arts.  Chet and Sue live in Sharon, NH.  They have two sons and two grandchildren.

SECRETARY

Dorothy Yanish has a long career in teaching, opera and recital performance.  With a B.S. in Music Education and M.M. in Vocal Performance, she has taught on the faculties of Keene State College ,Franklin Pierce University, the Well School and CCMS.  As a  founder of the Raylynmor Opera she introduced the Young Artist Program and has led workshops for singers of all ages.  She has performed many major operatic roles for mezzo soprano as well as directed full stage opera productions, drawing on her training nationally and internationally. Living in Boston’s Back  Bay until moving to Peterborough in 1989, she sang with Cantata Singers and The John Oliver Chorale and extended her vocal training at the Boston Conservatory and Longy School of Music. She is a member of the Monadnock  Chorus and former director of the MC Chamber Singers.  She served on the board of  the Monadnock Summer Lyceum and has presented at the Amos Fortune Forum.

Debby sang major choral works in school and college groups and then moved to Germany with her husband where she sang with the Bonn Philharmonic Chorus before starting a family and working primarily as a translator specializing in international politics. After 40 + exciting years in Europe, she and her husband Karl returned to the family home in Peterborough and its rich musical world, and Debby soon joined the Monadnock Chorus and Chamber Singers where she served as Membership Chair. She has studied voice and sung with Jody Simpson’s Music on Norway Pond, the Viva Bach Peterborough Festival Chorus, and recently joined the Monadnock Madrigalists. One of the greatest joys of this musical community has been the opportunity to host many young performers, a tradition begun by her parents in the 70’s hosting Monadnock Music musicians. Her work on many town committees, on the board of the Mariposa Museum in its formative years and with local conservation organizations has enabled her to develop deep connections in many different local communities.

Tori Haring-Smith taught English and Theatre at Brown University for 16 years while working as a professional director and dramaturg in New York, Boston, Providence, and Phoenix.  In 1996, she moved with her husband and son to Cairo, Egypt, for a three-year stint as Artistic Director of the Wallace Theatre there.  Returning to the United States, she served as Executive Director of the Thomas J. Watson Foundation and then for thirteen years as president of Washington & Jefferson College.  She has published books on writing, stage history, and teaching as well as editing several collections of monologues for women by women.  Her play translations have been produced in the U.S. and abroad.  Now retired, she lives in Peterborough, New Hampshire with her husband and 8 cats (all rescues).  She is involved in the community as a Board member for the Peterborough Players, the Monadnock Writers Group and Viva Bach Peterborough. She sings with the Monadnock Chorus and Music on Norway Pond and is an enthusiastic volunteer for the Summer Lyceum.

James Maddalena is an American baritone who is chiefly associated with contemporary American opera. He gained international recognition in 1987 when he originated the role of Richard Nixon at the premiere of John Adam’s opera Nixon in China at Houston Grand Opera. He has since reprised the role on many occasions, and recorded it for the Nonesuch Records release of the opera in 1987. In addition to Maddalena's role as Nixon, he has originated two other Adams characters: the Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer and Jack Hubbard in  Doctor Atomic. He has also performed roles in the premieres of operas by Paul Moravec and Stewart Wallace among other American composers. In addition to American opera, Maddalena has sung a broad operatic repertoire which ranges from Monteverdi, Handel, Mozart and Verdi to modern composers like Benjamin Britten and Michael Tippett. He is also a concert artist whose regular performances include works by Bach, Handel and Schubert as well as those by modern composers.