Madonna Brownlee, Organist/Pianist

Madonna Brownlee, is a graduate of Florida State University, studying piano with Mary Winslow and accompanying the graduate students of Anna Kaskas (voice), Walter James (voice), and Eugene Crabb (brass). Post-graduate study was at Union Theological Seminary School of Sacred Music in New York City where organ study was with Vernon de Tar. Post Graduate study in organ was also with Charlene Brice Alexander, Shirly Smith (Florida Presbyterian College), Harold Frantz (Miami-Dade University and Florida International University), and Diane Bish as well as Robert Setzer at St. Petersburg College. She has been accompanist for many vocal competitions, The Miami Oratorio Society, Oratorio Choir of St. Petersburg and many others. She has been Director of Music and Organist for Episcopal and Presbyterian churches and currently is Organist at the First Church of Christ Scientist, Atlanta, Georgia.

Ellen Heinicki Foster, Harpist

A native of Wenatchee WA, Mrs. Foster has performed with many symphonies, chamber groups, opera and ballet orchestras in the U.S. and Canada. In 1992 she won the Concerto Competition at the University of British Colombia and was runner-up in 1993 at the Aspen Music Festival. Since living in the Atlanta area, she has performed with the Macon, Columbus, Savannah, Greenville, and Huntsville symphonies. She is also the President of the Georgia Chapter of the American Harp Society and has created her own Harp Camp held each summer. Last summer she accompanied the Atlanta Boy Choir on its Eurpoean Tour. Mrs. Foster teaches harp privately in Alpharetta.

Mary Ann Hill, Soprano

Ms. Hill, born into a performing musical family, has been singing since the age of five. Her formal studies at Syracuse University were complimented with study in Italy, Switzerland, and Austria. Ms. Hill has performed leads in many operas, including Mozart's Cosi fan Tutti, Carmen, Cavalliera Rusticana, La Boheme, and The Medium. Leads in musical theater in New York City include Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, Marian in The Music Man, Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, and many others. Ms. Hill is also soloist for many churches throughout the East Coast and has been a scholarship recipient with the Portland, Oregon Opera Workshop, singing scenes from La Traviata. She is frequent soloist with the Atlanta Balalaika Orchestra and is included on one of their CDs. In her "other" life, Ms. Hill was on the staff of President Jimmy Carter in Washington, DC. Ms Hill enjoys enormously teaching voice for Georgia State University NMS. Her students are winners of many auditions and competitions.

Artists' Biographies