Donnell Patterson
Music Director
Sharing A New Song is thrilled to welcome back Donnell Patterson as Music Director for the 2023-24 season.
Donnell is a dynamic choral director, musician and educator with more than 30 years experience leading a wide range of choral groups.
An enthusiastic traveler with a warm and energetic spirit, Donnell led the SANS music team last year on our Civil Rights Tour through Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee in March 2023. We are thrilled to welcome him back for a second year!
With a broad musical background from classical to pop to gospel and spirituals, Donnell brings a wide variety of music to the SANS repertoire, as we prepare for two exciting concerts and the trip.
Donnell is Director of Music for both the Upper and Lower Schools at Belmont Hill School in Belmont. He has served as Minister of Music at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in Cambridge, MA for over 20 years and has directed Boston-based Joyful Voices of Inspiration since 2014. Donnell is also chair of the Gospel Music department in New England Conservatory’s (NEC) School of Preparatory and Continuing Education and directs the NEC Community Gospel Choir.
Donnell holds a BA in Music from the New England Conservatory, and two Masters degrees, from the University of South Florida and Harvard University, with additional post-graduate work in choral and computer music from Florida State University and Doctoral studies in Education at Lesley University.
Performing and conducting music has allowed Donnell to travel extensively all over the world, including Armenia, France, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Greece, Japan, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Argentina.
Read more about Donnell on his website...
Kilian Mooney
Assistant Music Director
Kilian Mooney has a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of Rhode Island and a Master's in Vocal Performance from the Longy School of Music. While attending Longy, Kilian served as an intern for SANS during the 2013–14 season, and traveled with the group to Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia, and Turkey. Locally, he performs with the 9-voice, all male vocal ensemble Renaissance Men, Cappella Clausura, Labyrinth Choir, and the Providence-based early music ensemble Ecclesia Consort. He has sung with Boston Midsummer Opera, Opera Providence, the Nahant Music Festival, the Newport Music Festival, the Lucerne Festival Academy, and the Academy of French Song and Opera. Kilian has returned repeatedly to his Alma Mater to speak on the art of singing and the importance of educating young singers, a calling that is near to his heart. He has taught many young musicians through the education outreach programs of both Cantata Singers and the Handel & Haydn Society, and he teaches music full time at Saint Peter School in Cambridge. He is excited to have rejoined the SANS community as assistant director.
Louise Grasmere
Vocal Coach
Louise is a vocalist and voice teacher with twenty-five years of experience and a passion for bringing out the best in choral groups and individual singers. Her warmth, humor and insight make SANS warm-ups a favorite part of rehearsal!
In her own performing life, Louise is an accomplished jazz/blues/soul/gospel singer with two solo albums to her credit (Blue Ain’t Only Blue, No Detour Ahead) plus another album with the roots/gospel group Meeting Across the Water. During the pandemic, Louise wrote a new collection of songs which she is currently recording and will release in the year ahead.
linda shoemaker
administrative director and songleader
Linda is a dynamic arts advocate who joined SANS as Administrative Director in 2019, after the passing of SANS’ long-time beloved leader Joanne Lowry.
Prior to her work with SANS, Linda served as Executive Director of the Arlington Center for the Arts. She holds a PhD from Binghamton University and a BA and MA from Simmons University.
In addition to her administrative role, Linda is a gifted, joyful songleader and percussionist.
Linda has studied West African drumming for over 20 years. Influential teachers have included Famoudou Konate, Mamady Keita, Mamady “Wadaba” Kourouma and many others, including one short but very special workshop with Babatunde Olatunji towards the end of his life.
Linda will usually lead SANS in one song each season.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
