Staff
Cole Seaton
Voice Teacher
Cole Seaton, Lyric Tenor, is an active performer, singer, and educator. He is a professional member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chorus where he holds the position of Tenor Section Leader. He has a long association with the CSO Education and Community Outreach programs at the South Shore Cultural Center and the Symphony Center in Chicago. For 18 years he has been a Governor on the National Board of Governors for AGMA, The American Guild of Musical Artists, the union which represents professional classical choristers, soloists and opera singers, Ballet dancers and Stage Managers across the country. Mr. Seaton is a tenor soloist and section leader at the historic Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago on Michigan Ave. and at Chicago Sinai Congregation’s in downtown Chicago. He received his formal training and degree in vocal and opera performance at the Cleveland Institute & Conservatory of Music. He has appeared as tenor soloist in numerous national television and radio broadcasts.
Mr. Seaton maintains voice studios in downtown Chicago, at Niles North and Niles West High School in Skokie and at Evanston Township High School. He has been an adjudicator with the Chicago Public Schools and various state districts for the ILMEA District and State Choral competition, Cole has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Berlin Staatskapelle at Carnegie Hall in New York. Mr. Seaton sang on the 2010-2011 Grammy Award winning recording of Verdi’s Requiem with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. He can also be heard on the soundtrack of Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award nominated movie “Lincoln". For more info about Mr. Seaton's musical life and groups, visit his website at coleseatonmusic.com
Kelsey Sandefur
Voice Teacher
Kelsey Sandefur, soprano, is at the launching point of an exciting career. A Chicago native, Miss Sandefur holds a Master of Music degree in Voice and Opera Performance from Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Performance with a Minor in Theatre from Ball State University. She has performed operatic roles such as Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), The Witch (Hansel and Gretel), and both Marcellina and Barbarina (Le nozze di Figaro); she has also covered the roles of Mimì (La Bohème) and Mother (David T. Little's Dog Days). Her theatrical roles have included Mrs. Meers (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Mae “Mama” Peterson (Bye Bye Birdie, Juror #9 (Twelve Angry Men), and Betty (David Ives's All in the Timing/Sure Thing). In addition to her stage work, Miss Sandefur is a soloist and section leader at Kenilworth Union Church and has been teaching private voice lessons for about eight years. Though most of her performance experience has been in opera and musical theatre, Miss Sandefur loves to teach all genres! She has taught her students repertoire including jazz, art song, pop, R&B, alternative, country, and of course, opera and musical theatre. Miss Sandefur’s goal is to expand upon each student's vocal, musical, and dramatic skills so that they are able to perform beautifully, confidently, and with their own unique voice.
