1st Row L to R: Rich Cole, Alan McPhail, Jerry Soria-Foust, Andrea Laguni and Randy Smith

2nd Row L to R: Matt Fox, Robin Somes, Sergio Pena, Ron Sylvester, David Morgan, Scott Montroy, Bob Gurwin, Evan Chorney-Sanchez, Michael Foster, Mike Ziskind, Ernie Santora

Not pictured: Rich Doce

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Executive Board Members

• Alan McPhail – President
• Andrea Laguni – Vice President
• Randy Smith – Treasurer
• Bob Gurwin – Secretary

Board Members

• Evan Chorney-Sanchez – Chair, Technology
• Bob Gurwin – Chair, Governance
• Matt Fox – Co-Chair, Membership and Care Committees
• Michael Foster – Chair, Scheduling/Logistics
• Andrea Laguni – Chair, Venues, Scheduling and Strategic Planning
• Sergio Pena – Chair, Community Outreach and Music Advisory Committee
• Ernie Santora – Co-Chair, Development
• Ron Sylvester – Chair, Marketing & 25th Anniversary Committee
• Michael Ziskind – Co-Chair, Development
• Rich Doce, Section V Liasion

Additional

• Jerry Soria-Foust – Artistic Director
• Jeff Hocker – Marketing & Public Relations
• Alan McPhail – Chorus Connection Manager
• Skip Sidoti – Volunteer Coordinator Section 5

PSGMC Artistic Team Members: Jeff Kopasz, Music and Rehearsal Assistant; Jerry R. Soria Foust, Artistic Director; Martin Coogan, ASL Interpretor, Chip Prince, Bruce Kenyon’s The Arrangement Director not pictured Joel Baker, Principal Accompanist

Artistic Director

Jerry R. Soria-Foust is a professional music educator and arts leader, with a career spanning more than 25 years. At the age of 19, Jerry had his first GALA choruses experience, performing in the inaugural season of the Indianapolis Men’s Chorus. That experience was transformational, and he credits participation in a number of GALA organizations for the fulfilling life he leads as a conductor and activist today.

From 2004-2009, Jerry served as Artistic Director for the San Diego Men’s Chorus, where he led the chorus through a number of milestones, including performing as mainstage entertainment on an ocean liner for RSVP Cruises, singing the national anthem for the San Diego Padres, and becoming the resident choral ensemble in the newly renovated Balboa Theatre in downtown San Diego. During his time with SDMC, the Chorus collaborated with a number of award-winning artists, including Tony-nominated Sharon McNight, Broadway & American Idol star Frenchie Davis, Olympic legend Greg Louganis, playwright Del Shores, Grammy-nominated Westwind Brass, the San Diego Women’s Drum Circle, and more.

Jerry was the Founding Director of Opus Q – A Men’s Vocal Ensemble, a select ensemble specializing in diverse repertoire performed in intimate settings in the Bay Area. He also served briefly as the Artistic Director for the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco, where the chorus collaborated with luminaries like Sharon Gless and Sir Ian McKellen, as well as guest-conducted the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus on several occasions.

As a professional theatre director and producer, Jerry has been involved in over 100-ticketed productions. As Executive Director and Director of Education of Berkeley Playhouse, he led a drastic expansion of the organization’s programs, ticket sales, subscribers and budget. From 2011-2019, Jerry founded and served as Artistic Director of Windy City Performs, an all-ages professional theatre and conservatory in Chicago, where he created after-school and pre-professional training programs in music, dance and theatre. WCP was nominated for multiple BroadwayWorld Chicago awards over the years; and was named Chicago Magazine’s Readers’ Choice award for Best Theatre in 2016.

Jerry’s passions include inspiring people of all ages to love the performing arts, creating access to life-changing performing arts opportunities for children of all backgrounds, and exploring how the arts can answer some of today’s most difficult challenges. Jerry is a graduate of Butler University, the American College of Education and San Diego State University.

Jerry serves on the Education & Membership Committee of GALA Choruses and is a member of the American Choral Directors’ Association.

Accompanist

Principal Accompanist

Joel Baker is a native of the Seattle area, and earned his B.A. degree from the University of Washington School Of Music, where he studied with internationally acclaimed pianist Robin McCabe. While in Seattle, Joel was a pianist for Nordstrom for fifteen years.

Moving to the desert in 2003, Joel began playing in various venues around town, and can currently be found at Streetbar, Three Sixty North, Wally’s Desert Turtle, and The Purple Room, where he plays for “The Judy Show,” starring Michael Holmes. Recently, Joel served as music director for “The Who’s ‘Tommy'” at Palm Canyon Theater. He lives in Palm Springs with his husband, Don. For more fun facts, please visit Joel’s web site at www.misterpiano.com.

Artistic & Rehearsal Assistants

Chip Prince, Bruce Kenyon’s The Arrangement Director

Chip Prince is thrilled to be involved with PSGMC after a 22-year absence from Palm Springs. While living in New York City he sang in and accompanied the NYC Gay Men’s Chorus, under Dr. Charles Beale. Chip has had over 30 years of experience playing piano and conducting Broadway shows and tours. He served as Associate Conductor on the National Tour of Newsies and can be heard playing piano in the Broadway HD movie. New York and National Tour keyboard and/or conducting credits include Les Misérables, Sunset Boulevard, Miss Saigon, Mary Poppins, Ragtime, The Fantasticks, and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. Back in the desert since 2020, Chip most recently music-directed and accompanied Coachella Valley Repertory’s 2023 West Coast Premiere of The Fantasticks, a Love Story Reimagined. He is honored to continue promoting Barbershop-style music as presented here by Bruce Kenyon’s The Arrangement.

Jeff Kopasz, Music & Rehearsal Assistant

Tenor Section Leader, joined PSGMC in 2016. He is in his 13th year teaching Music in schools, the past 7 of which are here locally with Palm Springs Unified School District. He has also music-directed several full-scale and “Broadway Junior” musicals at his schools. Jeff is an active member of the Palm Springs Teachers Association and serves as one of their CTA State Council reps. Jeff is a graduate of Chapman University’s Conservatory of Music, (B.M. Music Education; Conducting); he is currently studying for a Masters degree at CSU San Bernardino.

Chorus Administrator