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Monica Harte Co-Director Originally from Reno, NV, Monica grew up back stage in an opera company founded by her parents, Ted and Deena Puffer. She was in her first opera at 3 years old and studied violin and dance until she was old enough to study voice with her father at 16. Living in NYC for the past 17 years, Monica sings, teaches and runs her own company, Remarkable Theater Brigade (RTB), which she founded with Christian McLeer and Dan Jeselsohn. RTB produces contemporary operas, musicals and concerts with special programs for at-risk and special-needs children. RTB's Opera Shorts at Weill-Carnegie Hall sold out for the past 2 years with composers such as John Corigliano, Tania Leon, Tom Cipullo, and Mark Adamo all present and participating in the production. Next year's production will include Jake Heggie, William Bolcom, Davide Zannoni and more. Monica has performed more than 25 coloratura roles in the standard operatic repertoire and many world premieres. She has also sung numerous concerts throughout North America and Europe. Recently, she performed in "Opera Shorts" at Weill-Carnegie Hall, "Music in Midtown" (Elebash Hall, NYC) and the EMM Festival (Lewis University, IL). Future engagements for 2010 include "Composers, Compositions and Questions" (NATS-NYC) and finally, "HOUSE" and "G Train The Musical" to be filmed in front of a live audience for Brooklyn Cable (BCAT). Monica is the soprano soloist on 2007 CD release "McLeer's Requiem" (now available on iTunes) and is the featured soloist on the CD "Songs from Another Place" (released 2009) and "Long Island Songs" for MSR Classics label (to be released 2010). Monica recorded Tom Cipullo's "Going" for his recently released "Landscape with Figures" CD r on Albany. Monica's students are having great success at the professional and young artist levels. They are currently singing with major opera companies including The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera and Washington National Opera as well as young artist programs such as Glimmerglass, Des Moines Metro, and St. Louis Opera. Christian McLeer Co-Director Christian McLeer is artistic director and founder of Remarkable Theater Brigade (RTB), a company that creates and produces new musical works. Originally founded to produce his work, RTB has grown, and in its 6th season, will begin presenting the music of other living composers as well. His musical success began as a youth, winning piano competitions and commissions while still in high school. He received his first commission at the age of 14 for the American Cancer Society for which he wrote and performed HOPE, later included on the CD Encores 2 by the renowned pianist Anna Marie Bottazzi. He attended Julliard Pre-College and worked his way through Manhattan School of Music where he acquired his Bachelor’s degree, composing and performing professionally for classical, jazz and rock ensembles. He has performed at many respected venues including Alice Tully Hall, Weill-Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, and the New Orleans Astro Dome among others. Performing his own compositions has won him special acclaim from publications such as The New York Times, Newsday and OCS. Christian’s compositions have been commissioned for numerous groups and artists, including the Long Island Singers, the Harmonia Opera Company, The New Millennium Orchestra, concert pianist Phillip Dieckow, director Vincent Scott, OnTrac Productions, jazz pianist Mickey Laverine, conductor Ted Puffer, RTB, and numerous others. Musing has seen many performances and was recorded by flautist, Sophia Anastasia on her debut CD, Musing. His song cycle Longing Eternal Bliss, originally written for Monica Harte and Ken Merrill, will be recorded by McLeer and Harte on Harte’s upcoming CD of American art songs featuring Christian McLeer, Tom Cipullo George Brunner and Anne Phillips. As film composer/Sound Designer, Christian has worked with Nova Rock, FFK, Joey Piscopo, and Joachim Wiese. As Conductor, Mr. McLeer has performed with Claire Heidrick and the New Music Consort and RTB. He is an artist-in-residence for the National Choral and the musical director for Jan Hus Church. He also conducts and plays for RTB’s outreach program that tours to special-needs and at-risk children. Robert Voisey Co-Director "My belief is that there is a hungry audience out there waiting to be inspired and touched by the music and ideas that today's composer has to offer; all we need to do is reach them." – Robert Voisey The word ‘viral,’ comes to mind as a trendy but disquietingly accurate image for Robert Voisey’s infectious enthusiasm. He is always ready to mutate and reinfect the process as indicated to maintain the highest degree of project fever – and yes, it is spreading. -60x60: netsuke for the musical mind Richard Arnest, Sounding Board, Spring 2011 “With few opportunities and much competition, young composers show creativity in just getting heard.” And in Chris Pasles’s article in the Los Angeles Times, Robert Voisey is highlighted as one of those composers. As a producer, Robert Voisey is regarded as having ambitious ideas for the dissemination of contemporary music. He founded Vox Novus in 2000 to promote the music of contemporary composers. Through Vox Novus, Voisey has been a significant force in providing composers with opportunities to present themselves and their music throughout the world. A few of the projects he has initiated at the American Composer’s Timeline, the Composer’s Voice concert series and 60x60. Douglas DaSilva Artistic Director Douglas DaSilva is a composer, guitarist, educator and music curator in New York City. As Artistic Director of the Composer's Voice Concert Series and Premiere Salon Concerts he is dedicated to promoting new music and living composers. He has been curator for concerts in New York, Rio de Janeiro and Valencia. As a guitarist he has performed at places as diverse as Lincoln Center’s Rose Ballroom, the Jan Hus Church, The Bitter-End, and The Cutting Room. As a composer of chamber music with a background in jazz, rock and blues, Douglas composes in variety of styles from the hummable to highly experimental. Much of his music is influenced by Brazilian music and self-inflicted stress. His extensive and daily work with preschoolers (where he is known by his nom de guerre: Mr. Doug) manages to keep him sane while giving him the opportunity to share his love for music with future generations. His chamber music has been performed throughout the US, Europe and Brazil. DaSilva piece Sarabande for flute & guitar was recorded with flautist Kathleen Nester, and was featured on the Vox Novus 60x60 New York Mix. His electronic pieces: How to Build a Totalitarian State; Contrails; camp des feuilles; and Did I Hear It on the Composer’s Voice have been included in 60x60 projects. 2011 featured premieres by Jasmin Bey Cowin, harp; Kai Watanabe, guitar; ThingNY ensemble; Kenji Haba, guitar & Gregory Durozel, violin; Conway Kuo, violin; and Alyssa Reit, harp.

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