Mary Bonhag
soprano
Lynnette Combs
organ
Mary Bonhag is an “extraordinary” singer (Classical Voice N. America) committed to the healing powers of song. She is both a new-music specialist and a singer deeply devoted to sacred music across the ages. Mary was featured on Resonant Bodies Festival, and has sung with 21st Century Consort, and San Francisco Contemporary Players. Mary recently premiered a new chamber opera by Susan Botti, River Spirits, an allegorical tale featuring Mary, Susan Botti, and Lucy Shelton. Mary is sought after for her impeccable musicianship and “supple expressive voice” (San Antonio News) for concert work, specializing in the sacred music of J.S. Bach.
In 2010, Mary co-founded Scrag Mountain Music, now in its 14th year of organizing chamber music residencies and innovative and affordable concerts around Vermont. Since COVID, she has devoted much of her personal practice and professional work to chant and recorded Wellspring: Centering Chants for Uncertain Times by Kathy Wonson Eddy. Since 2020, she has been leading Taizé chant services both online and in person. Collaborations and relationships are central to Mary’s professional life as a singer and she enjoys close partnerships with pianist David Kaplan, Aizuri Quartet, Aeolus Quartet, Decoda, conductor Filippo Ciabatti, and numerous composers including premiering or commissioning works by Lembit Beecher, Susan Botti, Evan Premo, Shawn Jaeger, Eliza Brown, Evan Chambers, and C. Curtis Smith.
After studies at University of Michigan and Bard College (under Dawn Upshaw’s mentorship), she was invited to residence at SongFest, Fall Island, and Tanglewood. While at Tanglewood, she was honored with the Grace B. Jackson Prize and her performances of Schoenberg’s String Quartet no. 2, excerpts from Lutoslawski’s Chantefleurs et Chantefables, Grieg and Sibelius songs, and David Lang’s Just were received with great acclaim. Mary is featured on the NPR show Performance Today and appears on Albany Records. In between travels, she lives and makes music with her children in Vermont amongst the pine trees and flowers.
Lynnette Combs is an organist and harpsichordist, who has been active in the Vermont music scene for the past 40 years. She has given many solo organ recitals throughout the state and delights in introducing audiences to this wonderful and complicated instrument. She has organized the annual Bach organ marathon at Christ Church in Montpelier for the past eight years. Lynnette received a B.A. in music from Swarthmore College, where she studied organ with Robert Smart. She did further studies with Nancy Ludwig; 40 years playing for church services has provided a rich on-the-job training.
In addition to playing the organ, Lynnette has played harpsichord with many ensembles in Vermont, including the Eleva Chamber Players, Scrag Mountain Music, the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. She especially enjoys chamber music and working with soloists, both instrumental and vocal.
Lynnette lives in Montpelier, Vermont, and enjoys gardening, libraries, and her family.