Christopher LaCroix,
Alma Choir ‘02
Chris is on the road this year performing the role of the Butler with the National Touring Company of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Originally of Manistique, MI, Christopher first seriously studied voice with Vicki Walker while attending Alma College in Alma MI. He toured throughout the country and internationally with the prestigious Alma Choir. In addition to performing as a soloist with this group, he also fronted works with the Alma Symphony Orchestra and Alma Jazz Band. Chris earned his Bachelor’s Degree of Music from Alma earning departmental honors and graduating cum laude. He was accepted into the Music Theatre program at The Steinhardt School at New York University. While there he studied voice and acting with Brian Gill, William Wesbrooks, Diane Ciesla, and Meg Bussert and performed in Ragtime, Hands Across the Sea, Shadow Play, and Parade. Chris entered the professional world upon earning his Master of Arts in Music – Vocal Performance/Music Theatre. He was soon featured on the stages of New York City in the world premieres of three separate works: Thorstein Veblen’s Theory of the Leisure Class, Gertrude Stein Gets a Jump Early On, and The Last Days of Cleopatra.
Kristen Dubenion-Smith
Alma Choir '02
Write to Kristen at kcdubenionsmith@gmail.com
Kristen studied voice at Alma College with Dr. Will Nichols and Prof. Victoria Walker. Kristen was privileged to be able to tour the United States and over seas with the Alma College Choir as well as being a featured soloist in works such as Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion and Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Alma College Symphony Orchestra. After Alma, Kristen was invited to study at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland where she received an MM in vocal performance. Some of her notable performances while at Peabody include Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Fairy in Cendrillon and Humility in Ordo Virtutum. Kristen also worked with the Peabody Renaissance ensemble, serving as the featured soloist in Charpentier’s Litanies de la Vierge and Messe de Minuit. In the summer of 2005, Kristen was invited to perform the roles of La Baronne in Chérubin and Suzanne in La Mère Coupable with New Jersey Opera Theater. While Kristen loves to perform opera, her true passion lies in concert and recital work. Most recently, Kristen has traveled the United States performing concerts with the early music ensembles The Catacoustic Consort of Cincinnati, Magnificat of San Francisco, The Bach and Baroque Ensemble of Pittsburgh, The Handel Choir of Baltimore as well as performing with the Baltimore Shakespeare Festival and D.C. Early Music Festival. Kristen has a busy year ahead of her, giving a concert at the Berkley Early Music Festival with Magnificat and hitting the road once again with American Opera Theater, performing in the operas David et Jonathas, La Calisto, Acis and Galatea, Dido and Aeneas and Venus and Adonis.
Ryan Shephard OMS-1
Alma Choir '06 / bass
Dr. Steven Shephard, D.O.
Alma Choir '02 / bass
Majors: Exercise and Health Science
Between the two of us, during our years in the Alma Choir, we visited and performed in 15 states and 6 countries including Poland, Czech Republic, France, Belgium, Holland, and Canada -- and sang in Washington DC, New York City, Paris, Krakow, Warsaw and Prague.
AND, we had time to study! Both of us were accepted into MSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine straight out of Alma. Steven is now a medical resident in Obstetrics and Ryan is preparing for his medical externship.
Write to Ryan at shephar5@msu.edu
Choir Tour 1995
