Bach: Cantata BWV 147 / Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring

Cynthia Johnson, soprano, is the Director of Music and Worship Arts at Broad Street United Methodist Church in Cleveland, Tennessee, where she directs the adult, children’s, and handbell choirs, and teaches music to preschool children. She is also a part-time vocal instructor at Lee University. Cynthia frequently performs as soloist for sacred choral works, such as Messiah, Elijah, the cantatas of Bach, and the Requiem settings of Fauré, Brahms, and Rutter. Her operatic roles include Angelica in Puccini’s Suor Angelica, Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, and Sandman in the CSO performance of Hansel and Gretel. Cynthia holds a B.S. in music therapy from Tennessee Technological University and an M.M. in vocal performance from Lee University. She enjoys teaching young adults, both in the voice studio and in the church setting, helping to prepare them for music ministry.

Suranjan Sen, alto, is originally from Greeneville, Tennessee, where he first developed a love for classical music through high school choir. After earning a bachelor’s degree at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, Suranjan was a full-time musician for several years. Three of those years he spent touring with small ensembles, performing genres ranging from early music to jazz and soul. With that time on the road came a change of mind, however, and Suranjan decided to pursue a career in the legal profession. Suranjan pursued his studies, graduating from Yale Law School, then clerked for a federal judge on the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Now, he spends most of his time practicing litigation at a public-interest, nonprofit law firm that seeks to safeguard and expand constitutional liberties. But, every now and then, he is grateful to say, he gets to practice some music.

American tenor Christopher Tenor Christopher Reames enjoys an engaging career as a concert artist and recitalist. He is a recent finalist in national competitions with the Joy in Singing, NY Oratorio Society, Art Song Preservation Society of NY, and NATS organizations. Christopher has performed operatic roles in Oberon, Lucia di Lammermoor, The Turn of the Screw, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Zaide, and Die Zauberflöte. Concert performances include The Creation, Elijah, Messiah, J. S. Bach’s Magnificat, Christmas Oratorio, St. John and St. Matthew Passions, as well as several sacred cantatas, often with the Chattanooga Bach Choir. Christopher is a former fellowship recipient at the Tanglewood and Aspen Music Festivals. Visit christopherreames.com for more.

Matthew Hoch, bass, is professor of voice at Auburn University. His professional oratorio experience includes many works by J. S. Bach—including the B Minor Mass, St Matthew Passion, St John Passion, and Christmas Oratorio — Haydn’s Paukenmesse, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem, Fauré’s Requiem, Duruflé’s Requiem, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, Vaughan Williams’s Five Mystical Songs, Fantasia on Christmas Carols, and Dona Nobis Pacem, Stainer’s Crucifixion, Dubois’ Seven Last Words of Christ, Maunder’s Olivet to Calvary, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Dvořák’s Te Deum, Saint-Saëns’ Oratorio de Noël, and Orff’s Carmina Burana. He is the author or editor of nine books and has published numerous articles in professional and academic journals. In addition to his academic life, Dr. Hoch serves as choirmaster and minister of music at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Auburn, Alabama. He holds the BM from Ithaca College, MM from the Hartt School, and DMA from the New England Conservatory.