Who’s who

• Name: Gabriela Elfriede BERGER
• Voice: Lyric Soprano
• Country: Austrian/Australian
• When you joined QCC: November 2017.
• Date of birth:
• Instrument(s) you can play: Piano, Flute
• Singing/Music background: 
• Studied piano, flute and voice due to my lifelong interest in music and performance arts. As a child I loved training in classical ballet and I loved music above all, in any form, but mostly classical. Wolferl (Mozart) and his sister Nannerl were an early inspiration and I studies their life and works. If you asked me about who I would like as dinner guests they would have to be musicians and writers.
• Many years of vocal training most recently with Giorgio Martin who has assessed my operatic vocal qualities and I continue to work with him throughout 2020.
• Member of the Regional Queensland Opera Choir, Australia, since 2008. Early training with the soprano Catarina Antony, who learned her craft from sister Mary Leo in New Zealand, where Dame Kiri Te Kanawa also started her training. Vocal training with renown classical base Arthur Johnson, specialist of German Lieder and song cycles, and conoisseur of the German opera/operetta. Participated in the Queensland opera chorus for a number of stage productions including “Die Fledermaus” and “The Barber of Seville”.
• Member of the Toowoomba Concert Band as second flute/first flute since 2012 and concerts are usually monthly with a wide repertoire that ranges from classical, to popular show tunes and songs, jazz, marches, church services, outdoor concerts and Easter and Christmas events. I also studied the piano for many years to be able to play popular classical tunes at intermediate level. Also sang with the band whenever required and did solo performances. We also have the “Magic Flute Trio” where we perform at small events and venues, usually I play with my triplet daughters as two of them are themselves accomplished flautists.
• Music competitions: I participate in classical music competitions regularly – the most recent competition I entered was the Beethoven 100. Beethoven’s 5th piano concerto in E flat major, the “Emperor” is one of my most loved musical adventures.
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Medical educator/medical anthropologist, PhD in women’s cross-cultural health experiences, currently managing Sidra’ Medicine’s medical education and accreditation portfolio for the clinical workforce (+3000 clincians). Published widely (Menopause and Culture, Pluto Press) in refereed public health journals. Internship at the World Health Organization, Manila, The Philippines.
• Hobbies: Health, sports (mountain climbing, running half-marathons, swimming, skiing, pilates, rowing, ice skating, bush walking, riding, tennis, table tennis etc), travel, Mediterranean food, books (literary fiction, crime – see extensive profile on goodreads, movies, classial concerts, gardening and landscape design, interior design and the environment.Would love to start a book group in Qatar and have been part of many book groups previously, enjoyed meeting writers from all over the world at the Brisbane Writers’ Festival each year. Regular subscriptions to concerts and plays, and regular trips to many overseas destinations each year. I amuse myself with playing a number of different flutes (crystal flutes) and the alto recorder, and also have a brand new accordeon. In terms of gardening I love permaculture and making an organic vegetable patch, I love to see things grow.
• Hobby coming up shortly: bell ringing. Just before I left Australia to take up my job in Doha I went to a class for bell ringing and as soon as I return I aim to become an honorary bell ringer – it is quite complicated as the various bells are pulled on long strings and where various patterns are played for different occasions, it does take time to train to become perfect.
• Vodcasts: as a keen crime reader I have been asked to participate in regular podcast when I review literary crime novels. New vodcasts coming up shortly (FastFiction podcasts).
• Currently writing a book on diet and health – since 2017 but still not finished. I promise to make more progress during the pandemic.

• Name :  Julie GEORGIOU
• Voice :  Soprano 1
• Country :  Greece
• When you joined QCC : September 2018
• Date of birth : 15 December 86
• Instrument(s) you can play : Piano
• Singing/Music background :  

I studied Classical Piano, Advanced Music Theory and Singing for 12 years in National Conservatory of Greece and Berklee College of Music. I have a strong 27+ year stage experience as a Concert Pianist (Soloist or part of Orchestras/Chamber Music Assembles) and Singer (Soloist/Choir Member/Leading Singer in Musicals).

I have been part of both amateur and professional choirs since the age of 6 and have performed a wide spectrum of choir repertoire (from Baroque and Classical to Gospel and Broadway). 

• Profession/Employment/Activity :  Piano Teacher, Certified HR Professional
• Hobbies :  Cooking, Reading Books, Swimming, Dancing, Movies, Video Games

• Name: Victoria (Tori) HYMAN
• Voice: Soprano 2 to Tenor 2
• Country: England
• When you joined QCC: 09/17
• Date of birth: 27 September 1982 
• Instrument(s) you can play: piano, flute
• Singing/Music background: have sung with church, chamber, cathedral choirs since a young age
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Head of Science at Doha College
• Hobbies: science, technology 
• A few more lines about you: I love all types of music, from jazz and blues to rock and country.

• Name: Alena PYNE
• Voice: Alto (and I have covered Tenor and Soprano 2)
• Country: Ireland
• When you joined QCC: September 2011. When I joined it was called simply the Bach Choir. The first committee comprised the founder Katrin Meingast and myself. My first concert with the Bach Choir and Doha Baroque Ensemble was Fauré’s Requiem, conducted by Ian White, performed to a packed house in the primary hall in Doha College Al Waab campus. Of all the venues I have performed in since, this hall has the best natural acoustic.
• Date of birth: 02 Jan
• Instrument(s) you can play: Used to play Irish harp, piano, tin whistle
• Singing/Music background: I have sung in choirs since I was 4 years old, starting in my parish choir in my home church, at the College of Music in Dublin, other church, school and community choirs back home.  I started leading choirs with Doha Children’s Choir end 2013 in the absence of any community choir available for children. This choir has evolved over time to Qatar Youth Choir and Qatar Junior Choir.
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Choral Conductor, Music Teacher
• Hobbies: Singing with my family and friends, reading, all things food…cooking, baking and eating! dancing, gardening, walking (hill walking elsewhere!). I enjoy hand-crafts when I have time.
• A few more lines about you: I enjoy all genres of music except ‘Country and Western’ combined and I enjoy watching and participating in all forms of dance, especially folk dancing… except line dancing!

• Name: Marie Madeleine REIS
• Voice: Alto (Tenor if needed)
• Country: Belgium
• When you joined QCC: April 2013
• Date of birth: 12 November 1949 
• Instrument(s) you can play:
• Singing/Music background: Singing since the age of 12 years in Belgium, Germany, Venezuela, Mallorca and Qatar –   Singing with QCC since April 2013 (Doha Bach Choir, at that time  –   In my long association with singing in choirs,  have had the great pleasure of singing most of the greatest choral Masterpieces
• Profession/Employment/Activity: I am a shadow teacher for children with learning difficulties like dyslexia and teaching French, German and Spanish in schools and/or in an Education center
• Hobbies: reading, walking, beach, movies, theatre and concerts
• A few more lines about you: I am the librarian of QCC, a member of the QCC Committee and Deputy chairperson of “Sing Qatar” – I listen to many different kinds of music but my favorite is the classical especially the baroque for choirs

• Name: Adele IFAN
• Voice: Alto – I have also sung tenor and soprano 2.
• Country: British, English
• When you joined QCC: January 2019
• Date of birth: 25 December 1975
• Instrument(s) you can play: Violin – I am currently learning how to play the Cello and I can play a little piano.
• Singing/Music background: My singing background is mainly through school choirs (in which I sang a solo during the production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury) and amateur dramatic musicals such as Oklahoma. I also spent one summer taking part in a musical theatre course in London. I was lucky enough in 2014 to audition for and gain a part in the Doha Players production of Les Miserables. I also play the violin and have passed my grade 8 and therefore able to read music. I play for the Doha Strings currently and have played for the first violins in the Doha Community Orchestra.
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Secondary Science Teacher (not currently working)
• Hobbies: Cross-fit, horse riding.

• Name : Ada VAHTRIK
• Voice : Alto 1 (previously Soprano 2)
• Country : Estonia
• When you joined QCC : January 2018
• Date of birth : 4 April 1960
• Instrument(s) you can play : Have not practiced any instrument for 30 years. Can find the notes on the piano still…
• Singing background : Singing for as long as I remember. Children choirs during school studies. 1981 -1990 Estonian Philarmonic Chamber Choir- professional singer (soprano 2) concert tours in 25 countries, conductor Tõnu Kaljuste. Repertoire from Veljo Tormis, Arvo Pärt and other estonian composers to Bach, Monteverdi, Haydn, Poulenc etc.
• Musical education: Childrenś Music School 1968-1975 (piano) Tallinn Music College (singing and choir conducting) 1977-1981
  Tallinn University (choir conducting and culture management) 1985-1990 10 years in the choir of my hospital in Tallinn 2007-2017 (soprano 2)
• Profession/Employment/Activity : 
  Since 2002 working as midwife- lactation consultant, now in Sidra Medicine
• Hobbies :
  I enjoy gardening , crocheting, exploring new things (my love youtube!)

• Name : Vaida Balčiūnaitė Salameh
• Voice : Alto
• Country : Lithuania
• When you joined QCC : January 2019
• Date of birth : 8 March
• Instrument(s) you can play : Accordion
• Singing/Music background : Music School (1996-2002), Youth Choir
• Profession/Employment/Activity : Economist by profession, currently working as Executive Assistant, focusing on Business Analysis & Development
• Hobbies : Music, Reading, Hiking, Team sports, Travelling, Crafts
• A few more lines about you : 

• Name: Tatiana USOVA
• Voice: Alto
• Country: Canada – Belarus
• When you joined QCC: February 2018
• Date of birth: 14 September
• Singing/Music background: Played piano as a kid, sang in two choirs: la Chorale Saint-Jean with Dr. Laurier Fagnan and Cosmopolitan Music society choir with Jamie Burns
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Librarian
• Hobbies: I love dancing, volleyball, learning, reading and communicating with inspiring, charismatic people
• A few more lines about you: I like to listen to soft Jazz, Bossa Nova

• Name: Rawan Shayboub MAHFOUD
• Country: Lebanon
• Birth date: 23 July
• When you joined QCC: September 2015
• Singing/music background:
• Instruments(s): Learned the flute (recorder) in school for about 6 years. But never touched it after
• Profession/employment/activity: Stay at home woman of leisure 😉
• Hobbies:
• A few more lines about yourself: I’m a firm believer in the goodness of people and that we’re all here to help each other and give each other positive energy. I love singing, mostly group singing… been singing in choirs ever since I started university more than 2 decades ago. There’s something about the unifying energy produced in group singing that I absolutely love.

• Name: Irene THEODOROPOULOU
• Voice: Alto 2
• Country: Greece
• When you joined QCC: September 2019
• Date of birth: 21 December
• Instrument(s) you can play: Flute
• Singing/Music background: (education, other choirs you’ve sung with, etc.)
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Associate Professor of Linguistics, Qatar University
  Hobbies : exercising, traveling, cinema, theater, puzzling
• A few more lines about you: for me, music is like oxygen. Hence, I listen to it all the time, while I am walking, exercising, driving, working in front of my screen, etc. My favorite Western classical music composers include Bach, Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev, and from contemporary artists and bands I love very diverse artists’ work, including Ludovico Einaudi, Zbigniew Preisner, DJ Tiesto, Coldplay, Evanescence, Lady Antebellum, and Oasis. I also enjoy listening to Greek artistic, pop, and rock music (Manos Chatzidakis, Alkinoos Ioannidis, Orfeas Peridis, and Dimitra Galani are my favorite composers) as well as music from the Far East (especially the Japanese Koto musicians Nanae Yoshimura and Kimio Eto)

• Name: Mehdi RIFAI
• Voice: Tenor
• Country: Syria – Canada
• When you joined QCC: January 2020
• Date of birth: 20 December 1981
• Singing/Music background: Sang with the Berytus Chorale and AUB Choir from 1999 – 2004
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Currently employed as a bilingual copywriter for a public relations
corporate communications department in a logistics company
• Hobbies: Organizer of a writer’s group and a reading group (not a book club, 
but a group where we can read together). I also enjoy traveling and 
trying new restaurants
• A few more lines about you: I have a wide range of eclectic musical tastes, but I do enjoy a female vocalist in almost any musical genre. I used to get my new music from watching TV shows, but it seems I get more new music from Tik Tok these days. I have two indoor cats, and I care for about 4 outside cats in my garden (they’re resident strays, my neighbours, essentially).

• Name: Sean WINCHESTER
• Voice: Tenor 1 and 2
• Country: Canada
• When you joined QCC: November 2019
• Date of birth: 7 October
• Instrument(s) you can play: Piano (fairly well), Trombone (intermediate level)
• Music background: University of Toronto; Bachelor of Music, in Music Education. Queen’s University; Bachelor of Education, Intermediate/Senior Music
• Choirs: a Jeunesse SATB Chamber Choir (Cobourg, Ontario, Canada), University of Toronto MacMillan Singers, Shanghai International Choral League, Qatar Concert Choir
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Music teacher (secondary division)
• Hobbies: Choir! (singing and conducting); Composing and arranging; Musical theatre; Running
• A few more lines about you: I love orchestral and choral music of all kinds – late Romantic Russian works especially! I enjoy indie and folk rock, and lots more.

• Name: Martin FAZON
• Voice: Tenor 2 (previously Baritone)
• Country: The Philippines
• When you joined QCC: December 2019
• Date of birth: 3 January 1987
• Music Background/Education: Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, Maj. In English, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines UST Liturgikon Vocal Ensemble (2004 – 2008), Manila, Philippines Master Class with Maestro Jae-Joon Lee (S.Korea), 2008 Trained with UST Singers 2004 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod 2010 – Grand Prize – Choir of the World and The Pavarotti Trophy I also started singing in the Church Choir since I was 13.
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Sales Support/Office Administrator
• Hobbies: Mobile games !!
• A few more lines about you: I like crossover music, especially those sung by Il Divo and Josh Groban. I also like singing classical music, negro spiritual music by Moses Hogan (i.e. Elijah Rock, Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel, The Battle of Jericho) and hearth-warming pieces by Allen Pote (i.e. We Are One, Prayer of St. Francis) But my first love and still go crazy if they go for concert tour in the Philippines – THE BACKSTREET BOYS. LoL

• Name : Béatrice Truyffaut
• Voice : Alto 2 / Tenor 1
• Country : Belgium
• When you joined QCC : September 2015
• Date of birth : 14 November
• Instrument(s) you can play : (very basic) piano
• Singing/Music background : I’ve sung in many different choirs since my university time, in Belgium and in Qatar (British choir, Chorale du Centre Culturel Français de Doha, Doha Singers, QPO Chorus, and currently QCC and Doha Chamber Choir)
• Profession/Employment/Activity : Freelance web designer

• Name: Andrea ROYER
• Voice: Tenor 1 and Alto
• Country: United States of America
• When you joined QCC: October 2019
• Date of birth: 13 November
• Singing/Music background: Milwaukee Symphony Chorus (2000-2001), Choral Arts Society of Washington, DC (2015-2017) and music degree from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point (2004)
• Employment/Activity: Diplomat, U.S. Embassy

• Name: Cem GURCAN
• Voice: Bass
• Country: Turkey
• When you joined QCC: November 2019
• Date of birth: 24/05/1975
• Instrument(s) you can play: Acoustic/Electric Guitars, Oud
• Singing/Music background: Bachelor’s in Music Teaching – Faculty of Education / Department of Music Teacher Education (four years of full-time study) at Marmara University (Istanbul, Turkey)
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Music Teacher, Al Khor International School/Qatar
• Hobbies: Music, photography, video shooting, traveling, bike.

• Name: Ashley ROBINSON
• Voice: Bass
• Country: UK, Canada
• When you joined QCC: 2017 (approximately)
• Date of birth: 20 April
• Instrument(s) you can play: piano, flute, organ
• Singing/Music background: I was awarded a scholarship to music school at
  age 10 and attended until age 19. I attained my performers diploma in
  pianoforte at age 18. I am an Associate of the London College of Music (ALCM).
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Physician
• Hobbies: Music, cooking, travel, photography
• A few more lines about you: I love baroque and romantic eras

• Name: Ahmed EL HELOU
• Voice: Bass (usually Bass 2)
• Country: Egypt
• When you joined QCC: September 2017
• Date of birth: 12 September 1979
• Instrument(s) you can play: Basic violin and cello
• Singing/Music background: QCC is my first choir. Cello conservatory education during primary and middle school.
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Engineering/construction – Consultant
• Hobbies: Fitness related activities
• A few more lines about you:

I love anything that is polyphonic. My favorite music is of the Baroque era. I love music in general including modern rock/pop/ whatever music as long as it is properly done.

All my personal traits (the good and the bad ones) are parked outside QCC because I genuinely I meditate when in rehearsal.

• Name: Julie SOTTIAUX (= maiden name, I don’t go by my husband’s name, we mainly don’t in Belgium but his last name is LOWIE)
• Voice: Soprano (mezzo-alto 1)
• Country: Belgium-Luxembourg
• When you joined QCC:
• …and left ( for alumni ):
• Date of birth: October 16
• Instrument(s) you can play: Clarinett
• Singing/Music background:-Académie de musique d’Arlon (Belgium)- Classe de Tilman Côme- Chorale Du Beynert Jean Bruyère from 1989-1994 (direction Hélène Bernady-soprano)

  – 1995 Won Illinois State selection for Illinois  District Choir – New Lenox USA

  – 2012-2014 Doha Singers

  -September 2014-june 2015 Doha Bach Choir (QCC)

  -September- currently: Chorale du Beynert Jean-Bruyère (direction F.Levaque)

  -since September 2019- At Académie de musique d’Arlon- Class of France Émond -Lyric Singing -1st level

• Profession/Employment/Activity: Economist-  almost 20 years in Dredging business (first as Project Finance and administration Manager, on projects abroad until June 2015) now in Head Office as Crewing Officer.
• Hobbies: Gardening, running, cycling, hiking
• A few more lines about you:

I Like all good music but not too loud. I love silence and listening to the birds.

Music has helped me through all my voyages and … fun fact: in all countries I’ve lived in, I registered to a class to study the language…

I speak fluently French, English, Spanish, Dutch

I speak some German, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia

I can read 5 alphabets; Latin, Cyrillic, Greek Arabic and… Music (2keys only 😉

• Name  Friederike de Maeyer
• Voice: Soprano 1
• Country: Belgium- Germany
• When you joined QCC: primarily Doha Bach Choir, February 2013
• …and left: still DBC, March 2016
• Date of birth: 21/05/62 in Ukkle, Belgium
• Instrument(s) you can play: Piano
• Singing/Music background: Laureat Piano at Lemmens Institut in Leuven, Belgium
  Current Choirs: Herzogenberg Kammerchor, Graz – Austria
  Studio Chor des Johann Fux Konservatorium, Graz
  I love all kind of classical music but I also love Fairuz and then folk music and klezmer music.
• Profession/Employment/Activity: trainer for German as Second language and consultant at zam Graz (center for educational management)
• Hobbies: Singing, Playing Piano, Reading, Travelling, Handcraft
• A few more lines about you: I’m Godmother of Naim from Afghanistan, who joined our family in 2016

• Name:  Caroline CAMISULI
• Voice:  Soprano 2
• Country:  France
• When you joined QCC:  January 2018
• …and left:  January 2020
• Date of birth: 09/07/1977
• Instrument(s) you can play: none (very beginner piano)
• Singing/Music background:  QMA 2017-2020
• Profession/Employment/Activity:  Principal Wholesale negotiator in Telecommunications
• Hobbies:  drama, swimming, travels
• A few more lines about you: I discovered the wonderful world of singing only few years ago when my son joined QMA and  they proposed me a spot for singing classes.   I loved it so much that I then joined theory class, Doha players for musical, QCC and piano. 

• Name: AnnChristine WILKE (maiden name Richter)
• Voice: Soprano1 (and S2 if needed)  
• Country: Germany 
• When you joined QCC: september 2018 
• Left: May 2020
• Date of birth: 19 January
• Singing/Music background: several school choirs in high school, Landesjugendgospelchor Baden-Württemberg, Purple Chariots (gospel choir), company band “The Lucky Unblinded”, several choir projects and participation in CD recordings
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Conference Interpreter and Translator (German, English, French and Spanish), German Language teacher, Tourist Guide and at the moment full-time mother
• Hobbies: Traveling, Singing, Reading, Dancing (especially Bachata and Salsa), Swimming

• Name:  Nancy McDONNELL
• Voice: Alto
• Country: U.S.A
• When you joined QCC: 2015
• …and left: 2018
• Date of birth: January 28
• Instrument(s) you can play: Flute
• Singing/Music background: Shenandoah Conservatory of Music graduate – Voice

Currently singing with the Master Chorale of South Florida (before the pandemic 😢) Many church choirs.

• Hobbies: Snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, travel,
• A few more lines about you: I like some of all kinds of music, favorite classical music.

• Name: Alibek TNALIYEV
• Voice: Tenor
• Country: Kazakhstan
• When you joined QCC: December 2017
• Date of birth: 7 March 1986
• Instrument(s) you can play: Guitar
• Singing/Music background: I was singing only for myself as a hobby without participating in any choirs previously. QCC is my first and only choir😊
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Head of Digital Marketing at Snoonu
• Hobbies: reading
• A few more lines about you: I like different types of music from classic to rock.

• Name: Santosh JACOB
• Voice: Tenor and falsetto
• Country: Canada – India
• When you joined QCC: 2014 ( Doha Bach Choir)
• …and left: 2017
• Date of birth: 24 July
• Instrument(s) you can play: guitar
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Data & Analytics
• Hobbies: Playing Squash / Swimming / Running/ Working Out / Cooking / Gardening 
• A few more lines about you: Easy going, fun loving, Could not leave learning music.

• Name: Anwar Qais AL NIMRI
• Voice: Bass 1 and I can Cover Tenor 2 (Baritone)
• Country: Jordan
• When you joined QCC: August 2017
• …and left: May 2019
• Date of birth: 25/07/1988
• Singing/Music background:
  • Youth Excellence on Stage Program – 2011 – Jordan.
  • Conducting, Voice and Choir performing.
  • Voice Techniques and Performance – (Jordan Academy for Music) 2009-2011
  • ASWATUNA Festival 2012
  • Choirs Joined:

• Profession/Employment/Activity:  Civil Engineer since 2011 / Construction Field / Jordan (5) + Qatar (4)
• Hobbies: Travelling and Choral Singing
• A few more lines about you: I like Classical Baroque, Arabic Bands, Latin Music

• Name: Samuel Oluwaseun OLUWAFEMI
• Voice: Bass (Baritone)
• Country: Nigeria
• When you joined QCC: 2017
• Date of birth: 27 July
• Instrument(s) you can play: I play the Piano and the Violin – above beginner’s level 
• Background: No formal music Education. Learned music from the church (choir). And later on, took lots of online music courses and attended couple of music seminars
• Profession/Employment/Activity: Occupational Safety and Health Engineer
• Hobbies: Other than music, the other hobby I’ve got is watching Soccer.
• A few more lines about you: Music has always been my best companion from childhood and especially when faced with challenging circumstances, something I can’t be tired of. I’m shy (a bit introverted) but becomes the exact opposite at comfortable situations and, I’ve got a huge sense of humor.