Sarah van der Ploeg
soprano
SARAH VAN DER PLOEG is an American lyric soprano who has been singing since before she could speak. Praised as a singing actor for her “thoughtful musicality”, “clarity of tone” and “versatility”, the New Jersey native has performed in London, New York, Chicago, Vienna, and elsewhere around the US and Europe. Equally at home on stage, in concert halls, and in recital, she particularly loves 20th Century & contemporary music and composer collaborations. Performance highlights: world premiere of staged Gary Fry work with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; “Une bête” in Ravel’s L’Enfant with Esa Pekka Salonen and CSO; Stella/Muse in Pittsburgh Festival Opera’s Tales of Hoffmann: Retold; solo turns at the Royal Albert Hall and Wigmore Hall; Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream with Civic Orchestra of Chicago; Barber’s Knoxville with Lake Forest Civic Orchestra; staged production of David Lang’s the little match girl passion; Mozart’s Requiem with Chicago Chamber Orchestra & Elmhurst Choral Union; Rosalinda (Die Fledermaus) at Northwestern; Encouragement Award, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions; First place, Chicago NATS. Sarah holds degrees from the Royal Academy of Music (Diane Forlano), Northwestern University (Theresa Brancaccio & Alan Darling), and Princeton University (Public Policy & Music Performance). A Marshall Scholar, she believes deeply in the communicative power of the arts for cultural diplomacy and reconciliation, and works through music outreach and education in addition to performance in pursuit of these aims. sarahvanderploeg.weebly.com
Bridget Skaggs
mezzo-soprano, Executive Director
Mezzo-soprano BRIDGET SKAGGS has swiftly gained the attention of Chicago audiences for her "warm and plaintive" singing (Chicago Classical Review) across a broad range of genres, including classical, contemporary, avant-garde, jazz, and musical theater. Critics have noted the way she “lights up the scene” (Chicago Reader) in appearances with Chicago Fringe Opera, Chicago Folks Operetta, Haymarket Summer Opera, Lake Forest Civic Orchestra, Baroque on Beaver Festival, Opera Steamboat, and Pittsburgh Festival Opera. A passionate advocate for art song, Skaggs is a founding member and executive director of vocal quartet Fourth Coast Ensemble, and was recently named Vocal Arts Associate for Chicago Fringe Opera. She has twice been awarded the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago's vocal chamber fellowship, and performed for master clinicians Martin Katz, Michelle DeYoung, and Craig Terry. Skaggs loves collaborating with composers to promote and perform new repertoire. She co-hosted the Chicago premiere of the Sparks & Wiry Cries songSLAM competition for new art song in 2019, and sang for the 2016 NATS national convention in music of Gwyneth Walker. Skaggs debuted the role of Austin in the world-premiere production of Rossa Crean’s The Great God Pan in 2018, which received The American Prize in Opera Performance. She will record music by composer Lori Laitman this year, and has recorded the American premiere of Paul Abraham's jazz operetta Ball at the Savoy for future release. A native of Southlake, Texas, Bridget received her education at Oklahoma City University's Wanda L. Bass School of Music, and resides in Chicago.
Ace Gangoso
tenor
ACE GANGOSO, tenor, enjoys an eclectic musical career in Chicago as a singer, music director, pianist, and teacher. Ace joined Fourth Coast Ensemble in the fall of 2019, adding to his ongoing singing engagements with the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Grant Park Chorus, and Chicago a cappella. His recent appearances as a concert soloist include Mozart’s Requiem, Schubert’s Mass in G (DuPage Chorale), Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (Chicago Choral Artists), and various performances with the Bach Cantata Vespers (Grace Lutheran-River Forest).
Ace is the Director of Music Ministry at St. Nicholas Parish in Evanston where he oversees several choirs and musical groups. Additionally, he is a pianist for the Chicago Black Catholics Choir and a supplementary staff musician at several parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Ace is also a private voice instructor at Highland Park High School.
A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Ace became a Chicagoan in 2010 and currently resides in the Andersonville neighborhood. Ace holds Bachelor’s Degrees in Music Education and Voice Performance from the University of Central Arkansas, and a Master’s Degree in Voice Performance from Northwestern University; he continues voice study with NU Professor W. Stephen Smith. He is a proud alumni member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the world’s oldest and largest fraternal society in music.
Ace is the Director of Music Ministry at St. Nicholas Parish in Evanston where he oversees several choirs and musical groups. Additionally, he is a pianist for the Chicago Black Catholics Choir and a supplementary staff musician at several parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Ace is also a private voice instructor at Highland Park High School.
A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Ace became a Chicagoan in 2010 and currently resides in the Andersonville neighborhood. Ace holds Bachelor’s Degrees in Music Education and Voice Performance from the University of Central Arkansas, and a Master’s Degree in Voice Performance from Northwestern University; he continues voice study with NU Professor W. Stephen Smith. He is a proud alumni member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the world’s oldest and largest fraternal society in music.
David Govertsen
bass-baritone
Chicago native DAVID GOVERTSEN has been active as a professional singer for fifteen years, portraying a wide variety of opera’s low-voiced heroes, villains, and buffoons. An alumnus of the Ryan Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, he has performed ten roles with the company, most recently appearing as Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte and King Priam in Les Troyens. This past season he also appeared at Santa Fe Opera as Frank in Die Fledermaus, and he created the role of Stoever in Stewart Copeland’s The Invention of Morel for Chicago Opera Theater.
As a concert soloist Mr. Govertsen has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Grant Park Symphony, Santa Fe Symphony and Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival among many others. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2011 as the Herald in Otello with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Muti. He is an alumnus of both the Santa Fe Opera and Central City Opera apprentice programs and holds degrees from Northwestern University, Northern Illinois University and the College of DuPage. Mr. Govertsen is currently on faculty at Valparaiso University, Lewis University, and the College of DuPage.
As a concert soloist Mr. Govertsen has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Grant Park Symphony, Santa Fe Symphony and Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival among many others. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2011 as the Herald in Otello with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Muti. He is an alumnus of both the Santa Fe Opera and Central City Opera apprentice programs and holds degrees from Northwestern University, Northern Illinois University and the College of DuPage. Mr. Govertsen is currently on faculty at Valparaiso University, Lewis University, and the College of DuPage.
Gretchen Eng
Communications Director
Communications Director
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Gretchen Eng has worn many hats in the Chicago arts scene for 15 years, from producing shows at Second City as a teenager to working in music administration with the chorus, orchestra, and dancers at Lyric Opera (as a young adult). Currently, she works as a consultant, comedian, and professional voiceover artist. Recently, she oversaw the transition of her headlining comedy team, Devil’s Daughter, into an online training center, social works collective, and podcast network upon the pandemic-induced closing of the iO Theater. There, she also served as producer and castmate of iO’s flagship show, The Armando Diaz Experience, while instructing all levels in the theater's Training Center.
Gretchen has improvised and taught all over the world, working with a wide array of groups including Cambridge Footlights International Touring Company in the U.K., the 16th Annual Würzburger Improtheaterfestival, Barcelona Improv Group's BIG IF 5, and the Improvember Festival in Munich. She is currently an adjunct professor in Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts and serves as Children’s Music Assistant at St. Paul and the Redeemer in Hyde Park. At Vassar College, she majored in Music and German Studies while studying voice with Drew Minter; there, she produced many an art song recital, including an authentic 1825 Schubertiad parlor concert. Working with Fourth Coast Ensemble simultaneously scratches many of her artistic itches and she’s grateful to be a part of an organization she so admires. |
Ashley McKinstry
Production Assistant
Production Assistant
Ashley McKinstry is a Chicago based soprano originally from Sioux Falls, SD. Her operatic roles include: Rosalinda/Die Fledermaus, Lady Liberty/The Proposal, First Lady/Die Zauberflöte, Arminda/La finta Giardiniera, Ruth Putnam/The Crucible, La Fortuna/L'incoronazione di Poppea, Jeannie/The Reformed Drunkard, and Mrs. Gobineau/The Medium. As an ensemble member, her operatic credits include: La Bohème with MIOpera, and Die Zauberflöte and Die Fledermaus with Sound of South Dakota. Her concert ensemble credits include: Verdi/Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín, Beethoven/Symphony No.9 with Chicago Sinfonietta, Mendelssohn/A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Chicago Civic Orchestra. Ashley performed as a soloist in Britten/Rejoice in the Lamb with the USD Concert Choir. McKinstry attended MIOpera (2019), Opera Steamboat (2018), Chicago Summer Opera (2017/18) and OperaWorks, Advanced Artist Program (2016). She holds a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from Roosevelt University, CCPA, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from The University of South Dakota. Currently, she studies with Allan Glassman.
