Voice

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Aaron Gray (he/him) is a pianist who, at the age of 8, started taking piano lessons under the tutelage of his grandmother, Frances. In college, he held the position of Rehearsal Pianist for the music department and accompanied and served as the assistant music director for various performances, including the opera Beautiful Bridegroom by Dan Shore and for the departmental musicals. He has served as music director for various local community theaters, high schools and colleges, and has also played for Saint Vincent Summer Theater’s professional summer stock. Aaron has also served as the organist/music director at various churches and was most recently the Music Director at Christ United Methodist Church in Scottsdale, Pa. He is also the studio accompanist for Mezzo-Soprano Maureen Miller. 

In the past, he has served as the associate conductor for Westmoreland Choral Society and was the accompanist for Murrysville Masterworks Chorale. He received his bachelor’s degree in piano performance and studied under Mr. Thomas Octave (Voice/Conducting), Fr. Cyprian Constantine (Organ), Mrs. Susanna Lemberskaya (Vocal Coaching/Accompaniment) and Mrs. Lisa Zubritsky (Piano). Aaron currently owns, operates and teaches at Practice Makes Perfect Music Studio, serves as a teacher for the Piano Sensei.

When not performing or teaching Aaron likes to spend his free time with his wife Julia and daughter Cadence.

Soprano Chantal Braziel is known for the beauty, passion, and magnitude of her voice. She infuses spirit and artistry in every performance, from arias to spirituals. Ms. Braziel has coached with the internationally acclaimed soprano, Latonia Moore, and she was a participant in Angel Blue's Opera Training Studio, and performed in the Masterclass with the international tenor, James Valenti, through Angel Blue's Training Studio. Ms. Braziel is a passionate classical singer who has performed both locally and internationally, and she also advocated for the National Opera House here in Pittsburgh, PA founded by classical opera pioneer, Madame Mary Cardwell Dawson, in the Homewood section of the city. When the owner of the opera house, Jonnet Solomon, was searching for local artists to help with the preservation, Chantal felt obligated to help. With the help of her fellow soprano colleague, she helped create the Opera House challenge, which was a video of her performing on the steps of the opera house and brought awareness to internationally acclaimed artists; and this led to artists and organizations donating to the opera house.  This year, Chantal won 2nd Place in the Birmingham International Online Vocal Competition. In 2021, Ms. Braziel won the Special Mention Award in the Medici International Vocal Competition. She also received the Women of Excellence Aspiring Artist Award through the Grace City Opera Theatre. Ms. Braziel is the Encouragement winner of the 2020 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Auditions in the Pittsburgh District.  In 2023, Ms. Braziel attended the international summer training program, the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) program held in Graz, Austria. While attending the program, she was the guest soloist and performed with the AIMS orchestra; the featured soloist in the Spiritual concert and was a semi-finalist in the AIMS Meistersinger Competition. Ms. Braziel was also featured with the River City Brass Orchestra in Pittsburgh as a guest soloist in their concert of Porgy and Bess Meets Rhapsody in Blue. She was featured on the Classical WQED-FM 89.5 radio station as a guest performer for the station's 50th Anniversary. Chantal also performed the National Anthem for both the American Professional baseball and hockey teams, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Penguins. She was the featured soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in the Lift Every Voice concert at Heinz Hall and returned in the ensemble of Lift Every Voice in October 2022, and February 2024. In 2019, Ms. Braziel made her Metropolitan Opera Debut in the ensemble of the 2019 /2020 Grammy Award-winning production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess; she returned in the revival of Porgy and Bess in 2021, and she performed in the chorus of the Jessye Norman memorial, held at the Metropolitan Opera. Ms. Braziel also performed in the ensemble of the world-premiere production of Pittsburgh Opera's The Summer King: The Story of Josh Gibson.   Chantal is a native of Pittsburgh, PA, and sings at local performance venues in the area. She continues to perform, and currently works as a full-time substitute teacher at CAPA 6-12.