Our Vision

Musaic's vision is a to share beautiful and compelling men's a cappella singing with the Bay Area community. Our music is rooted in classical choral traditions, through a repertoire that includes a wide range of genres and a variety of languages. The members of Musaic are passionate about men's ensemble singing, and devote a great deal of time to the group outside of their day jobs in order to bring artistic balance and musical fellowship to their lives.

Musaic began in 2000 as a few friends gathering to sing for their own pleasure. By 2001, we grew to eight members, performed our first concert, and took the name Musaic to represent a mosaic of song and voice. In 2002, we became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. In 2005, we hired our first paid Artistic Director, and by 2006, we found a professional rehearsal space. In 2007, we formed a Foundational board to help us realize our vision on a sustained basis, finished our third CD, and were featured in our first Youtube video. In 2008 we re-focused our goals on collaborative and benefit concerts in the Bay Area, received our first CD review, and finished our 54th performance. We grew to ten singers in 2009, and are currently working on our second Christmas CD to be released in late Summer 2010.

Our Music

Audition for Musaic

Musaic is always looking for talented male singers. If you're interested in auditioning please fill out the following form and click Submit. Your information will be forwarded to our artistic director who will contact you if we have an opening that matches your skills. Visit our Auditions page for more information.

Who We Are

Musaic's current members bring to their vocal music decades of combined musical experience in community and professional or semi-professional singing groups.

Justin MontigneJustin Montigne Artistic Director

An accomplished singer of concert, operatic, and choral music, Justin continues with us this year as our artistic director, bringing an enthusiasm and set of skills that builds on the successes of the group. He has sung with Chanticleer, the Minnesota Opera, Western Plains Opera, Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, Philharmonia Baroque, Seraphic Fire, the Schubert Club of Minnesota, Exultate Chamber Orchestra, and City Concert Opera in San Francisco. A graduate of Drake University, Justin also holds masters and doctorate degrees from the University of Minnesota, and is a member of the voice faculty at the San Francisco Girls Chorus. Justin is a yoga certified yoga teacher, and works with body awareness and healthy alignment for performers.  He lives in San Francisco with his husband Joe and their fearsome pup, Jasmine.

Erick LarsonErick Larson Tenor

Erick began singing publicly at 4 years old with traditional Swedish children's songs at church. He continued actively singing through high school and majored in voice at the University of Illinois. He then moved to New York City to pursue a musical career, where he sang with various choral ensembles, and theatrical productions. When not singing, Erick spends most of his time working in Sonoma County with his real estate clients as the co-owner of his own business, Home and Value Advisors, Inc.

 

Gerald ChuGerald Chu Tenor

A programmer by day, Gerald is a bit of a late-bloomer to the a cappella scene. Primarily a clarinet, alto sax, and piano player through his earlier years, Gerald discovered his voice at a college karaoke party and has been singing ever since. He has recently sung with the San Mateo Masterworks Chorale, Oakland Jazz Choir, and the Golden Chordsmen Barbershop Chorus, as well as a couple other smaller singing projects. His favorite hobbies include sightsinging and pointing out wrong notes.

Andy RiceAndy Rice Tenor

Andy's interest in vocal music began at four years old when reciting the Four Questions during Passover. No one has been able to quiet him since. In high school, he played the Captain in Anything Goes, and later, as part of the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco, he performed one of his favorite choral works, Poulenc's Gloria. Before co-founding Musaic, he was in Equal Voices. Outside the group, Andy works as a HR Technology Consultant, provides a tired lap for two 16 pound cats named Yin and Yang, and enjoys being married to bass, Matthew.

 

Stefan SchermerhornStefan Schermerhorn Tenor

Stefan studied piano, voice and composition at Vanderbilt University. A working singer in NY prior to moving to San Francisco, he helped found Manhattan Voices, sang with the NY Philharmonic and performed in churches throughout NY. He is equally comfortable in opera and oratorio. He is an ongoing contributor to tours with the Roger Wagner Chorale. When not with Musaic, Stefan works remodeling homes and writes music for chorus, solo piano, songs for solo voice, short film and commercials. His music studio is in Fairfax, where he resides with his wife Kathryn and their two sons.

Mark BrownMark Brown Tenor

Mark started in male ensembles at a very young age, singing with his father and four brothers in church. In high school, his love of music grew playing both trumpet and French horn in band and a jazz ensemble, and singing in as many vocal choirs and ensembles as he could join. He sang and traveled with a vocal trio in college, completed a degree in vocal music and directed church music full time for nine years. Other groups Mark has sung with in recent years include the Turtle Creek Chorale in Dallas, In aChord Men's Ensemble in San Diego, and Golden Gate Mens Chorus in San Francisco. By day he works as an IT Support Manager for a large software company.

Emilio MercadoEmilio Mercado Baritone

Born in Puerto Rico (where "even the rocks sing"), Emilio has performed for almost 2 decades with a variety of groups, including its Coro Nacional, UPR Choir at Mayagüez, Rochester Gay Men's Chorus, and as a soloist with the Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus at GALA 2000. An electrical and imaging engineer by training, singing with Musaic keeps him sound.

Michael KyleMichael Kyle Baritone

Baritone Michael Kyle has been singing since he could remember. He quickly developed musically as a product of California’s public school music programs from his first fourth grade Music class up through his four years singing at UC Berkeley. At Berkeley, Michael received a BA in political science and a minor in Music, studying voice with Marika Kuzma, Susan Gundunas and Silvester Henderson. Michael has performed with CSU East Bay’s Oratorio Society and UC Berkeley’s University Chorus, Gospel Choir and Artists in Resonance. Michael is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and works for Wells Fargo as a branch manager in the SF financial district.

Matthew SchermerhornMatthew Schermerhorn Bass-baritone

Matthew began his lifelong love affair with a cappella choral singing studying with Phyllis Zimmerman at Santa Barbara High School. He loves the rich, Midwestern choral sound and speaks passionately about the power and wonder that ensemble singing holds for him. Fourteen vocal groups later, Matthew is proud to be a founding member of Musaic. When not singing, he plans corporate events & incentive trips for AAA, and enjoys traveling with his partner Andy (Tenor).

Tim WarnerTim Warner Bass

Before joining Musaic, Tim sang with the University of St. Joseph's Chamber Choir, in the Philadelphia Barbershop Music Society, and in the Berkeley Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Vance George. He has toured Britain with the UC Men's Octet, and toured China with the UC Alumni Chorus. In 2000, he contributed to the premiere CD of the ensemble Voci del Tesoro. Tim is owner of a web design and digital media company in the East Bay, moonlights as a sculptor, and can frequently been seen in the Starbucks drive-thru with two kids in car seats and a dog riding shotgun. (My Peet's needs a drive-thru!)

Steve OvercashierSteve Overcashier Bass

Steve Overcashier began his musical journey at age ten when he took up the French Horn. In his teens, Steve performed on stage with the Diablo Light Opera Company before beginning choral singing in high school and while at the University of California. Over the past 25 years, Steve has performed with championship level barbershop quartets and choruses, the Sacramento Master Singers, the San Jose State Choraliers and, most recently, the Choral Project in San Jose. Steve does executive and leadership development and lives in Danville with his lovely and talented wife, Lynn.

Foundational Board of Directors

Chip Conley, CEO, Joie de Vivre Hospitality

Carol Neblett, International Soprano

Frances S. Petrocelli, Assistant Chancellor Emeritus, UCSF

Charles B. Wilson, MD, DSc, MSHA, Founding Director, The Brain Tumor Research Center

How to Reach Us

Musaic is currently available for selected performances. To inquire, please call 415/552-6804 or send an email message to .

Musical and Artistic Director   

Business Manager   

Finance Manager   

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