OUR MISSION
Building Community Through Choral Music
Consonare Choral Community is a nonprofit choral arts organization created in 2018 to build community through choral music in Connecticut. Consonare's mission is to build and cultivate community, primarily for women and children, through inclusive choral music education and performance opportunities at minimal cost, as well as engage the public in quality, collaborative, creative, and affordable choral programming.
OUR VISION
Consonare Choral Community, Incorporated strives to:
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create affordable opportunities for musicians and community members to experience quality choral music
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explore the practices of consonance and collaboration through creative choral programming
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promote an inclusive and intergenerational atmosphere for all singers
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nurture the creative potential of every singer through the encouragement of healthy vocal techniques and artistic excellence within the choral setting
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enrich the lives of a diverse population of musicians and the greater community through singing
CHOIRS SPONSORED BY CONSONARE:
Meet our Team
OUR TEAM
Meet our team of
qualified music educators
Sarah Kaufold, Artistic Director & Executive Director​​
Sarah Kaufold is an experienced conductor, singer, and music educator who advocates for inclusion on the podium, within the choral ensemble, and in the choir folder. As Founding Artistic Director for Consonare Choral Community, a nonprofit organization created in 2018 to build community through choral music, Sarah currently manages the organization and conducts: Choir Matrix, Consonare Community Choir, and Voices of Concinnity. Voices of Concinnity’s debut album, “Awaiting Golden Light,” received a Gold Medal from the Global Music Awards. In addition to performing at Carnegie Hall and the American Choral Directors Association, Voices of Concinnity has been named a national finalist in the 2025 American Prize Choral Performance.
More about Sarah behind her photo -->
Over her career, Sarah Kaufold has directed choirs for singers of all ages and abilities in various settings, including church choral programs for children and adults, middle and high school music classes, collegiate choirs, adult community programs, and at the professional level. She has also conducted operas, taught Choral Literature and Conducting at local universities, written numerous arts grants, sings professionally, and manages a mentorship program to amplify female conductors. Her philosophy on inclusive practices in choral settings and gender-balanced programming has earned invitations as a choir consultant in addition to presenting interest sessions at conferences.
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Currently pursing a DMA in Choral Conducting, Sarah holds a Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from University of Connecticut, extensive graduate choral conducting from Cal State Los Angeles, and B.A. in Psychology from Cal Poly Pomona. She has been invited to conduct at Carnegie Hall in Spring 2027 and enjoys hiking, photography, and traveling with her family.
Sarah Kaufold
Artistic Director
Executive Director
Jolie Edwards is a choral singer, conductor, educator, and flautist whose work centers on creating meaningful, inclusive, and community-oriented musical experiences. She holds a degree in Music with a minor in Human Rights from the University of Connecticut. With a particular passion for choral music and music education, Jolie’s work spans performance, conducting, teaching, and community engagement. During her time at UConn, Jolie sang with the Chamber Singers and Concert Choir under the direction of Dr. Jamie Spillane, an important mentor throughout her musical development. She also served as President of UConn ACDA and Vice President of the UConn Choir Board and worked as Choir Matrix’s conducting intern from 2022–2024 under the guidance of Artistic Director Sarah Kaufold. She has studied classical singing under the direction of Patricia Shumann, and then Meredith Ziegler. Her performance experience includes singing with Schola Cantorum at the Cathedral of St. Joseph and serving as a choral scholar at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Storrs for nearly two years. She has performed at renowned venues including Carnegie Hall and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, and has performed alongside artists such as Jacob Collier, Tori Kelly, and Colbie Caillat.
Jolie Edwards
Youth Choirs Director
Consonare Youth Choirs--Harmonia
Dr. Priyeshni Peiris-Perera is an international award winning choral Director, music educator and a classically trained concert pianist. She founded two Community choral groups in her home country –Sri Lanka, which topped the world Choir rankings by winning two Gold medals and the Championship trophy at the “Asia Pacific Choir Games” in 2017. She obtained a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree from Texas Tech University (USA) and a Master’s at the University of Tennessee (USA) where she was awarded the prestigious fellowships of “The AT&T Chancellor’s Fellowship” and the “Texas Tech President Horn Fellowship for Outstanding Academic & Professional Achievement.” She has concertized across the U.S, Australia, Europe & Singapore, China and disseminated her research in Music Performance & Pedagogy through lecture-recitals & workshops at prestigious international Music Conferences in the EU region. She returned to her native country, Sri Lanka, with the mission of fostering music education to motivate and empower the next generation of musicians at the University of Visual & Performing Arts, Colombo where she serves as a full-time Senior lecturer. She’s back in the states on her “Sabbatical” as a Visiting Scholar in Storrs, CT.
Priyeshni Peiris-Perera
Youth Choir Director & Pianist
Consonare Youth Choirs--Nova
Janice Castle has been a renowned collaborative pianist in Mansfield since TrebleMakers first formed. Jan is also a music educator in Willington, as well as sub organist at Storrs Congregational Church.
Janice Castle
Collaborative Pianist
All Consonare Choirs
Bobbi Giardina is an Early Childhood Specialist and Music Educator with over 30 years’ experience in the classroom and community. She recently earned her Master of Music in Music Education from Lakeland University, and holds an M.S. Ed in Elementary Education/Reading from Cortland College and a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Child Studies from Stony Brook University. Bobbi is a certified teacher (PreK-6) and an approved early childhood consultant in Connecticut. She holds a Kodaly Music Certificate endorsed by the Organization of American Kodaly Educators, is certified in First Steps in Music and Conversational Solfege by the Feierabend Association for Music Education, and is trained to teach Music Together early childhood classes. In addition to her work with children, Bobbi leads musical experiences in senior living settings. Her area of special interest is Intergenerational Community Music-Making, a practice that bridges generations and builds meaningful connections through shared musical engagement. She loves Consonare’s welcoming community and inclusive space where children and adults can make music together!
Bobbi Giardina
Music Educator
Consonare Youth Choirs
Juliana Nascimento graduated from Western Connecticut State University with a Bachelor’s in Music Education in 2024, where she served as an assistant conductor for WCSU’s Concert Chorale for the fall and spring concerts. She is currently working as an elementary music teacher at Danbury Public Schools. As an educator, she emphasizes musical growth, and the importance of creating opportunities for meaningful connections with peers and community through music. She is excited to participate in the Consonare Choral Community, and honored to work with Choir Matrix as this season’s conducting intern!
Juliana Nascimento
Choral Intern
Choir Matrix
Rosemary Fochler is a sophomore music education student at UConn, where she studies with professor Meredith Ziegler. Rosemary is a member of the UConn Concert Choir and Uconntabile, as well as being social media chair for the Connecticut American Choral Directors Association, secretary for UConn Choirs, and social media chair for the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Rosemary is a graduate of Smithfield High School in Smithfield, Rhode Island, where she sang in the concert and chamber choir ensembles under Mrs. Katherine Young. She was president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and participated in Rhode Island's Junior Mixed Choir and Jazz Honor Choir during 2021. Rosemary has a strong background in musical theatre where she's played roles, such as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde and Alice Beineke in Addams's Family. She would like to extend thanks and appreciation to her lovely family, friends, and music instructors for all their guidance and immense support.
Rosemary Fochler
Choral Intern
Consonare Youth Choirs
Catherine Scheideman is a graduate of UCONN, having received a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education in 2013. She taught for several years in local schools and graduated with a Master of Music from SUNY Potsdam in 2016. Catherine is passionate about providing musical experiences in her local community. During the pandemic, she started a socially distanced outdoor music class in order to ensure that families could continue singing together and has continued music classes for little ones ever since. She is excited to be partnering with Consonare in order to keep bringing music to this wonderful community. Catherine currently homeschools her three children, has loved singing with Choir Matrix and is principal horn of the Willimantic Orchestra.
Catherine Scheideman
Music Educator
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NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
Our Board of Directors
Dr. Louisa Baker, President
Catherine Scheideman, Secretary​
Alexandra Walker, Treasurer​
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Members at Large:
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Theresa Cooper​
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Dr. Mary Ellen Junda
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Stephanie Summers
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Jermaine Woodard, Jr.
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Jack Zaino​​
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
Leadership
Sarah Kaufold, Executive Director
Consonare Choral Community is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization registered with the IRS, EIN 82-5430902
COMMUNITY
Consonare's Impact
Our ensembles have sung for many local community events, as well as had the privilege to perform at Carnegie Hall, Mark Twain House & Museum, New Britain Museum of American Art, Florence Griswold Museum, Hill-Stead Museum, Wadsworth-Athenenum Museum, the Packing House, Charter Oak Cultural Center, Trinity College Chapel, Eastern Connecticut State University, University of Connecticut, and many churches located across Connecticut, including our local senior living facilities.
Our music videos have been viewed in 45 countries over 446,000 times on our YouTube channel alone. We have commissioned new choral music to be composed from the following composers: Melissa Dunphy, Cheryl B. Engelhardt, and Karen Siegel.
We have been honored to collaborate with The Hartt School, UConn Earthtones, ECSU Chorale, UConntabile, Hartford Opera Theater, Conn-Men, Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet, The Unitus Ensemble, Thread City Classical Dance, Novi Cantori Chamber Choir, The Choir School of Hartford, Joshua's Trust, Town of Mansfield, Mark Twain House & Museum, Women Composers Festival of Hartford, Hop River Chamber Music, Beck 'n Call, The Jolly Beggars, the Mansfield Senior Center Chorus, as well as raise donations for The Neighbor Fund, Lift Music Fund, Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, F.O.S.T.E.R. Independence Foundation, and the Covenant Soup Kitchen.
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We cultivate a space for women studying conducting and music education to practice their craft with our choirs.
Grants & Awards:
2020 Alfred Nash Paterson Grant Recipient
2020 Covid Relief Grant Recipient
2021 Phoenix Award Recipient
2021 CT Support Arts Grant Recipient
2022 Performing Arts Group Grant Recipient
2023 Performing Arts Group Grant Recipient
2022 Quick Grant Recipient from CT Humanities
2022 CT Cultural Fund Operating Support Grant Recipient
2023 CT Cultural Fund Operating Support Grant Recipient
2023 Marjorie Jolidon Fund Grant Recipient
2024 CT Supporting Arts Grant Recipient
2024 Gold Medal Winner - Global Music Awards
2025 Alfred Nash Paterson Grant Recipient
2025 American Prize Recipient - 2nd Place for Performance
2026 CT Supporting Arts Grant Recipient
Please consider supporting this work through a tax deductible donation
Thank you to these supporters and partners:
With support from the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
First Church of Christ in Mansfield
