A Classical Christmas Concert

St. James Episcopal Church is proud to present “A Classical Christmas,” a fundraiser concert for “A Safe Place” on Sunday, December 22nd, at 7:30 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church located at 25 South Third Street. Come warm your heart with the season’s favorite songs while raising money for victims of human trafficking. Featuring St. James’ own celebrated professional singers, with some guest singers, this program of Christmas carols and popular songs will brighten these long winter days.

Donations go to “A Safe Place” to aid victims of commercial sexual exploitation and domestic sex trafficking. For more information on A Safe Place please visit their website: https://www.endslaverynow.org/a-safe-place. Most of us know love and safety, but it is our duty to look out for those who need protection and a safe place. Everyone, regardless of belief system, is invited to attend. The love of God knows no boundaries.

Soloists include: Sara Westermark, soprano; Tanya Hanano, mezzo soprano; Alex Gallo, tenor; and Hans Graham Westermark, baritone—accompanied by Dr. Willliam Weisser, piano.

Admission is free and open to the public. Donations of any amount are encouraged and greatly appreciated.

About the Artists:

Sara Westermark, lyric soprano, is a celebrated regional soloist, renowned private voice teacher, and metalsmith. Sara graduated with a Master’s in Voice Performance magna cum laude from the University of Missouri School of Music where she performed such roles as Pamina from Magic Flute, Susannah from Floyd’s Susannah, Mother Hansel and Gretel, Poppea l’incornatione di Poppea, and Susanna Le Nozze di Figaro. Sara has performed as a soloist with the Wilmington Symphony, UNCW Opera, Tallis Chamber Orchestra, Opera Wilmington, Wilmington Oratorio Society, Southeastern Oratorio Society, the Wilmington Choral Society, the Wilmington Guild of Organists, and serves as a soprano section leader for the St. James Episcopal Church Choir.

Her students have won top state, regional, and national accolades and awards through the National Association of Teachers of Singing Student Auditions, the Schmidt High School Classical Voice Competition, and they have received admission and scholarships to top music conservatories and universities. Sara’s work with young singers was published in a book by Karen Brunssen, “The Evolving Singing Voice: Changes Through the Lifespan”.

Tanya Hanano, began singing with Cape Fear Chorale in 2015; she has enjoyed singing in various choral ensembles within the Cape Fear Community: Wilmington Choral Society, UNCW Chamber Singers, and Carolina Vocal Arts. She is currently the alto section leader at St. James Episcopal Church. She has sung with the NC Master Chorale for several seasons in Raleigh, NC.

In addition to choral ensembles, Tanya has sung in the opera ensemble for Opera Wilmington since 2015, and in several productions with NC Opera, including performing in the chorus onstage with Andrea Bocelli in Raleigh, NC on February 14, 2024, and most recently in their latest production of Verdi’s Ernani on November 10, 2024. She will also be in the ensemble for their upcoming performance: Florencia en el Amazonas by Catán in January, 2025.

Tanya has served on the Board of Opera Wilmington since 2017 and is currently the Vice President. In addition to her passion for singing, Tanya works full-time as an Acute Care Physical Therapist at Novant Health’s New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, NC

Hans Graham Westermark, baritone, is a Senior at Hoggard High School who loves music and science. He has been singing with the St. James Episcopal Church Adult choir since he was 10 years old. He sang for two years as a boy soprano with the Wilmington Boys Choir and sang the Messiah Choruses for two years under the direction of Angela Burns. As a Senior at Hoggard High School, Hans Graham, sings with Voyagers under the direction of Benjamin Horrell. Last year he won third place at State National Association of Teacher’s of Singing (NATS), and placed third at NATS Regionals while qualifying for NATS Nationals. He has been a soloist on the Voyagers Fall concert. He studies voice with his mother, Sara Westermark and piano with Martha Hayes.

Dr. William J. Weisser retired in 2011 as Minister of Music at Edenton St. United Methodist Church in Raleigh, NC where he had been responsible for seven singing choirs, three handbell choirs, three dance ensembles and instrumental ensembles with over 460 participants for over 35+ years. He was the Conductor and Artistic Director of the Capital Area Chorale, a mixed voice community choir for 11 years. He was an Adjunct Assistant Professor on the faculty of North Carolina State University where he directed the University Singers for 5 years; since retirement he served as Interim Director of Music at Centenary UMC in New Bern, NC 2011 – 2012.; as the Interim Music Minister at First UMC in Rocky Mount, NC 2012 – 2013; Interim Director of Music and Organist at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, NC, Organist at Hayes Barton UMC in Raleigh, NC, Interim Minister of Music at St. Paul UMC in Goldsboro, NC, Interim Director of Music and Organist at St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Wilmington and now serving as Interim Director of Music and Organist at St James Episcopal in Wilmington NC.

Dr. Weisser is a graduate of Westminster Choir College where he studied Organ with Theodore C. Herzel, Dr. George Markey and Dr. Donald McDonald; Conducting with Robert Simpson, Robert Carwithen and Arthur Sjogren; and Voice with Herbert Pate, Ramon Kyser and Arthur Sjogren. At Westminster he was a member of the world-famous Westminster Choir which toured Puerto Rico. He has done graduate work in Sacred Music at Indiana University under Dr. Oswald Ragatz. Dr. Weisser received a Doctor of Humanities degree from Methodist College in May, 1997. He was also ordained a Deacon in Full Connection in the United Methodist Church in June, 1997.

Alex Gallo, tenor, holds a Bachelor’s in Vocal Performance from Pacific Lutheran University. He was a member of the prestigious ‘Choir of the West,’ under the direction of Richard Nance and Brian Galante. In 2015, Alex and PLU traveled to Linz, Austria, to compete and win the Anton Bruckner Festival. After winning the competition, ‘The Choir of the West’ was ranked as one of the top 10 choirs in the world. Today he is the general music teacher at Lincoln Elementary in Brunswick County Schools, where he hopes to inspire the next generation of musicians and choral singers.
In the years since moving to Wilmington, Alex has found a home in many different roles in the area’s different performing circles. He has become a frequent performer with Opera House Theater Company, with Supporting roles in ‘Annie’ (President FDR) and ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ (Avram,) this past summer, and a highlight in 2023 playing Tateh in Ragtime, Star News’ Winner of Best Musical Production of 2023, in which Alex earned a nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. Alex is also a regular Cantor for St. Therese Catholic Church in Wrightsville Beach, and a Public Announcer for Cape Fear Community College Athletics, where he keeps up his rendition of ‘The Star Spangled Banner.’ Alex made his Professional Baseball debut this past July, as he sang the anthem at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. for the Washington Nationals.