"We are so thankful and eternally grateful to the many people that work so hard to make Allegrezza do what it does. Our mission relies on the continuous support, constant care, and boundless energy of every member, every volunteer, and of course our staff. Allegrezza is our people, and why we have been the success we enjoy today!"

Jonathan E Pugh / President & Founder
​Allegrezza Inc NFP

STEPHEN C EDWARDS

Artistic Director / Co-Founder

A highly accomplished, versatile, and multifaceted musician and choral director, Stephen C Edwards has been teaching and working with choirs and vocal ensembles for over 15 years. He is the Director of Music and Worship at Union Church of Hinsdale United Church of Christ, where he conducts 6 ensembles. Stephen is the former Artistic Director of Windy City Performing Arts, where he led the Windy City Gay Chorus and Aria. Among Stephen's numerous accomplishments are tenures with the Chicago Symphony Chorus--where he was the featured tenor soloist with the Chicago Symphony in Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music, Grant Park Symphony Chorus, and most recently, a second term to the national Board of Directors for GALA Choruses, where he will serve another three-year term supporting and promoting GALA Choruses throughout the United States and abroad.​

STEPHEN UHL

Pianist

Chicago native Stephen Uhl completed his Artist Diploma in Piano Performance in the Spring of 2017 at Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University where he studied with Adam Neiman. Prior to earning his Artist Diploma, he received his M.M. from the Chicago College of the Performing Arts, studying under Kuang-Hao Huang. Musicians with whom Stephen has worked include David Schrader, Andrew Lewis, and Michael Costello. This spring, he joined the staff at Glenbard East High School, where he is the Collaborative Artist for the Music Department.

Before moving back to Chicago, Stephen earned his undergraduate degree at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where he studied piano with Du Huang and collaborative piano with Jessica Paul. Past honors include the Lucille Stansberry-Rosholt Award for Distinction in Collaborative Piano, as well as the Collaborative Arts Assistantship at Roosevelt University. Stephen has appeared in masterclasses with Emanuel Ax, Christopher Taylor, Martin Katz, Ian Jones, Christina Dahl, James Giles, Craig Terry, Gabriel Dobner, and Christopher Harding. Composers with whom Stephen has worked include the late Stephen Paulus, Daniel Kallman, and Kurt Heinecke. Stephen premiered Jonathan Hannau’s Piano Concerto, “Disentegration in Five Parts” with the URSA Ensemble. Stephen frequently enjoys collaborating with singers, instrumentalists, and composers as well as performing a wide variety of improvised music.

An avid scholar of liturgical music, Stephen is the Organist and Assistant Cantor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Schaumburg, IL. As a complement to his interest in music for the church, Stephen was selected to participate in the WFMT Bach Organ Works Project, where he performed several of the composer’s works at Alice Millar Chapel. As pianist, organist, and chorister, Stephen has been heard on WFMT on multiple occasions. His improvisational journeys have taken him to places as diverse as the Curitiba Opera House, Copacabana Beach in Rio di Janiero, and the Civic Center in Des Moines. He has had the privilege of collaborating with improvisers including Mark Colby and Pharez Whitted. Stephen enjoys the dance of balancing his many musical activities, as well as cooking, reading, walking, yoga, and, most importantly, bearing God’s creative and redeeming light to all the world.

MICHAEL MERCER

Chorus Administrator

Michael Mercer is thrilled to be taking on the role of Chorus Manager of Allegrezza.  As an alumnus of Percussion and Voice at Illinois State University (1997) he performed with both the ISU Wind Symphony and the Chamber Choir. Since moving to Chicago, Michael has performed with the Apollo Chorus of Chicago (2002-2010; Board Member 2009-2010); Chicago Choral Artists (2007-2013); Peregrine Vocal Ensemble (2014-2015) and Allegrezza (2015-present). Michael has made appearances with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in the Star Wars Concert Tour, chorus member for the Oprah Finale show, and studio work with Patti LaBelle, Rascal Flats, and Aretha Franklin. ​

ALEX STRIFE

Chorus Librarian

ERICA MASINI

Marketing Chair / Board Member

Erica Masini is a creative storyteller for higher education, health care, and arts organizations in Chicago. She earned her bachelor's degree in journalism at Boston University, and interned as a reporter at a London magazine and at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. After graduation she worked as a writer for Mass General Hospital for Children, where she interviewed pediatric patients and ran the Boston Marathon in 2013. Back in her hometown of Chicago, she pursued higher ed marketing as Director of Communications at Roosevelt University, and joined the Chicago Botanic Garden as a writer. She now freelances for universities and nonprofits, including Northwestern Medicine, Music Inc, North Central College, and University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. No matter the topic, her craft stems from one belief: honest stories can do some pretty powerful things.

NICHOLAS VENTOLA

Chorus Attorney / Board Member

Nicholas graduated from the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. He then continued his education at the John Marshall Law School where he received his JD. During his time in law school, Nicholas worked as an advocate for United States military veterans, as well as interned with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and studied abroad in the Czech Republic. Nicholas was also the president of his law school’s student government. Licensed to practice law in the state of Illinois, Nicholas is an active member in the legal community and sits on the board of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago. When he is not practicing law, Nicholas enjoys traveling, exercising, and volunteering for various charities in the Chicago area.

MELISSA MILLER FURGESON

Bookkeeper

Bookkeeping for Good
​(773) 517-8037