Karen Herrin ,Soprano

Karen Herrin was born and educated in England. She began studying piano at the age of four with her Grandmother, Lizzie Cheetham who was for many years the pianist with The Pierettes, an international song and dance troupe of the 1920’s through 1940’s.

At the age of nine she studied organ with Charles Myers and made headlines at the age of 11 for being one of the youngest British Cathedral Organists. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree and a Fellowship in organ and piano at Trinity College of Music, London. She met and married her Georgia native husband in London, and came to the United States in 1989.  She has a Master’s in Vocal Performance from Georgia State University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Montana State University, Bozeman.  

She has worked and made recordings with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus and Orchestra under the direction of the late Robert Shaw and has appeared with numerous opera companies from Texas to Chautauqua Opera in New York. She was the South East Regional finalist for the Metropolitan Opera Competition in 1997, and has been a competition winner for National Association of Teacher’s of Singing Artist Awards.

Karen Herrin currently teaches band and choir at Powell County High School in Deer Lodge and has a private voice and piano studio.  Through 18 years of living in the States her students continue to excel with opera companies, in musical theatre, vocal and piano competitions, and as music students at colleges across the country. She periodically performs in Montana while she and her husband David continue to raise their two teenage sons, John and Nicholas.  Her future plans include completing a music doctorate and to rebuild a career performing.

Ruth Rotondi, Piano

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Ruth began her piano study under Erna Zobel Luetscher, a wonderful teacher who influenced Ruth’s decision to continue music study at Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, OH.  Beryl Ladd was Ruth’s piano professor at Oberlin.

Return to NY after graduation from college, Ruth taught piano at three are music schools, while earning piano pedagogy and musicianship credentials at the Diller-Quaile School of Music in New York City.

Following her marriage to Dr. Leonard Rotondi, Ruth and her husband moved to Butte, MT, where she has performed ever since as an accompanist, duo-pianist and piano teacher.

She has been a member of the Butte Symphony, playing cellos, since 2001.

Sutton Smith, Flute

Flutist Sutton Smith graduated with honors from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Jeffrey Khaner, Martha Aarons, and Mary Kay Fink. While at the Institute, Smith performed in a variety of chamber music ensembles and had the privilege of being coached by harpist Alice Chalifoux and harpsichordist Doris Ornstein.  She has played flute and piccolo with the Sheboygan and Manitowoc Symphonies, both in her native Wisconsin, and is currently piccoloist with the Butte Symphony.

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