Saturday, December 19th at 7:30 PM

JP Concerts presents the Voci Angelica Trio, comprised of Meena Malik, Jodi Hitzhusen and Aristides Rivas, performing Christmas season songs in English, French, German, Latin and Spanish. These selections have been uniquely arranged for two sopranos, cello, piano, and percussion. Members of Voci Angelica are professional musicians holding Masters degrees from New England Conservatory and have performed as soloists all over the world. Check them out at www.myspace.com/vociangelicatrio. JP Concerts tickets are $10 general admission at the door.

Soprano, Meena Malik began singing in her native Japan. Malik made her operatic debut as Sandman in Hansel and Gretel at the University of Redlands. She premiered the role of Nestoria, which was specifically written for her, in Schindelmann’s Ego. Since then, Malik has been a part of New England Conservatory’s production of The Turn of the Screw as Miles, has appeared in Opera Providence’s production of Suor Angelica as the novice, and in Cedar House Theater's production of Cinderella as the title role. Recently, she has performed with MetroWest Opera and Boston Opera Collaborative in Dido & Aeneas, L’Enfant et les Sortileges, and Alcina. Malik has been a featured soloist with various choirs and orchestras in works such as Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mozart’s Requiem, Fauré’s Requiem, Fairouz’s Requiem, and Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with departmental honors from University of Redlands with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and a Minor in German. Malik completed a Master of Music at New England Conservatory with Academic Honors. Currently, Malik freelances in the Boston area and continues her private studies with Carole Haber.

At the age of 10, Jodi Hitzhusen made her singing debut as a soprano soloist in Britten's Ceremony of Carols. Since then, she has performed all across the United States, as well as in the Philippines, Panama, England, France, and Canada. In 2003, Hitzhusen made her operatic debut as Pamina in the Springfield Regional Opera Young Artist production of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" and has been a featured soloist with various choirs and orchestras in the United States. Hitzhusen is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and has been instructing both voice and piano students since 1999. She is also passionate about the importance of music in schools and does outreach programs with the Handel and Haydn Society and on her own as a soloist. Along with her vocal activities, Hitzhusen is an accomplished pianist and an advocate for ethnomusicology, traveling to many countries to study traditional music (most recently South Korea, Ireland, and Mexico; upcoming trips to France and Scotland). She has recently taken up West African hand drumming and is also a commissioned composer.

Aristides Rivas began his musical training at age ten, when he joined the Barinas city nucleo of the internationally known El Sistema, a musical-social project created by Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu. Rivas’ education includes a Bachelor in Music from Baylor University in Texas, and a Master in Music from the New England Conservatory of Music. He has participated at competitions such as the San Antonio Tuesday Music Competition in Texas, Sphinx Competition, and the Baylor University Concerto Competition. His orchestral experience includes performances at the Pacific Music Festival in Japan, the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, and a principal cello position at the Waco Symphony Orchestra. Rivas performs and teaches at a variety of groups and organizations in Venezuela, Spain and USA, including the Boston Philharmonic, Boston Ballet, A Far Cry Chamber Orchestra, among others. He also holds solo recitals and chamber music performances in classical, Latin American music, and Jazz. He has performed numerous times with Paquito D’Rivera, one of the living legends in Latin Jazz, as well as Aquiles Baez, and Alex Alvear. Last summer he joined the up and coming world renown jazz guitarist Julian Lage in his first album Sounding Point. Julian Lage Group will be touring this spring and summer worldwide, featuring the new album release. Rivas teaches chamber music and cello lessons in through several institutions in Boston, including the New England Conservatory of Music Prep Division. He performs and gives master classes in Venezuela and is on the faculty at the International Music Festival “Presjovem” in Spain and locally the summer music program Four Strings in Lexington, MA. In his experience as a cellist, he has performed in some of the most prestigious halls in the world, including the Teresa Carreño in Venezuela, Teatro Colon in Argentina, National Theatre in Spain, Caramoor Music Festival in New York, Carnegie Hall in New York, Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Sapporo Concert Hall in Japan, and Symphony Hall in Boston.