Dixie Hettinga

Board President

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Liz Corbett

Vice President

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Jeannie Hagenbucher

Secretary

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Wendy Galbraith

Treasurer

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Karen Zuidema

Artistic Director

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Shelly Kafka

Publicist

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Barb Oelke

PR Committee Chair

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Kathy Koch-Engstrum

Member-at-large

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Mary has always loved to sing and usually accompanies herself on piano.  She has sung and played at numerous weddings and funerals and has been in various choirs starting in high school, during college and now, sings in her church choir.  Mary is accompanist at Masses for St. Mary's Catholic Church in Marathon and St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Wausau.  She graduated from Viterbo University with a BME, has taught music K-8, currently teaching 3rd grade at St. Mary's School in Marathon and giving piano lessons.  She became a member of WPM in September of 2019.  Mary says she's drawn to quality voices and admires the beauty of many singers, both professional and amateur.  "Music is a beauty in its own category."

Mary's husband is Tony and he owns a building company.  Her son, Ryan, is a high school teacher in Sun Prairie.   

First Soprano

Vickie is a new member as of 2018 but says she's been enjoying our concerts for a number of years.  She's been singing in choirs since the fourth grade and took a first at a state Solo and Ensemble contest  in 1967.  She is one of the founding members of the Mad Regals; still sings with her church choir, and her favorite hymn is "How Can I Keep From Singing?"  Vickie grew up in Eagle River, Wisconsin and is the mother of two adult sons.  She worked as a professional executive Girl Scout for almost 20 years and as Director of Continuing Education at UWMC for 19.5 years, retired in 2016.   She is an active volunteer.  A past president of Wausau Conservatory of  Music and Monk Botanical Garden; Vickie is currently a Senior Warden at St. John's Episcopal Church and the president of Chapter CO P.E.O.  Vickie has been influenced by many great choral directors over the years.  She favors classical, opera, easy listening, country, Blue Grass, and jazz music.  Her favorite singers are Renee Fleming, Ann Murray, Joan Baez, and Edith Piaf.

Second Alto

Kathy is a longtime choir member who has been active on the board of directors and is currently WPM's Historian.  She started trombone and singing in choir at age 9.  Kathy grew up on a dairy farm and practiced pediatric physical therapy for over 30 years.  She has been married over forty years and has two children and four grandchildren. Growing up, she listened to the state radio station and Leonard Bernstein's TV show with her mom and grew to love classical music.   She enjoys Broadway shows around the country and loves "music from her era" like the Beatles, Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Peter Paul & Mary and others.

First Soprano

Lori is a brand new member of Wausau Pro Musica in fall of 2018.  She started in music as a third grader with piano lessons and has played ever since.  She continued her education at UWSP, graduating with a degree in music and taught piano for 25 years.  Currently, Lori works as an education assistant in the DCE school district.  When asked what her favorite music is, she says her playlist would be songs from Mama Mia and Wicked to Adele, Kelly Clarkson, and Linda Ronstadt.  Lori is married and has two children.  Adam is in San Francisco and Hannah is in Madison.  She also has an energetic springer spaniel named Benny.

First Alto

Joining Wausau Pro Musica in spring of 2017, Barb began singing when she was in 4-H.  She has also been singing with Wausau Lyric Choir for fifteen years.  Barb is single and the mom of two married children; a son and a daughter, both living in the Wausau area.  She has a fifteen year old grandson and is looking forward to the birth of a granddaughter in December, 2018.  When Barb was four or five years old, she received her first album:  The Nutcracker Suite.  She loved to dance around to it.  She also heard a lot of Big Band as a child and played the trombone because of Glenn Miller.  Along the way she began to participate in musicals as well.   Barb says she enjoys most types of music.

First Alto

Wendy joined in 1997and was one of the youngest members at that time.  Wendy has a degree in Dairy science and has been a dairy farmer with her husband, Greg, for 32 years.  She and Greg have been married 32 years and have three children.  Kerry is married to Jon and lives in Minneapolis; Sara and Chad live in Corvallis, Oregon, and David has been farming with them for five years.  Wendy also works for the DC Everest.   Her past choral experiences include UW Waukesha Madrigal, UW Lutheran Choir (Madison), and Bethany Lutheran Church.  Here favorite singer is Emmy Lou Harris and she loves the new singers: Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O’Donovan.

Second Soprano

Liz has been in WPM since 2002, is a board member and helped incorporate the choir in 2005. She enjoys singing in women’s choirs and loves the musical variety and sisterhood of Wausau Pro Musica. Liz says she especially enjoyed singing the music from Les Miserables, Abba, and other musicals with WPM.  Liz sang in high school choir, college choir and church choir with Bob Dufford at St. Louis Jesuits of Creighton University (NE) and also with Marshfield's Chamber Chorale.  In high school, she sang in a mixed folk group that traveled throughout North Dakota.  Married to Scott for 30 years, she has two adult children and a son-in-law.  She and Scott have practiced law for 33 years. Liz comes from a strongly musical family; talented in multiple instruments, music educators, and professional musicians.  Liz plays piano and guitar, and is influenced by modern sacred music composers and singer-songwriters.  She enjoys listening to all sorts of music.

Second Soprano

Maureen joined WPM in January 2018.  She's been a musician all her life, and plays multiple instruments.  She studied and played piano throughout high school and college, also taking lessons as an adult.  She's currently studying the harp and played guitar in her teens and twenties as well. Maureen has been singing in choirs all through her life and is really enjoying singing with Wausau Pro Musica.  She has two grown sons and two wonderful daughters-in-law.  Maureen is retired from a career in Employee Benefits sales, such as health and dental insurance.  Her musical preferences run to classical music the most, but she also enjoys folk, rock, alt-rock, and almost any kind of live music performance.

Second Alto

Joining Wausau Pro Musica in 2017, Jeannie brings lots of experience singing including singing with the Song Spinners at DC Everest, various church choirs, has been a wedding and funeral soloist, and has been part of community theater musicals in Wausau and Sheboygan, Wisconsin.  When she was 7, Jeannie began singing in church, elementary and junior high choirs.  During the summers of 1965 and 1966, for six weeks per session, she participated under the direction of Maestro Robert Shaw for the first two years of Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Festival.  In the 1960s-early '70s, Jeannie and friends formed a folk group, performing at clubs in southeast Michigan/Southwest Canada. In California, 1973-2009: San Francisco and Oakland Symphony choirs, Berkeley Chamber choir, Mills College Early Music Ensemble, Point Richmond Madrigal Singers, numerous community choruses.  Jeannie says she's " hurtling toward my 71st birthday (yes, there will be treats)!  She's  a mother (Nick, 37, lives in Sacramento, CA), an advocate for families with at least one child with Type 1, insulin-dependent diabetes, Child Life Specialist (pediatric medical play therapy), 15 years case manager/advocate for children 0-12 who have disabling conditions, baker and caterer by trade, reader and a person who loves to sing with my friends. She grew up in the Detroit area, lived 40 years in Berkeley, CA. area, now Wisconsin. She enjoys crocheting, cross stitching and singing.   Jeannie says she’s been influenced by singers/groups: Ronnie Gilbert, Odetta, Etta James, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Johnny Clegg, Klezmatics, Bob Wills, Baguette Quartet, Ladysmith Black Mombazo, Anonymous 4, Hildegarde of Bingen, Mozart and Haydn. Musical types: blues, Motown, 1960s rock, folk, bluegrass, Baroque, Early Music (Medieval and Renaissance), 18th and 19th century classical especially sacred masses.

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Second Alto

Cyndi has been with Wausau Pro Musica since 2015. She has been singing in choir since fifth grade, and has experience in concert choir, Song Spinners, college concert choir and church choirs. Cyndi has been singing with the Wausau Lyric Choir for 20 years, sang with the "Mad Regals" (a dinner theatre group) for 8 years, and performed onstage with local theatre groups for many years. She has been married for 39 years, has three grown children and six wonderful grandchildren.  She just retired as secretary for Grant Elementary (26 years) and enjoys music, reading, walking, and spending time at the lake with family. Cyndi enjoys many genres of music, but choral music really speaks to her heart and soul.

First Alto

Margaret starting singing with Pro Musica in the mid-1990's singing Alto. She now sings Soprano II and enjoys providing regular flute accompaniment for the choir. Since childhood, Margaret has performed in bands and choruses, taking part of the vibrant performing arts community here in Wausau, which she is grateful for. She is a wife and mother of two boys. In past careers she acted as a science teacher, research chemist, land surveyor and nurse, and currently works as a community health nurse case manager. Live music is Margaret's passion as both a performer and as a spectator. She loves to enjoy many different music genres.

Second Soprano

Shelly was in the Edgar Public Schools Middle and High School Concert Choirs and Swing Choirs and participated in Solo Ensembles.  She sang in the community Messiah Concert;  was in the UW-River Falls Concert Choir and Chamber Singers for 3-years and participated in the Medieval Madrigal Program for two years.  She was privileged to tour with the UW-River Falls Choir, visiting the Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.  She also sang in several church choirs, including solos for many friends and family’s funerals and weddings.  Shelly started with WPM as an alto for the 50th Anniversary concert in 2011.  She has moved through the sections and now has sung first soprano for several years.  Shelly became a board member in 2011 as the Publicist.  She is currently serving on the Fundraising Letter Committee, Signature Fundraising Committee, Hospitality Committee, PR Committee, and the Mentorship Committee.  For 20 years Shelly worked in health care, (home care, nursing home, assisted living, etc.).  At this time she works for West Business Services on the Ellison program as a Sales Coordinator.  She works with small craft business owners, providing support for Sizzix products.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Terry, and their pampered pug, Kane.  She enjoys going for walks, playing disc golf, reading and crafting and, being a bit of a social butterfly, enjoys being with friends and family.  Shelly had some wonderful choir directors and teachers through the years.  Particularly:  Mr. Joseph Possley (Edgar Public Schools), Mr. Elliot Wold (UW-River Falls), Mrs. Wold and Shelly Bitner who provided her with voice lessons, and of course the very talented Dr. Judith Durocher Sidlowski.  Shelly says she enjoys most music depending on her mood.  She's sung many genres and enjoy participating in Wausau Pro Musica.

First Soprano

Linn has been an active member of Wausau Pro Musica for three years, since 2016, and has also been a member of Wausau Lyric Choir for 15 years.  Her other musical activities include her church choir and singing with her church's Worship Band.  Linn especially enjoys spending time with her three boys and their families.  She has three grandchildren: Tanner, 3; Carter, 2; Hazel, 16 months; and there's a fourth on the way, due in January!   Linn works for a local title company and enjoys her responsibilities as director of marketing.  While Linn's favorite is contemporary worship music, she finds enjoyment in all kinds of music...except rap!

Second Soprano

Having been a member in past years, Jan returned to  Wausau Pro Musica in 2017.  Jan’s mother loved to sing, and while passing her musical gift to her daughter, inspired her lifelong love of music.  In elementary school she began playing the piano, then throughout adolescence and college, belonged to a choir.  As an adult, she has sung with St. Michael’s Church choir and has been a cantor for 25 years.  Jan has been married for 40 years, has two married daughters and two grandsons.  She has retired from her career as a registered nurse, but recently signed on to volunteer at the Free Clinic through Catholic Charities.  Jan enjoys a variety of music from classical, liturgical, to rock-n-roll:  “Music is a true joy in my life.”

Second Soprano

Julie comes from a very musical family, having taken several years of piano lessons and participated in choral activities from Junior High School, through High School, and also at UW—Eau Claire, where she pursued a minor in Music.  She was a soloist and Worship Team member in her church for many years.  She enjoyed being a part of a couple of Wausau Community Theater productions, and was also a member of Wausau Lyric Choir for several years.  In 2017 Julie joined Wausau Pro Musica and loves being a part of such a wonderful group of dedicated singers.  In 2016 she retired from teaching in the Wausau School District but does enjoy subbing.  She especially enjoys traveling with her husband who is also newly retired.  They have three grown children and three wonderful grandchildren.  Julie’s father was one of her greatest musical influences.  He played the clarinet at home and in community bands and was the major musical motivator in their home.  She remembers many, many toe-tapping piano practice sessions, but she developed a love for musical precision and performance.

First Soprano

Debi has been in a choir or singing for as long as she can remember. She is heavily involved in the Wausau musical community where she is or has been part of the Wausau Lyric Choir, CenterStage and other music organizations. She is a choir/handbell director at her church, serves as Director of Marketing and Development for the Wausau Conservatory of Music, and is the PR Chair for Pro Musica. Deb has been married for over 30 years, has three sons, two daughter-in-laws and two granddaughters. 

First Soprano

As a life-long musician, Kathy has played piano, flute and taken voice lessons. She was active in high school, studied vocal music at UW-Eau Claire, and has been a part of Wausau Lyric Choir for 15 years. Kathy started singing with Pro Musica in 2002 and after a break, came back in 2015. She belongs to and has a wonderful family: husband, children, step-children and grandchildren. All wonderful people! She is a Special Education teacher and was a high school art teacher and educational interpreter in the past. Growing up part of a very musical family, she played several instruments and enjoys all kinds of music. 

First Soprano

Jeanette auditioned for and joined Wausau Pro Musica in 1998 on the encouragement of two friends who were already members.  Music has always been a part of her life.  She sang along with siblings in the back of the station wagon, played flute and sang throughout grade school and high school.  While attending Mosinee High School she was in four musicals and performed in madrigals and choirs.  Often told she had a beautiful voice, she also sang many solos.  Jeanette has two adult children and three grandchildren; she was widowed in 2013.  In 2016, she retired after 18 years with Edward Jones, although she continues to work for them on an interim basis.  Additionally, Jeanette is a financial advisor for WPM and Bethany Lutheran Church secretary.  Jeanette was raise on Hank Williams, Jr. and polkas; in her teens her tastes ran to John Denver, Carol King and Cat Stevens.  She loves ballads, songs with a story.  In the last few years she’s been listening to the newer country artists, but says she really enjoys all genres of music.

Second Soprano

Charlotte has been a member of Pro Music for 30 years having joined the ensemble in 1985.

Outside WPM, Charlotte's claim to fame is she still skates and teaches figure skating!  Charlotte has loved  performing in the Center Stage Band and Show Choir from 20007 - 2014.  She has enjoyed the opportunity for singing that Pro Musica provides her and she serves as the choir Librarian.

First Alto

Donna has been a member of Pro Musica for two years.  Having recently retired from a career as a computer programmer, Donna is currently re-inventing her life.  Happily, Pro Musica is part of this new adventure.  Donna has sung in Church Choirs and other community choirs for her entire adult life.  She particularly enjoys singing with this wonderful group of women and looks forward to our collaborative concerts with other groups. In her free time, Donna enjoys gardening and  her waterfront community near Eau Pleine Flowage in Mosinee. She was heavily influenced by her mom who helped herself and her sisters learn parts on Saturday nights watching the Lennon Sisters on the Lawrence Welk Show. Donna likes a wide variety of music including jazz, blues, classical, country, religious and reggae.

Second Soprano

Karen is in her second incarnation with Pro Musica.  She sang with the choir from 1988 to 1990, left to go back to teaching, and rejoined us in 2016.  Karen has extensive choral singing experience from high school and collegiate choirs  to church choirs and membership in Chaminade, an auditioned women's ensemble in Appleton. Her favorite thing about Pro Musica is the joy of singing in a larger group that is able to handle four-part harmony. Karen is married, has two children and two granddaughters. She graduated UW-Stevens Point with a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Ed and a Home Economics minor, and taught in multiple Central Wisconsin school systems. Orchestra and singing has fed her soul over the years and she enjoys all music genres.

Second Soprano

Joining us in 1980, Lynn has been a stunning example of commitment, loyalty, and talent to Wausau Pro Musica, with the longest tenure of all our members at 38 years.  She sang in grade school, high school, college, church choirs and Wausau Chamber Singers.  She is also a long standing member of the Lyric Choir of Wausau.  Lynn began piano lessons in third grade, started singing alto as a 5th grader, then studied alto sax in junior and senior high school band. She counts singing in the car with her family, all the choirs she’s been a part of, her piano and band teachers and choral directors as the major musical influences in her life.  Lynn is a retired med tech, was a stay at home mom (now a fun grandma!).  She enjoys volunteering in the community and is a life-long learner.   Lynn loves the camaraderie and making beautiful 4-part harmonies with the amazing women of WPM.  

Second Alto

Kathryn has sung in choirs since childhood, sang in school choirs throughout high school and college, and more recently, has been a cantor at church.  Kathryn loves to work hard with women who share a common interest in music and to achieve excellence and share the results with an audience.  She has sung with Pro Musica for four years, and came from a musical family where her mother was an accompanist/pianist and her dad was a singer in several chorus groups. Kathryn enjoys classical music, broadway, as well as chorale groups of the 50's and 60's. She has been married 46 years to Don, has three adult children, seven grandchildren and is retired after 25 years as a Special Education Paraprofessional at DC Everest. 

First Alto

Catherine has  extensive experience in choral singing.  She sang in church choirs, her high school choirs and the Manitou Singers at St. Olaf College.  Catherine started with Pro Musica in 2014, and currently sings in the Lyric Choir of Wausau as well as Pro Musica.  She enjoys the camaraderie of Pro Musica as well as the challenge of singing second Soprano. Catherine has two grown children and two grandchildren, and recently went back to practicing medicine. Catherine enjoys crafts, knitting, sewing, classical music and a variety of choral music.

Second Soprano

Rene' has been with Wausau Pro Musica since 2016.  She loves being with the women of the choir and the feeling of accomplishment she gets at the end of each concert.  She has sung for over 20 years in her church choirs and currently performs in a Praise Choir.  Rene' has been married for 9 years and has one daughter, three stepchildren and six awesome grandchildren. She is a deaf and hard of hearing interpreter for the Wausau School District, and loves Christmas, movie and broadway music.

Second Alto

Patti is a seasoned performer who sings second Soprano in Pro Musica.  Her energetic presence lights up the stage.  Patti has sung with Pro Musica for nearly 20 years.  Due to her stressful job as a Psychologist, she values the fun and relaxation she experiences in the choir. She plays guitar and has performed at various venues. Patti has a husband, Tony, a son and is going to be a grandmother for the first time in December 2017. Musically, she is inspired by Carole King James Taylor, ballads, pop tunes and songs about love and loss. She considers her singer/songwriter son Bentley to be one of her special musical influences.

Second Soprano

Pat has been a member of Pro Musica for 12 years.  She has been active in choral singing her entire life and is also currently a member of the Lyric Choir of Wausau.  Pat loves the cammaraderie of Pro Musica and taking on musical challenges with like-minded people. She sings second Alto in the choir where her strengths in sight reading and attention to detail are prized. Pat has been a part of Pro Musica since 2004, is retired and enjoys traveling, socializing with friends, snow-shoeing, yoga, reading, knitting and of course, singing! 

Second Alto

Linda is a retired English teacher.  She taught at Wausau East High School, UWMC, and UWSP.  As a student, she sang in her high school choirs and Wesleyan University choirs.  She has been a member of WPM from 1975-1980 and, currently has been a member since 2015. She also performs with the Lyric Choir of Wausau.  Linda is married and has many grandchildren.  Her favorite kinds of music are Classical and Broadway.  In her spare time she enjoys Yoga classes..​

First Soprano

Dixie is Pro Musica's board President and has been with the choir for four years.  She currently works as a semi-retired Physical Therapist, has two children and four grandchildren.  Dixie has participated in the performing arts since high school including playing the role of Daisy Mae in  Li'l Abner (!). Being a part of her church choir and becoming a worship coordinator have been a large part of her adult life where she utilizes her skills in piano, organ and guitar.  Pro Musica affords Dixie an opportunity to sing with other ladies that love singing!

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First Alto

 In her own words: "I've sung since I was able to open my mouth and sometimes during the summer we

neighborhood girls would sit on the front porch of someone's house and sing all the silly folk
songs we could remember."  Lette has sung in large choirs in Madison, Waukesha, and Milwaukee, including an opportunity to sing Beethoven's 9th Symphony in German with the Milwaukee Symphony. While living in Janesville, she sang with a  women's chorus and nearby, Milton College.  At Beloit College they performed many unusual pieces including Polovtsian Dances. Lette has loved singing with all the groups she's  been a part of and is glad to be a part of Wausau Pro Musica since 2012 after she retired. "It is wonderful singing with such a talented group of women."

Second Soprano

This is Lynn's first year with Pro Musica. She sang in mixed choir and small ensembles in high school, for her church choir at St. Andrew Lutheran and with Wausau Lyric Choir (36 years). Lynn retired as a school counselor in June 2016, and currently enjoys reading, gardening, along with taking care of their new puppies, Bella and Livvie. She is married to Dick Lawson, and has three children and two grand dogs. Lynn is inspired by folk and blues, and her music interests are rooted in the 70s. 

Emily was a member of the first mentorship program (Fall-2017).  A 2018 graduate of Merrill High School, Emily is currently a freshman, majoring in music, at UWSP@Wausau. Her goal is to become a high school choir teacher in the Great Lakes area.  Past activities include Concert Choir and Vocal Jazz, and she is currently active in Vocal Jazz at UWSP@Wausau.  Emily says she grew up singing in church and grade school.  Singing through her high school years, she realized she wanted to continue in music.  From Emily:  “With the help of many amazing choral directors, such as Mr. James Bjorklund, Mr. Joshua Olson, and Dr. Judy Durocher-Sidlowski, my passion for music has flourished”.

First Soprano

Eveline is a senior at Merrill High School and joined WPM as a Mentee in 2017.  She has always had a passion for music and acting.  She has sung in multiple variety shows, was a member of the cast for the 2016 production of Les Mis and, most recently, played Miss Medda Larkin in Newsies.  Eveline has also been student director for the high school’s One Act program.  Pro Musica has been a part of her life for two years and she couldn’t be happier to be a member of such a great choir. This year she sings with the first altos.

First Alto

Allie joined WPM as a participant in the first Mentor Program in 2017 and says singing and being a mentee with Wausau Pro Musica is really fun.  She's done many musicals and is in choir at school.  She also has been taking voice lessons at Wausau Conservatory of the Arts for three years with Mrs. Barbara Lattimer.  She is involved in the theater program at Wausau East High School and wants to pursue Musical Theater in college.  Allie loves Broadway!

First Soprano

Mary started singing as a child with her family, in church,  on car rides, while doing dishes or anywhere they were together.   Through high school and college, she studied piano and guitar and took voice lessons. She sang in various choirs, church groups and bands.  Mary taught guitar for 25+ years, worked as a pastoral musician, a bookkeeper, and an office manager prior to retiring in 2010.  She joined WPM in 1996 and enjoys the challenge of new music and performing in concert.  Mary also manages WPM's music database and our website (#webmaven).  She's been married to Ron for 50 years; has three children, ten grandchildren, and  two great-granddaughters.  She enjoys spending time with family and friends, music, computers, beading, reading, cooking, traveling, fishing, and UTV riding.  Mary's currently on hiatus from singing with WPM, but continues to manage WPM's internet presence.

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First Soprano